Dougel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Dougel

What does the name Dougel mean?

The Clan from whom the Dougel family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from the personal name Dougal. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Dhughaill and literally means son of Dougal.

Early Origins of the Dougel family

The surname Dougel was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they were descended from Dugall eldest son of Somerled, first Lord of the Isles, and his son Duncan who received the lands of Lorn. The Clan was a bitter foe of Robert the Bruce, who made a narrow escape during one battle with the MacDougals only by discarding his cloak. The brooch of this cloak, now known as the Brooch of Lorn, is a treasured possession of the Chief of the Clan. The Clan faced heavy retaliation and was stripped of their lands once Robert the Bruce secured the Scottish throne. The lands were restored to the Clan upon the death of the king, but passed to the Stewarts in 1388 when the last member of the senior branch of MacDougals died without issue.

Early History of the Dougel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dougel research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1244 and 1316 are included under the topic Early Dougel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dougel Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Dougel include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include MacDougall, MacDowall, MacDowell, MacDugald, MacDill and many more.

Early Notables of the Dougel family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dougel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dougel family to Ireland

Some of the Dougel 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 Dougel 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: Ralph, Patrick and Mary MacDougal settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767; Dougal and Hugh MacDougal settled in Charles Town in 1767.

The Dougel 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: Buaidh no bàs
Motto Translation: Victory or death