McGregorey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the McGregorey family. 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 McGregorey family

The surname McGregorey 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 McGregorey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGregorey research. Another 491 words (35 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1587, 1603, 1640, 1671, 1734, 1888 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McGregorey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGregorey Spelling Variations

Medieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. McGregorey has been written as MacGregor, MacGrigor, MacGrioghair (Gaelic) and others.

Early Notables of the McGregorey family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGregorey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McGregorey family to Ireland

Some of the McGregorey 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 McGregorey family

Ancestors 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 McGregorey or a variant listed above: Duncan McGregor settled in South Carolina in 1716; along with Mall; Gregor McGregor settled in Virginia along with John in 1716; John McGregor settled in Boston in 1766.

The McGregorey 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.