MacWurchie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of MacWurchie

What does the name MacWurchie mean?

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the MacWurchie family. Their name comes from the personal name Murdo. The Gaelic form of the surname was Mac Mhurchaidh, meaning son of Murdo. The name Murdo is equivalent to Murdock, and means sea warrior.

Early Origins of the MacWurchie family

The surname MacWurchie was first found in south Uist, in the Outer Hebrides (Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Siar), in the present day Council Area of Western Isles, a region controlled by the Norwegians prior to the Treaty of Perth in 1266, 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 MacWurchie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacWurchie research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1506 is included under the topic Early MacWurchie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacWurchie 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. MacWurchie has been recorded as MacMurchie, MacMurchy, MacUrchie, MacWurchie, MacWorthy, MacVurchie, Murchie and many more.

Early Notables of the MacWurchie family

More information is included under the topic Early MacWurchie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacWurchie 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 MacWurchie, or a variant listed above: Finlay McMurchie, his wife Catherine, and their five children, who settled in Wilmington, NC in 1774; Hugh McMurchie, his wife Elizabeth, and their five children, who arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1774.

The MacWurchie 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: Per mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.