Roia History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Roia

What does the name Roia mean?

The first family to use the name Roia lived in the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. It was used as a nickname for a person with red hair. Roia is a nickname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Nicknames form a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, and can refer directly or indirectly to one's personality, physical attributes, mannerisms, or even their habits of dress. The surname Roia comes from the Gaelic word ruadh, which means red. Thus, the original bearers of the surname Roia would have been known for their red hair, or possibly, a ruddy complexion.

Early Origins of the Roia family

The surname Roia was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat from very early times, where some say before the Millenium.

Early History of the Roia family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roia research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1488, 1527, 1550 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Roia History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roia 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. Roia has been written as Roy, Roys, Roye, Roi, McRoy and others.

Early Notables of the Roia family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Roia Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Roia family to Ireland

Some of the Roia family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 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 Roia family

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Henry and Margaret Roy who settled in Virginia in 1637; Daniel Roy settled in Virginia in 1700; John Roy settled in Georgia in 1734; Joseph Roi settled in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1790..

The Roia 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: Qua tendis
Motto Translation: Whither do you steer.