| ![Show Contents]() McAlley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of McAlleyWhat does the name McAlley mean? The ancestors of the families to use the name McAlley lived among the Boernicians of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The name comes from the son of Amalghaidh, (an old Irish personal name). The distinguished name McAlley is derived from the Gaelic name MacAmhalghaidh and was generally found in Dumbartonshire. Alternatively, the name could have come from the Gaelic name MacAmhlaibh or MacAmhaidh, which means son of Amlaib and in this case, the name was originally derived from the Norse King Olafr. This latter branch was generally found in the Hebrides. Early Origins of the McAlley familyThe surname McAlley was first found in at Ardencaple, in Dumbartonshire. Ardencaple "cape of the horses," was the ancestral home of the Lairds of Ardencaple and is located on the shores of the Gare Loch, in the historical district of Lennox, county Dumbarton. They were one of the Clans of MacAlpine. The history of the MacAulay Clan is particularly complex as there are two distinct branches, in addition to an infusion of MacAulays during the reign of Robert the Bruce. The name of Aulay, brother of the Earl of Lennox, is found on the Ragman Rolls, which confirms his pledge of allegiance to King Edward I of England. This branch entered into a bond of manrent with MacGregor of Glenstrae in 1591. The second branch of this Clan is that of the MacAulays of the Isle of Lewis. These Clansmen claimed descent from Aula (Olaf the Black), who was a thirteenth-century king of the Isles. Their lands were traditional centered around Uig. This branch was probably related to the numerous MacAulays of Ross and Sutherland. Finally, some members of a branch of the MacAulay Clann from Ireland were invited by Robert the Bruce to Scotland to help in his wars against the English. These last MacAulays may be ancient relatives to those of Ardincaple, Dumbartonshire. It was some while later that the MacAulays were first recognized as a Clan. Early History of the McAlley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McAlley research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1595, 1767 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McAlley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McAlley Spelling VariationsBefore the printing press and the first dictionaries appeared, names and other words were often spelled differently every time they were written. McAlley has appeared under the variations MacAuly, MacAwley, MacAuley, MacAullay, MacAulley, MacAwlay, MacCaulay, MacCawley, MacGawley, Magawley, Cauley, Caulay, McCamley and many more. Early Notables of the McAlley familythe 'MacCawlis' who appear on the roll of Broken Clans in 1595. Their fortunes fell, the last of their lands of Ardencaple were sold to the Duke of Argyll...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McAlley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the McAlley family to IrelandSome of the McAlley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| McAlley migration to the United States | + |
The Scots who crossed the Atlantic were often on the run from poverty as well as persecution. They brought little with them, and often had nothing of their home country to hand down to their children. In the 20th century, Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations have helped the ancestors of Boernician Scots to recover their lost national legacy. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name McAlley were among those contributors:
McAlley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Mathew Mcalley, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 1
McAlley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mary McAlley, aged 22, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1820-1873 1
| McAlley migration to Australia | + |
McAlley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Lawrence McAlley, English convict who was convicted in Isle of Wight, England for life, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
| McAlley migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: McAlley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Robert McALLEY, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
| Contemporary Notables of the name McAlley (post 1700) | + |
- Nicola McAlley, Scottish journalist
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: Dulce Periculum
Motto Translation: Danger is sweet
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
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