Hamilton Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Hamilton Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Hamilton

The Hamilton family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The founder of the famous Scottish family of Hamilton was Walter, son of Gilbert de Hameldone, to whom Bruce gave the barony of Cadzow in Larnarkshire celebrated as the home of the Old white Caledonian cattle. Sir James the Hamilton, Lord of Cadzow under James II, was in 1445 created Lord Hamilton. By his wife, Princess Mary, sister of James III, he had James, second Lord, created Earl of Arran in 1502, whose son James, second Earl, the Regent Arran of Mary Queen of Scots childhood, founded Hamilton Palace, and was declared by parliament after her next heir to the throne. His son John became Marquis of Hamilton in 1599, and James, third Marquis, became Duke of Hamilton 1643. William second Duke died in defence of Charles II at Worcester in 1651. In Ireland the Hamiltons are often of immigrant origin with one famous family arriving from Scotland and becoming so successful that they even gave their name to the town of Manorhamilton in County Leitrim. The name Hamill is another variant of this name in Ireland and is still quite widespread to this very day.