Gilchrison History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Gilchrison

What does the name Gilchrison mean?

The sea-swept Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Gilchrison family. Their name comes from the Gaelic "Gille Criosd", which means "the servant of Christ".

Early Origins of the Gilchrison family

The surname Gilchrison was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where they held a family seat some say as far back as the 12th century. The first record of the name was in Cupar-Angus in the 15th century where they held a family seat at Murthly in Atholl, in the parish of Little Dunkeld in Perthshire.

Early History of the Gilchrison family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gilchrison research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1680 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Gilchrison History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gilchrison Spelling Variations

Medieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. Gilchrison has been written as Gilchristson, Gilkerson, Gilkison, Gilcriston, Gilkersone, MacGilchrist, McGilchrist, Gilchristoun, Kilkerson, Gilkisone, Gilkrisoune, Gilkcrissone and many more.

Early Notables of the Gilchrison family

More information is included under the topic Early Gilchrison Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gilchrison family to Ireland

Some of the Gilchrison family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gilchrison family

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Gilchrison or a variant listed above: Archibald and Robert Gilkeson settled in Augusta County, Virginia in 1767.

The Gilchrison 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: I hope to speed