Urqhart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Urqhart

What does the name Urqhart mean?

The saga of the Urqhart family begins among the people of the ancient tribe of the Picts. They lived in the old barony of Urquhart, which is located on Loch Ness in the county of Inverness.

Early Origins of the Urqhart family

The surname Urqhart was first found in Elginshire a former county in northeastern Scotland, in the present day Scottish Council Area of Moray, where Galleroch de Urchart "who lived temp. Alexander II" 1 was granted lands in Cromarty, and Inverness. He held a family seat at the Castle of Urquhart in 1214. "His descendants were "hereditary sheriffs of Cromarty." 1

Early History of the Urqhart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Urqhart research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1114, 1306, 1358, 1611, 1650, 1660 and 1759 are included under the topic Early Urqhart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Urqhart Spelling Variations

Although Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Urqhart has been written Urquhart, Urquhard, Urchard, Orchard and many more.

Early Notables of the Urqhart family

Sir Thomas Urquhart (Urchard) of Cromarty (1611-c.1660), a Scottish writer and translator, most famous for his translation of Rabelais. Down in London, Thomas Urquhart (fl. 1650?), was a "noted violin-maker and was distinguished among old London makers by the beauty of...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Urqhart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Urqhart family to Ireland

Some of the Urqhart family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Urqhart family

Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Urqhart: Alexander Urquhart who settled in Antigua in 1679; James Urquart settled in Virginia in 1716; Thomas Urquhart settled in Granada in 1776; Donald Urquhart settled in Jamaica in 1745.

The Urqhart 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: Mean well, speak well and do well

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.