Hannas is one of the proud Scottish names to come from the Strathclyde clans of the Scottish/English Borderlands. It is derived from the personal names Hannah and Anna. Another possibility is that it is a religious name, taken from that of Hannah, mother of Samuel. Most likely, however, given the family's Gaelic origins is that it was an anglicized version of the Gaelic "O hAnnaigh", meaning "descendant of Annach", a byname meaning "iniquity".
Early Origins of the Hannas family
The surname Hannas was first found in
Wigtownshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhaile na h-Uige), formerly a county in southwestern
Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and
Galloway, where in 1296, Gilbert de Hannethe residing in the county of Wiggetone at the time, rendered homage to
King Edward I of
England during his brief conquest of
Scotland. During the same year, a Gilbert Hahanith, who may or may not be the same man, was juror on an inquest concerning the succession to Elena la Zuche. The next appearance of the name is in 1424 when John of Hanna (a name that suggests that the name may have been taken from a place, rather than of Gaelic origin) was master of a ship belonging to James, King of Scotland.
Early History of the Hannas family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hannas research.
Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1673, 1st , 1658, 1689 and 1630 are included under the topic Early Hannas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hannas Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few
hundred years that rules have developed and the process of spelling according to sound has been abandoned. Scottish names from before that time tend to appear under many different
spelling variations. Hannas has been spelled Hannah, Hanna, Hannay, Hanney and others.
Early Notables of the Hannas family (pre 1700)
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hannas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hannas family to Ireland
Some of the Hannas family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 107 words (8 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 Hannas family to the New World and Oceana
Unwelcome in their beloved homeland, many Scots sailed for the colonies of North America. There, they found land and freedom, and even the opportunity to make a new nation in the American
War of Independence. These Scottish settlers played essential roles in the founding of the United States, and the shaping of contemporary North America. Among them: Alexander Hannah settled in Boston in 1766; Andrew Hannah settled in Antigua in 1679; George Hannah settled in Barbados in 1680 with his wife and two children.
The Hannas 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: Per ardua ad alta
Motto Translation: Through straits to heights.