Summerland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Summerland

What does the name Summerland mean?

The name Summerland was first used by Viking settlers in ancient Scotland. It was a name for a the Old Norse word sumarlithi, which means mariner, Viking, summer wanderer, or sailor.

Early Origins of the Summerland family

The surname Summerland was first found in the island of South Uist, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Descended from Somerled, King of the Vikings, scion of the MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, who died about 1057.

The first record of the name Somerled being used as a name was at Dunkeld, and the link between this person in 1169 and Somerled who had died 100 years before is not clear.

Another source notes that Sumerled or Somerled, Lord of the Isles (d. 1164), was "according to the Celtic tradition, the son of Gillebrede, son of Gilladoman, sixth in descent from Godfrey MacFergus, called in the Irish chronicle Toshach of the Isles; but some suppose him of Norse origin. " 1

Early History of the Summerland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Summerland research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1238 and 1400 are included under the topic Early Summerland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Summerland Spelling Variations

The spellings of Scottish names dating from the medieval era often bear little resemblance to those seen today. They vary enormously because scribes in that time spelled according to their ears. Some spelling variations of the name Summerland include Somerled, M'Illurdy, M'Corle, M'Coull, Somerledy and others.

Early Notables of the Summerland family

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

Migration of the Summerland family

The farms of Scottish settlers soon dotted the east coast of the colonies that would become the nations of the United States and Canada. Many of those migrants and their children went on to play important roles in the founding the great nations of North America. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Scottish name Summerland or a variant listed above, including: John Somerled who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1748.

The Summerland 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: Per Mare Per Terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.

Sources +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print