MacGapan Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The sea-swept Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the MacGapan family. Their name comes from the son of the blond one, or son of Alpin.

MacGapan Early Origins

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The surname MacGapan 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 they were descended from King Kenneth MacAlpin who was murdered by the Picts near Dundee in the year 834. MacAlpin is generally considered to have been the first king to rule both Scots and Picts, and as such, was the first king of Scotland.

MacGapan 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. MacGapan has been written as MacAlpine, MacAlpin, MacAilpein (Gaelic) and others.

MacGapan Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGapan research. Another 385 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1395, 1405, 1531, 1557, 1658, 1725 and 1692 are included under the topic Early MacGapan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacGapan Early Notables (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Sir John MacAlpin; John MacAlpine (Latin: Maccabeus) (died 1557), a Scottish Protestant theologian; and Joseph Capen (1658-1725), a Massachusetts clergyman who during...

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGapan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacGapan In Ireland

Some of the MacGapan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

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 MacGapan or a variant listed above: Robert MacAlpin, who settled in New York State in 1740; William MacAlpine settled in New York in 1774; Hugh and James MacAlpin settled in New York in 1811. James Alpin was registered as a United Empire Loyalist..

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Citations

Other References

Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
Papworth, J.W and A.W Morant. Ordinary of British Armorials. London: T.Richards, 1874. Print.
Barrow, G.W.S Ed. The Charters of David I The Written Acts of David I King of Scots, 1124-53 and of His Son Henry, Earl of Northumerland, 1139-52. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1999. Print.
Moncrieffe, Sir Ian of That Ilk and Don Pottinger. Clan Map Scotland of Old. Edinburgh: Bartholomew and Son, 1983. Print.
Markale, J. Celtic Civilization. London: Gordon & Cremonesi, 1976. Print.
Bolton, Charles Knowles. Bolton's American Armory. Baltimore: Heraldic Book Company, 1964. Print.
Moncrieffe, Sir Ian of That Ilk and David Hicks. The Highland Clans The Dynastic Origins, Cheifs and Background of the Clans. New York: C.N. Potter, 1968. Print.
Le Patourel, John. The Norman Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-19-822525-3).
Scarlett, James D. Tartan The Highland Textile. London: Shepheard-Walwyn, 1990. Print. (ISBN 0-85683-120-4).
Martine, Roddy, Roderick Martine and Don Pottinger. Scottish Clan and Family Names Their Arms, Origins and Tartans. Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1992. Print.
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The MacGapan Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The MacGapan Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 20 January 2015 at 08:24.