Calhoun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada is thought to be the home of the ancestors of the Calhoun family. Their name comes from someone having lived in the former Aberdeenshire, derived from the Gaelic còil or cùil, which means “nook” or “corner.” Colquhoun is properly pronounced “Ko-hoon.”

Early Origins of the Calhoun family

The surname Calhoun was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire where they held a seat at Luss and possessed vast manors and elegant estates. Although not formally recognized before the 11th century (the Clan system was not developed until the reign of King Malcolm Ceanmore and his second wife, Margaret) this Clan has a unified history that may well precede that time. It is believed that they occupied this area well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 AD. According to Clan tradition, the Calhoun Clan is descended from an early Celtic priest named St. Kessog who lived in Glen Luss, the Monks’ Isle in Loch Lomond.

Early History of the Calhoun family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calhoun research. Another 255 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1241, 1602, and 1715 are included under the topic Early Calhoun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calhoun Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. Calhoun has appeared as Colquhoun, Colhoun, Colhoon, Cahoun, Cohoun, Cahoon, Cohoon, Culquhoun, Cahune, Cohune, Cowquhone, Colquhone, Culquhown, Cahoone, Calhoun, Kalhoun, Kulhoun, Kolhoun, Calhoon, Calloon, Culloone, Collune and many more.

Early Notables of the Calhoun family (pre 1700)

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

Calhoun Ranking

In the United States, the name Calhoun is the 592^nd most popular surname with an estimated 49,740 people with that name. [1]

 Migration of the Calhoun family to Ireland

Some of the Calhoun family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 109 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

 Calhoun migration to the United States +

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Calhoun or a variant listed above.