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Family Crests
This entry was posted on 5/16/2006 11:06 AM and is filed under Family History.
Found this cool site today - http://www.houseofnames.com.
Bergeman (German)
The German surname Bergeman emerged in the lands that formed the
powerful German state of Prussia, which at one time was an immense
German territory that stretched from France and the Low Countries to
the Baltic sea and Poland. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the
German territories were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The
borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region
that became known as Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of
Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. West Prussia,
where the distinguished surname Bergeman was born, was nestled between
Brandenburg and East Prussia on the Vistula River. It is famous for its
ancient cities, such as Danzig, which is renowned for its culture and
fine displays ofRenaissance art and architecture.
Spelling variations include: Bergmann, Bergman, Bergemann (Cologne, Westphalia) and many more.
First found in West Prussia, where the name contributed greatly to the
development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role
in the tribal and national conflicts of the area.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Carl Anton Bergman came to Philadelphia, Pa. in 1751; George Bergman
arrived in Boston, Mass. in 1768; Christian Bergmann settled in Texas
in 1854; Heinrich Bergmann arrived in New Hannover, N. C. in 1778.
Cannon (Irish)
While the Anglicized versions of Irish names are familiar to most
people, all Irish names have a long and proud Gaelic heritage that is
often unknown. The original Gaelic form of the name Cannon is O Canain,
from the word cano, which means wolf cub.
Spelling variations include: Cannon, O'Cannon, MacCannon, Cannan, Cannen, Cannin, MacCannan, McCannon, McCannan and many more.
First found in Tirconnell in northern Ireland where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Edward and Ann Cannon who settled in Virginia in 1646; John Cannon
settled in the Barbados in 1660; another John settled in Jamaica in
1716; Alexander, Andrew, Anthony, Barney, Bernard, Bridget, Charles,
Cornelius, Daniel Dennis, Edward, Ennis, George, Hugh, James, John,
Mannis, Michael, Neal, Owen, Patrick, Philip, Thomas and William Cannon
all settled in Philadelphia Pa. between 1772 and 1866.
Carroll (Irish)
The name carroll has undergone many variations in the time that
has passed since its genesis. In Gaelic it appeared as Cearbhaill,
which is derived from the name of Cearbhal, the Lord of Ely who helped
King Brian Boru lead the Irish to victory over the Danes at the Battle
of Clontarf in 1014.
Spelling variations include: O'Carroll, Carroll, Carrel, Carrell,
Carrill, Carrol, Carroll, Caryll, Garvil, Garvill and many more.
First found in counties Tipperary, Offaly, Monaghan and Louth, where they were seated from very ancient times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
John Carroll who settled in Nova Scotia in 1776; Mary Carroll (6 months
old) who arrived in Quebec in 1849; Thomas Carroll and his family who
arrived in Quebec in 1849.
Motto Translated: Strong both in faith and war.
Mom - you have a scary motto!
Coates (English)
The name Coates dates back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of
Britain. As a surname, it comes from their residence at "the cotes," a
township in Count Stafford. The word Cote is derived from the Old
English word "cote," which refers to a "cottage."
Spelling variations include: Coates, Coate, Coats and others.
First found in Staffordshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
John Coates who settled in Virginia in 1650; James Coates settled in
Jamaica in 1679; Mary Coates settled in New York in 1686; William
Coates settled in the Barbados in 1660.
Engelman (German)
The surname Engelman emerged in the ancient German province of Westphalia, which lies between the Rhine and Wesser rivers. Two
of the common types of hereditary surnames found in the Westphalia were
patronymic surnames, which were derived from the father's given name,
and metronymic surnames, which were derived from the mother's given
name. The surname Engelman was derived from various Germanic personal
names. The name Engelman is a short form of given names such as
Engelbert or Engelhard.
Spelling variations include: Engel, Engels, Engell, Engeler, Engeli,
Aingel, Aingell, Aengel, Aengell, Aingeler, Engele, Aingele, Engler,
Engebretson, Engelbrekt, Engelbretson, Engebrecht, Engelbrecht,
Engelbrecher, Engelbert and many more.
