MacGaskel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the MacGaskel family. Their name comes from an ancient Norse warrior name Askell, which means cauldron of the Gods and denoted son of Asgaill.

Early Origins of the MacGaskel family

The surname MacGaskel was first found in living on the Islands of Skye and of Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas), where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. On Skye, ancestors of the MacGaskel Clan occupied the district of "Rubha an Dunain, " where the ruins of the family residence may seen to this day.

Early History of the MacGaskel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGaskel research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1795 and 1863 are included under the topic Early MacGaskel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacGaskel Spelling Variations

The medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. MacGaskel has been recorded as MacAskill, MacAskill, Gaskell, Gaskill, MacGaskill, MacKaskil, MacKaskill and many more.

Early Notables of the MacGaskel family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGaskel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacGaskel family

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 MacGaskel, or a variant listed above: Kenneth MacAskill, who arrived in North Carolina in 1750.

The MacGaskel 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: Spea
Motto Translation: By hope.