Show ContentsVaugh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Vaugh family

The surname Vaugh was first found in Dumfriesshire, where they held a family seat in Wauchopedale from about the year 1150. Robert de Wauchope was one of twelve knights who negotiated the law of the border territories in 1249.

The abbreviation of Waugh created a separate branch of the Clan, and David Waugh of Lanarkshire, Robert Waugh of Heap, rendered homage to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. This latter person may have been the same as Robert de Wauchope who also rendered homage for the Wauchopes. 1

"The border name of Waugh is an abbreviation of Wau-chope, the Waughs are sprung from the Wauchopes and have the same arms." 1

Later some of the family we found across the border in England, where Willelmus Wahh was registered in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

"The Waughs, who are now established in England in the counties of Northumberland and Durham, probably hail originally from the Waughs of the Scottish border counties, where the name still has its home, especially in Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire. The Waughs of Heip, in Roxburghshire, held those lands from the 13th to the 17th century." 3

Early History of the Vaugh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vaugh research. Another 227 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1178, 1436, 1445, 1448, 1467, 1500, 1521, 1526, 1536, 1539, 1543, 1551, 1565, 1585, 1587, 1589, 1590, 1597, 1598, 1633, 1649, 1656, 1664, 1672, 1682, 1723, 1734, 1751, 1754, 1766, 1770, 1783, 1810, 1827, 1829, 1878 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Vaugh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vaugh Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Waugh, Wauchope, Waughe, Walge, Wach, Walcht and others.

Early Notables of the Vaugh family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Robert Wauchope (c. 1500-1551), Scottish cleric, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh from 1539 to 1551; John Waugh (1656-1734), an English clergyman, Bishop of Carlisle from 1723; and his son, John Waugh who became Dean of Worcester in 1751.Sir John Wauchope (d. 1682), of Niddrie, was a Scottish covenanter, descended from the old family of Wauchope of Wauchope in Dumfriesshire, who became proprietors of the lands of Culter, Aberdeenshire, and from the thirteenth century were hereditary baillies in Mid Lothian to the Keith Marischal of Scotland, afterwards Earl Marischal, from whom they obtained the...
Another 144 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vaugh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vaugh Ranking

In the United States, the name Vaugh is the 17,096th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Vaugh family to Ireland

Some of the Vaugh family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 215 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Vaugh migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Vaugh Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Vaugh, who arrived in New York in 1709 5
  • Abner Vaugh, who arrived in Virginia in 1771 5
Vaugh Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Vaugh, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 5
  • D F Vaugh, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5


The Vaugh 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: Industria ditat
Motto Translation: Industry enriches.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)


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