Sporren History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Sporren

What does the name Sporren mean?

The Sporren family finds its ancestral home among the rugged mountains and sea-swept Hebrides islands of Scotland's west coast. In that area, once known as the kingdom of Dalriada, Sporren evolved as a nickname for 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 Sporren family

The surname Sporren 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 Sporren family

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

Sporren Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. Sporren has appeared as MacSporran, MacSparran and others.

Early Notables of the Sporren family

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

Migration of the Sporren 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 Sporren or a variant listed above: Archibald McSparran, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1773; Archibald and Malcolm McSparran settled in New York State in 1833.

The Sporren 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.