Map of Scotland showing where the Mccullough arms are recorded
The Mccullough arms were recorded in Edinburgh, c. 1748.
Edinburgh was the seat of Scotland's government, its courts and its heralds. Families with business there settled nearby, and being close to where arms were recorded is exactly why so many of them appear.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Scotland in this period.
George II of Great Britain
Sovereign of the period
George II of Great Britain
1727–1760
Reigning in Scotland when the Mccullough arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Scotland
Scottish heraldry is unique because it treats a coat of arms as a piece of personal property protected by law. Only one person can own a specific design at any given time. When a family grows, the head keeps the original shield while other relatives must apply for their own distinct version with slight changes to prove their specific identity.
Granting authority
The Court of the Lord Lyon acts as the official body that regulates and controls all heraldic matters throughout Scotland.
How they got arms
Individuals obtain a legal right to their arms through a formal petition process that confirms their identity and family connection.
Where arms were recorded
All valid coats of arms are officially entered into the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings starting from 1672.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Edinburgh.
Origin & History of the Mccullough Family in Scotland
The surname McCullough is a variation of the Gaelic name Mac Cullaich, which translates to son of the boar. This name originated in the southwestern regions of Scotland, particularly in Galloway, where the family established deep roots during the medieval period. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had expanded their presence into urban centers like Edinburgh. Records confirm that members of the McCullough family were living and working in Edinburgh by 1748, participating in the city’s growing commercial and professional life during the Scottish Enlightenment. As the family moved from rural areas into the capital, they became part of the shifting social landscape of Scotland, transitioning from traditional clan structures toward the modern urban society that defined the era.
Mccullough Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Mac Cullaigh
Son of the boar or son of the devotee of God.
This name
McculloughDerived from Gaelic origins signifying a descendant of a person associated with a boar.
also spelled
McCullough
McCullock
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Black, George Fraser. The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History. 1946
National Records of Scotland. Edinburgh Burgh Register of Sasines. 1748
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