First found in Bremen, where the name contributed greatly to the
development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role
in the tribal and national conflicts of the area.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Adam Engel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1754; Christian Engel, who
settled in Philadelphia in 1787; Heinrich Engel, age 30; who arrived in
New York state in 1877.
Gallagher (Irish)
The Irish name Gallagher has a long Gaelic heritage to its credit. The
original Gaelic form of the name Gallagher is O Gallchobhair, derived
from the word gallchobhar, which means foreign help.
Spelling variations include: Gallagher, Gallacher, Gallaugher, Gallaughor, Gallager and many more.
First found in county Donegal where they held a family seat since ancient times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Charles, David, Francis, James, John, Michael, and Thomas Galagher who
arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865; Alexander, Anthony,
Bernard, Charles, Connal, Daniel, Francis, Frank, Hugh, James, John,
Michael, Owen, Patrick, Peter, Thomas and William Gallagher arrived in
Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1865.
Kramer (Irish)
The Irish surnames
in use today are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name
Kramer originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Threinfir, from the words
trean, which means strong, and fear which means man. This name is often
rendered MacTraynor or MacTreanor in English, but the Anglicizations
Mac Crainor and MacCreanor are actually more phonetically accurate.
Spelling variations include: Cramer, Creamer, McCramer, McCreamer and others.
First found in County Cork where they were seated from early times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Andrew Cramer who settled in Pennsylvania in 1772; Daniel Cramer
arrived in Philadelphia in 1752; Michael Cramer arrived in New York in
1715.
Motto Translated: The sentinel sleeps not.
Lance (English)
The ancestors of the Lance family migrated to England following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Lance is based on the Germanic
personal name "Lanzo," or "land," which was initially a short form of
numerous German compound names. The name became popular among the
Normans because of its association with the Old French word "lance,"
which means "spear." After the Norman Conquest, the Old English naming
system gradually dissolved. Old English names became less common and
were replaced by popular continental European names. The Normans
imported a vast number of Norman French personal names, which largely
replaced traditional Old English personal names among the upper and
middle classes.
Spelling variations include: Lance, Laence, Lence, Lancie and others.
First found in Norfolk, where they were seated from the Middle Ages.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Gowin Lance, who sailed to Virginia in 1638; Philip Lance, who arrived
in Philadelphia in 1749; James Lance, who arrived in New York in 1820;
John Lance, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1820.
Lance (French)
The noble surname Lance originated in the region of Maine, in France.
Lance is a topographic surname, which is a type of hereditary surname.
Topographic names were given to a person who resided near a physical
feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation
names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from
place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns,
villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from
the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As
a general rule, the greater the distance between individuals and their
homelands, the larger the territory they were named after. For example,
people who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of
their original villages, while people who migrated to a different
country were often known by the name of a region or country from which
they came.
Spelling variations include: Lanciault, Lance, Lalance, Lancelle, Lancel, Lancelin, Lanciaux, Lancette and many more.
First found in Maine.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
20 individuals who arrived onto Canadian shores from France between
1600 and 1900. Most arrived during the nineteenth century, but some
immigrated earlier, such as James Lancette, who lived in Ontario in the
eighteenth century. Nicolas Lanciaux worked in Saint-Charles-Richelieu,
Quebec, in 1760.
Maghran
Bob's Mother's Maiden Name.
McDonnell (Irish)
Mary's Mother's Maiden Name.
Motto Translated: With these you will conquer.
Milani (Italian)
Spelling variations include: Milani, Milano, Milan, Milanesi, Milanese, Milanzoli and many more.
First found in Messina, formerly Promontorium or Pelorum, a city of Sicily and capital of the province of Messina.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Alonso Molano, who arrived in Venezuela sometime between 1553 and 1554; Gonzalo Milano, who arrived in Venezuela in 1579; Antonia Alleman Milan, who settled in New Orleans in 1778.
Aunt Suzie - is Italian origin correct?
