On the western coast of
Scotland and on the
Hebrides islands the McGreggor family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from the given name
Gregory. The Gaelic form of the name was
Mac Griogain, which translates as son of
Gregory. Early Origins of the McGreggor family
The surname McGreggor 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, as their origins can be traced back to Griogair, son of the eighth century King Alpin of Scotland, the High King of the Scots and
Picts who died in 860 AD. Hence, their famous motto translates from Gaelic as 'Royal is my blood.' They are the principal branch of the Siol Alpine whose representative, King Kenneth the Hardy, was son of MacAlpin, the first King of the Scots.
Early History of the McGreggor family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGreggor research.
Another 407 words (29 lines of text) covering the years 1587, 1000, 1603, 1603, 1888, 1671, 1734 and are included under the topic Early McGreggor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
McGreggor Spelling Variations
In various documents McGreggor has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of
spelling variations. MacGregor, MacGrigor, MacGrioghair (Gaelic) and others.
Early Notables of the McGreggor family (pre 1700)
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGreggor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the McGreggor family to Ireland
Some of the McGreggor family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the McGreggor family to the New World and Oceana
Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American
War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through
Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name McGreggor or a variant listed above:
McGreggor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Archibald McGreggor, aged 33, who landed in North Carolina in 1813 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
The McGreggor 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: 'S Rioghal Mo Dhream
Motto Translation: Royal is my blood.