Show ContentsMcCorkill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

On the Scottish west coast, the McCorkill family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from the Gaelic word Mac-Thorcaill which means son of Thor's cauldron, which is the Norse hero whose name refers to the cauldron of the thunder god.

Early Origins of the McCorkill family

The surname McCorkill 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 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 McCorkill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCorkill research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1430, 1434, 1509 and 1600 are included under the topic Early McCorkill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCorkill Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. McCorkill has appeared as MacCorquodale, MacCorquindale, MacCorkindale, MacCorkill and many more.

Early Notables of the McCorkill family

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


Australia McCorkill migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McCorkill Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Anne Mccorkill, (b. 1818), aged 19, Irish servant who was convicted in Londonderry, Ireland for 7 years for vagrancy, transported aboard the "Diamond" on 29th November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 1

Contemporary Notables of the name McCorkill (post 1700) +

  • Thomas McCorkill, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 2008 2


The McCorkill 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: Vivat Rex
Motto Translation: Long live the king.


  1. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diamond
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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