| Macclelint History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms - Origins Available:
Scotland Ireland Etymology of MacclelintWhat does the name Macclelint mean? In the Scottish/English Borderlands, the Strathclyde Britons were the first to use the name Macclelint. It is derived from the son of the servant of Fillan. Fillan is derived from the word fail which means wolf. In Gaelic, the name was spelled Mac Gill Fhaolain Macclelint Coat of Arms CreationThere is a Maclellan Castle in Kirkcudbright, and the Maclellans, once a numerous clan in Galloway, held it for long. The Irish, or at least Saracens or gipsies 'from Ireland, made incursions into their territory, and were so troublesome that the people had to ask the aid of King James II., who promised the estate of Bombie to the man who slew the formidable leader of the marauding band. Young Maclellan got to know how fond this leader was of strong drink, and arranged that on their next coming his men should flee before them, lead the pursuers over a dry area beyond which was a well, which he carefully filled with spirits. The leader, thirsty after the chase, reached it, tasted, drank his fill, and, while thus drugged, was slain by young Maclellan, who took for his crest a Moor's head on the point of a sword. When he went to claim the estate the King said he could remember no such promise, but was told to " Think on," which became the motto of the Maclellans. 1 Early Origins of the Macclelint familyThe surname Macclelint was first found in the former counties of Kirkcudbrightshire and Galloway where Chief Duncan MacLellan appears in a charter of Alexander II in 1217. Other early records of the surname include Gilbert M'Lolane, who lived around the year 1270. Gilbert's son Patrick, along with several others, took the castle of Dumfries from the supporters of Robert the Bruce in around 1305. Gilelbertus MacLelan was elected Bishop of Man and the Sudreys in 1325 and held the position for almost 3 years. Early History of the Macclelint familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Macclelint research. Another 200 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1347, 1450, 1457, 1466, 1513, 1547, 1597, 1633, 1641, 1647 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Macclelint History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Macclelint Spelling VariationsIn Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Macclelint has been spelled MacClelland, McClellan, MacLellan, McLellan, MacLelland, McLelland, MacClelland, McClelland, Clelland and many more. Early Notables of the Macclelint familyNotable amongst bearers of this family name during their early history was Sir William Maclellan of Bombie, knighted by King James IV of Scotland, who fought for the king in the losing Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. According to folklore, McLellan threw his gauntlet at the king's feet, shook his fist and... Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Macclelint Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Macclelint family to IrelandSome of the Macclelint family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 96 words (7 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 Macclelint familyUnrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: Andrew McLellan, banished to New Jersey in 1685; Archibald Maclellan, who arrived in New York in 1790; Donald Maclellan, a "prisoner of the '45' sent to Barbados or Jamaica in 1745.
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: Think on
- Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
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