Graham / Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Graham / Family History

Graham / Family History

The Graham ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. The Graham family legend extends to the year 420 when a famous Caledonian warrior breached the Roman defences in 420, and won it the name of 'Grahams Dyke'. An early bearer of the name was Sir William de Graham who was of Norman origin in the twelfth century. From him descended the Grahams of Montrose, one of the most distinguished of all Scottish families. In Ireland this name is often of immigrant origin having been brought into Ulster by settlers but the name is also used as an anglicized form of the native Gaelic O'Greachain and O'Gormghaile sept names, that were more usually changed to Grehan and Gormley.The Graham family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Graham descendants.