Markay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Markay

What does the name Markay mean?

In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the Markay family were born. Their name comes from the personal name Aodh, which is often Anglicized as Hugh. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Aoidh, which means son of Aodh.

Early Origins of the Markay family

The surname Markay was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland.

Early History of the Markay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Markay research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1304 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Markay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Markay Spelling Variations

In various documents Markay has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. Mackie, Mackey, MacHugh and others.

Early Notables of the Markay family

More information is included under the topic Early Markay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Markay family to Ireland

Some of the Markay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 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 Markay family

The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Markay or a variant listed above include: Daniel MacKee settled in Boston in 1651; Neil MacKee settled in Boston in 1652; John Mackey settled in Boston in 1651; Sander Mackey settled in Boston in 1651.

The Markay 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: Labore
Motto Translation: By labour.