McSparran History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of McSparran

What does the name McSparran mean?

Rugged coastal mountains and the windswept Hebrides islands were the home of the first family to use the name McSparran. It was originally given to a person who carried a sporran, which is the purse worn with the kilt in Highland Scottish dress. The Gaelic form of the surname is Mac-an-sporain, which means son of the purse.

Early Origins of the McSparran family

The surname McSparran was first found in on the Isle of Iona, 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 Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the McSparran family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McSparran research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1745 is included under the topic Early McSparran History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McSparran Spelling Variations

Many spelling variations of McSparran have been recorded over the years, including MacSporran, MacSparran and others.

Early Notables of the McSparran family

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

McSparran migration to the United States +

Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to the Crown re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first McSparrans to arrive on North American shores:

McSparran Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Archibald McSparran, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 1

McSparran Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Archibald and Malcolm McSparran, who settled in New York State in 1833

Contemporary Notables of the name McSparran (post 1700) +

John A. McSparran, American Democratic Party politician, Democratic Candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania, 1922, 1934; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1924, 1928 2

The McSparran 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: Per mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.

Sources +

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 Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html