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McLemore Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

McLemore

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An ancient Strathclyde-Briton family from the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first to use the name McLemore. It is a name for a devotee of the Virgin Mary. Looking back further, we find the name McLemore was originally derived from the Gaelic Gille Moire, which means follower of Mary.

McLemore Early Origins

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The surname McLemore was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Early records from Cumberland show that between 1133 and 1156, Gilmor, son of Gilander founded the chapelry of Treverman (later Trierman) in the parish of Walton, Cumberland, site of Triermain castle. Gilmore meaning "Gill the Big" was son of Gillanders the great Chief who lived about 1140.

McLemore Spelling Variations

Scribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. McLemore has been spelled Gilmour, Gilmore, Gilmur, Gilmor, Gilmer and many more.

McLemore Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McLemore research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1605, 1671, 1661 and 1671 are included under the topic Early McLemore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLemore Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 21 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McLemore Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLemore In Ireland

Some of the McLemore family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The number of Strathclyde Clan families sailing for North America increased steadily as the persecution continued. In the colonies, they could find not only freedom from the iron hand of the English government, but land to settle on. The American War of Independence allowed many of these settlers to prove their independence, while some chose to go to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots played essential roles in the forging of both great nations. Among them:

McLemore Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J C McLemore, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851
John McLemore, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1860

McLemore Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

C. K. McLemore, aged 36, who emigrated to the United States, in 1908
Osbern McLemore, who landed in America, in 1908
Patti McLemore, aged 24, who emigrated to America, in 1908
James L. McLemore, aged 44, who settled in America, in 1911
Mary W. McLemore, aged 35, who emigrated to the United States, in 1911

Contemporary Notables of the name McLemore (post 1700)

Doris Jean Lamar- McLemore (1927-2016), American Native American, the last fluent speaker of the Wichita language
Leslie B. McLemore (b. 1940), American civil rights activist and political leader
Albert S. McLemore (1869-1921), American officer serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Spanish-American War
Atkins Jefferson McLemore (1857-1929), American newspaper publisher, State Representative and United States Representative from Texas
Mark Steven McLemore (b. 1980), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Emmett McLemore, American professional football player who played in the National Football League
Dana McLemore (b. 1960), former professional American football cornerback in the National Football league
Mark Tremell McLemore (b. 1964), American former second baseman and utility player in Major League baseball
McCoy McLemore (1942-2009), American former college and professional basketball star

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: Perseveranti dabitur
Motto Translation: It will be given to the persevering.

McLemore Family Crest Products

Citations

Other References

Burke, Sir Bernard. Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry Including American Families with British Ancestry 2 Volumes. London: Burke Publishing, 1939. Print.
Bain, Robert. The Clans and Tartans of Scotland. Glasgow & London: Collins, 1968. Print. (ISBN 000411117-6).
Donaldson, Gordon and Robert S. Morpeth. Who's Who In Scotish History. Wales: Welsh Academic Press, 1996. Print. (ISBN 186057-0054).
Scarlett, James D. Tartan The Highland Textile. London: Shepheard-Walwyn, 1990. Print. (ISBN 0-85683-120-4).
Warner, Philip Warner. Famous Scottish Battles. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1996. Print. (ISBN 0-76070-004-4).
Bowman, George Ernest. The Mayflower Reader A Selection of Articales from The Mayflower Descendent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Filby, P. William and Mary K Meyer. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index in Four Volumes. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8).
Martine, Roddy, Roderick Martine and Don Pottinger. Scottish Clan and Family Names Their Arms, Origins and Tartans. Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1992. Print.
Catholic Directory For Scotland. Glasgow: Burns Publications. Print.
Leyburn, James Graham. The Scotch-Irish A Social History. Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1962. Print. (ISBN 0807842591).
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The McLemore Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The McLemore Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 20 September 2016 at 16:52.