| ![Show Contents]() Claige History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of ClaigeWhat does the name Claige mean? In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Claige surname lived in the region of Clegg in Rochdale in the county of Lancashire. In some cases, this name was derived from the Gaelic MacLiagh, meaning "son of the physician." One source claims that the name was "Old Norse, kleggi, a compact mass. There was a Northman with this surname in the Landnamabok." 1 Early Origins of the Claige familyThe surname Claige was first found in Lancashire where "almost all our Cleggs hail from Clegg, or Clegg Hall, in the parish of Rochdale." 2 "Clegg was the name of a very ancient family of Clegg Hall near Rochdale; but the estate passed out of the family by marriage in the reign of Edward VI. The name is common in the Rochdale registers of the 16th century, and it is still in the town." 3 Early rolls revealed: Nicholas de Clegg and Mathew de Clegg in Lancashire in 1360. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Ricardus de Cleghe and Henricus de Cloghe. Much later, the Wills of Chester list Thomas Clegg as a tanner in Middleton, Lancashire in 1581 and the same listing included Arthur Clegg, of Fieldhouse in the parish of Rochdale in 1608. 2 Early History of the Claige familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Claige research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1679, 1702, 1714, 1723, 1743, 1744, 1746, 1755 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Claige History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Claige Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Claige are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Claige include: Clegg, Clegge, Cleg, Claig, Claigg, Claige, Cleig, Cleigg, Clegges, Clegs, Cllege, Cleagg, Cleagge and many more. Early Notables of the Claige familyDistinguished members of the family include James Clegg, M.D. (1679-1755), a Presbyterian minister and author from Rochdale, Lancashire. "He was educated by the Rev. Richard Frankland at...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Claige Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Claige family to IrelandSome of the Claige family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 279 words (20 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Claige familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Claige or a variant listed above: John Clegg who settled at Pennaquid, Maine in the year 1687; and Thomas Clegg, his son, was recorded later. Alfred, David, Edward, Francis, George, Henry, Isaac, James, Joseph, Nathaniel, Robert, Samuel, and Thomas Clegg, all arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1820 and 1869.
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: Qui potest capere capiat
Motto Translation: Let him take who can take.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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