O'Donnell (Irish)
The history of the name O'Donnell dates back to a time before Irish
names were translated into English. The original Gaelic form of
O'Donnell was O Domhnaill, which means descendant of Domhnall or
descendant of Donal.
Spelling variations include: O Donnell, O'Donald, O'Donle, O'Donall, O'Donnell and others.
First found in county Galway, where they held a family seat from very
ancient times, some say before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066
A.D.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Charles, Roger, Thomas, William O'Donald who arrived in Philadelphia
Pa. between 1840 and 1860; Phillip O'Donel arrived in Boston Mass. in
1767; John O'Donell arrived in Salem in 1822.
Motto Translated: Under this sign thou shall conquer.
Another scary motto - watch out for those O'Donnell's.
O'Hora (Irish)
Irish surnames are linked to the long Gaelic heritage of the Island
nation. The original Gaelic form of the name O'Hora is O hEaghra,
connoting a descendant of Eaghra. O'Hora is a patronymic surname, which
derived from the vernacular given name tradition.
Spelling variations include: Hara, Harra, O'Hara and others.
First found in county Sligo where they held a family seat from ancient times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Charles O'Hara, who came to Boston in 1716; Ann O'Hara, an English
convict sent to Rappahannock, Virginia in 1740; David O'Hara, who was
Naturalized in Charleston, SC in 1783.
Motto Translated: By virtue and high repute.
When
I first met Robby I would have guessed that the O'Hora motto was "Thou
shall be able to drink others under the table" but this one works too.
Shimp (English)
Spelling variations include: Shrimpton, Shrempton, Shimpton, Shempton and others.
First found in Gloucestershire where they were anciently seated as Lords of the Manor.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th
century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the
eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the
Carolinas, and to the islands.
Motto: This one didn't have a motto so I'll make one up. Pretend this is Bubba's voice, "shimp-kabobs,
shimp creole, shimp gumbo, coconut
shimp, pepper shimp, shimp soup, shimp stew, shimp salad, shimp
and potatoes, shimp burger, shimp sandwich". Shimp
Stir-Fry. Okay that's not a motto but I really really wanted to
say it!
Smith (Dutch)
Origins Available: Dutch, Irish, English, Scottish, German
Spelling variations include: Smit, Smitt, Smitte, Smites, Smitts,
Smiit, Smiites, Smittes, van Smit, Smut, Smutts, van Smutts, Schmit,
Schmidt, van Schmidt and many more.
First found in Holland, where the name became noted for its many
branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence
which was envied by the princes of the region.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Claes Claesen Smitt, who arrived in New York, NY in 1653; Andries Smit,
who arrived in England or America in 1709; Adam Schmit, who arrived in
England or America in 1709.
Smith (Irish)
Spelling variations include: Smith, MacGowan, McGowan, MacGowin,
McGowin, MacGowen, McGowen, Gow, Gowan, Gowen, Gowin, MacGavin and many
more.
First found in County Cavan where the Sept originated.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Archibald McGowan, who arrived with his children Duncan, John and
Margaret in New York in 1739; Patrick MacGowan, who arrived in Boston,
Mass. in 1764. Charles, Daniel, Edward, James, John, Mark, Michael,
Patrick, Peter, Roger, Thomas, and William MacGowan all arrived in
Philadelphia Pa. between 1840 and 1860.
Motto Translated: He drives forth the darkness and the foe.
Smith (English)
The name Smith is an occupational name for a metal worker (the
blacksmith). It is derived from the Old English word "smid," probably
derived form "smitan," which meant "to strike with a hammer." As metal
worker was such a common and important profession in Medieval times,
this name and its cognates are extremely widespread throughout the
British Isles and Europe. However, there is some debate as to why the
occupation of blacksmith would lead to such a populous surname. One
might expect that Farmer, also an occupational name, but with far more
people involved in the profession in the Middle Ages, would today be a
much more populous surname than Smith. It is probably a futile exercise
to try to establish a single source for this amazing, monumentally
prolific surname.
Spelling variations include: Smith, Smyth, Smythe and others.
