| ![Show Contents]() MacAlester History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
Etymology of MacAlesterWhat does the name MacAlester mean? The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the MacAlester family. Their name comes from the Gaelic Mac Alasdair "son of Alasdair," which correlates to the personal name Alexander. Early Origins of the MacAlester familyThe surname MacAlester was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where Alasdair Mòr was listed on record in 1253, as witnessing a charter by his brother, Aonghas Mór a Íle, to the Paisley Abbey. Early History of the MacAlester familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacAlester research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1645 and 1647 are included under the topic Early MacAlester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. MacAlester Spelling VariationsThe medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. MacAlester has been recorded as MacAlister, MacAllister, MacAllaster, MacAllestair, MacAllester, MacAllister and many more. Early Notables of the MacAlester familyAnother 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacAlester Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the MacAlester family to IrelandSome of the MacAlester family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| MacAlester migration to the United States | + |
Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name MacAlester, or a variant listed above:
MacAlester Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Daniell Macalester, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 1
- John Macalester, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 1
- Hector Macalester, who landed in Virginia in 1654 1
MacAlester Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Charles Macalester, who landed in America in 1785 1
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 mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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