The annals of Scottish history reveal that Ecemant was first used as a name by ancestors of the Pictish tribe of ancient
Scotland. The Ecemant family lived in
Lanarkshire. But the origins of the Ecemant surname are still unclear. Some suggest that the name came from the Old English
Aecemann, meaning "oak-man." Family lore has it that an officer commanding troops besieging Macbeth in Dunsinan Castle ordered his men to march in attack with branches of oak; the officer then became known as the "oak-man."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)Early Origins of the Ecemant family
The surname Ecemant was first found in the counties of
Fifeshire and
Forfarshire, in
Scotland. It is said that Akeman commanded MacBeth's troops in the siege of Dunsinane Castle and ordered the attack in 1057. One of the earliest records for the name was Alisaundre Akeman who swore an oath of allegiance to
King Edward I in 1296. "The tombs of ten John Aikmans are said to be in Arbroath Abbey."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Early History of the Ecemant family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ecemant research.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1682 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Ecemant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Ecemant Spelling Variations
Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few
hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound.
spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Ecemant has been spelled Aikman, Akeman, Aichman, Aykman, Akman, Hekman and others.
Early Notables of the Ecemant family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Ecemant Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Ecemant family to the New World and Oceana
In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American
War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through
Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Ecemant: Francis Aikman, who came to Virginia in 1669; Patrick Aikman, who came to Boston in 1715; William Aikman, who arrived in Boston in 1718; Ernest Akman who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1750.
The Ecemant Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Sub robore virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue under strength.