First found in Durham, in present day Northumbria (North-Eastern
England) where an Olde English version of the name is cited in circa
975, almost 100 years before the Normans would invade this part of
England.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Rich Smith, who settled in Virginia in 1638; Abbigall Smith, who was
granted land in Virginia in 1673; James Smith and his wife Mary, who
immigrated to Boston in 1718 with their children, Abel Smith, who came
to Boston in 1763.
Motto Translated: By Divine Providence.
Smith (Scottish)
It is thought that the ancestors of most Scottish bearers of Smith were
Picts, an ancient Scottish tribe. Although Smith appears to be an
occupational name for a blacksmith, it has been suggested that when
surnames came into use in Scotland, several different families simply
'took on' the name whether they had been blacksmiths or not. Thus,
Smith is a classic example of a polygenetic surname that was developed
in a number of different locations and adopted by various families
independently.
Spelling variations include: Smith, Smyth, Smythe and others.
First found in northern England and Scotland, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Rich Smith, who settled in Virginia in 1638; Abbigall Smith, who was
granted land in Virginia in 1673; James Smith and his wife Mary, who
immigrated to Boston in 1718 with their children, Abel Smith, who came
to Boston in 1763.
Motto Translated: Always faithful.
Smith (German)
Spelling variations include: Schmidt (northern Germany), Schmid
(southern Germany), Schmitz (Rhineland), Schmied, Schmitt, Smith
(English) and many more.
First found in the northern provinces that were later to make up
Prussia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the
notable families of the region.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Anna Maria Schmidt, who came to New York State in 1710; and Johannes
Schmidt came to Germantown, Pennsylvania between 1683 and 1709. Arnd
Schmidt emigrated with his family and with many other Schmidts to
England or America in 1709.
Startup (Scottish)Spelling variations include: Stirrett, Stirett, Sterritt, Stirratt, Starratt, Starrat, Starret and many more. First found in Ayrshire where they were seated from very ancient times, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Some
of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: James
Sterrett who settled in Boston Mass. in 1768; John Steret arrived in
Philadelphia in 1844; Samuel Stirt arrived in Jamaica in 1685; John
Sterret arrived in Philadelphia in 1840.
Warner (English)
Warner is an ancient name whose history on English soil dates back to
the wave of emigration that followed the Norman Conquest of England in
1066. The name comes from Warnier, a Germanic personal name. It is
composed of two elements: warin, which means guard; and hari, which
means soldier. Such militaristic names were popular in the early Middle
Ages in Europe, which is not surprising given that Europe was in a
semi-permanent state of warfare throughout the Middle Ages.
Spelling variations include: Warner, Warnar, Warnere and others.
First found in Leicestershire where they were recorded in the Domesday Book compiled in 1086 as Warnerus and Warnerius.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Andrew Warner settled in Nantasket Mass. in 1631; Cyprian Warner
settled in Virginia in 1635; Henry Warner settled in Virginia in 1636;
Joe Warner settled in New England in 1635.
Motto Translated: We are not born for ourselves alone.
Warner (German)
The German surname Warner emerged in the lands that formed the modern
state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea,
the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was
previously a medieval Saxon dukedom. German surnames developed at a
time when most of Lower Saxony, and most of the German provinces, were
states of the Holy Roman Empire. At first people used only a single
name, but as the population grew and people began to travel, they began
to find it necessary to take on an additional name to more clearly
identify themselves.
Spelling variations include: Werner, Warner, Warners, Werners, Wernere,
Wernerer, Waerner, Warncke, Warnke (Hamburg), Werneke, Warnken, Warnke,
Warneking (Westphalia) and many more.
First found in Lower Saxony, where the family gained a significant
reputation for their contribution to the emerging mediaeval society.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were:
Christoff Werner, who emigrated to England or America with his wife and
son in 1709; Christopher Werner arrived in New York State in 1710 at the age of 35.
Hey, I know that guy.
Keith
- I researched your last name on a bunch of sites but didn't find an
origin yet. I did find a French name that I thought was fitting:
Humphreys: An old French name meaning bear cub and peace.
   
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