MacNeish History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe west coast of Scotland and the rocky Hebrides islands are the ancient home of the MacNeish family. The root of their name is the personal name Naos, which is a dialectal form of Aonghus or Angus. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Neis, which is derived from the earlier form Mac Naois; both of these mean son of Angus. Thus, the name MacNeish is a cognate of MacAngus and MacInnes. Early Origins of the MacNeish familyThe surname MacNeish was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, 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. Early History of the MacNeish familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacNeish research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1522 and 1890 are included under the topic Early MacNeish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. MacNeish Spelling VariationsSpelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. MacNeish has appeared in various documents spelled MacNeish, MacNeice, MacNish, MacNess, MacKness, MacNeece and many more. Early Notables of the MacNeish familyNotable amongst the Clan from early times was
Migration of the MacNeish family to IrelandSome of the MacNeish family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the MacNeish familyAncestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name MacNeish or a variant listed above: Thomas McNeish, who settled in Philadelphia in 1868; Michael McNish settled in Philadelphia in 1866.
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: Animo non astutia Motto Translation: By courage, not by craft. |