Rugged coastal mountains and the windswept
Hebrides islands were the home of the first family to use the name Locheard. It was originally given to a person who was brave. Locheard is a
nickname surname, which belongs to the category of
hereditary surnames. Nicknames form a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, and can refer directly or indirectly to one's personality, physical attributes, mannerisms, or even their habits of dress. The surname Locheard comes from the words
loc and
hardy, which mean
lock and
brave or
hardy.Early Origins of the Locheard family
The surname Locheard was first found in
Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of
Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North
Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where this distinguished family acquired the estates of Carnwath, Cleghorn, Birkhill, Kirktoun, and Leigh.
The Lockharts of Leigh (Lee) trace their descent from Sir Simon Locard whose name some claim was derived from the territorial name "de Loch Ard." The family estate was centered at Lee Castle, originally built c. 1272 and was expanded in the 19th century.
Sir Simon Locard accompanied Sir James Douglas on his expedition with the heart of Robert the Bruce, which after Douglas' death brought home from Spain and buried in Melrose Abbey. This incident was the reason of the Arms' "man's heart within a fetterlock."
Early History of the Locheard family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Locheard research.
Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1689, 1658, 1646, 1658, 1674, 1621, 1675, 1652, 1630, 1689, 1685, 1686 and are included under the topic Early Locheard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Locheard Spelling Variations
Many
spelling variations of Locheard have been recorded over the years, including Lockhart, Lockhard, Locard, Lockard, Lockheart and many more.
Early Notables of the Locheard family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the family at this time was George Lockhart of Tarbrax (died 1658), Commissioner of Glasgow in the Parliament of
Scotland (1646-1658); Sir James Lockhart of Lee (d. 1674), lord of the Court of Session, he held the judicial title Lord Lee; Sir William Lockhart of Lee (1621-1675)...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Locheard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Locheard family to Ireland
Some of the Locheard family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 214 words (15 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 Locheard family to the New World and Oceana
Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American
War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to the Crown re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as
Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Locheards to arrive on North American shores: Robert Lockhard settled in Virginia in 1777; Gaven Lockhart settled in east New Jersey in 1685; Robert Lockhart settled in New York in 1820; Hugh, Isaac, Janet, John, Nicholas, Robert Lockhart, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..
The Locheard 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: Corda serata pando
Motto Translation: I lay open locked hearts.