Show ContentsEngrain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Engrain family

The surname Engrain was first found in Northumberland at Ingram, (meaning grassland enclosure) a small village in the Cheviots on the River Breamish. 1 The first listing of the village was in 1242 when it was listed as Angerham and literally meant "homestead or enclosure with grassland," having derived from the Old English words anger + ham. 2

Alternatively, the name could have been a variant of the Latin name Ingelramus, an ancient personal name which was also listed as Ingelram and Ingerham. 3

According to the source, Freeman's Norman Conquest, "Ingelram the first, was Count of Ponthieu. One of these Ingelrams of Ponthieu married the Conqueror's sister Adelaide. By-and-by Ingeram or Ingram became the recognized form."

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had a plethora of listings: Ingelram (without surname), Cambridgeshire; Sibil Ingelram, Huntingdonshire; Ingeram de Betoyne, Huntingdonshire; Peter Ingeram, Wiltshire; John Ingeram, Yorkshire; and Ingeramus (without surname), Buckinghamshire. 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls included: Ingram Carter, wryghl; Willelmus Ingram; Ingelramus de Gren; and Willelmus Ingramson. 4

Interestingly, Thomas Ingerham, a worker, in the Liberary was buried at St. Peter, Cornhill in London, but "in America this form has settled down into Ingraham." 4

In Scotland, the first record of the family was as "Ingelram, later Ingeram, also Middle English Ingelmm, Ingerom. Latinized Ingelramus. Hyngelrom, clericus, witnessed a charter by David I to the Abbey of Neubotle, c. 1142. Engeham (Engellram, Inselleran, Hingelram, Engeram), rector of Peebles, archdeacon of Glasgow, became chancellor of Scotland in the reign of Malcolm IV. Hyngelramus de Monte acuto was a witness in Dumbarton, 1271." 5

Early History of the Engrain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Engrain research. Another 210 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1142, 1249, 1330, 1476, 1541, 1580, 1604, 1607, 1609, 1614, 1620, 1621, 1623, 1625, 1627, 1640, 1642, 1663, 1666, 1668, 1686, 1688, 1689, 1691, 1694, 1702, 1714, 1715, 1716, 1717, 1721, 1736, 1761, 1762, 1763, 1800 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Engrain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Engrain Spelling Variations

The name Engrain, appeared in many references, and from time to time, the surname was spelt Ingram, Ingraham, Ingrome, Ingrum and others.

Early Notables of the Engrain family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Henry Ingram, 1st Viscount of Irvine (1620-1666); Edward Ingram, 2nd Viscount of Irvine (1663-1668); Arthur Ingram, 3rd Viscount of Irvine (1666-1702), an English Member of Parliament for Yorkshire and Scarborough, Vice-Admiral of Yorkshire; Edward Machel Ingram, 4th Viscount of Irvine (1686-1714); Richard Ingram, 5th Viscount of Irvine (1688-1721), Colonel of Viscount Irvine's...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Engrain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Engrain family to Ireland

Some of the Engrain family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Engrain family

The New World beckoned as many of the settlers in Ireland, known as the Scotch/Irish, became disenchanted. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Amongst the early settlers who could be considered kinsmen of the Engrain family, or who bore a variation of the surname Engrain were Edward Ingraham settled in Boston in 1635; John Ingram settled in Virginia in 1652; Richard Ingram settled in the same year, along with Toby; Archibald, Henry, Isaac, John and William Ingram all arrived in Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860..



The Engrain 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: Magnanimus esto
Motto Translation: Be great of mind.


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. 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)


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