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McKEOWN - "Son of John"
The specific John in this case is John Bissett of Scotland. Having traveled from lower Scotland to Northern Ireland in the 13th Century, he is considered to be the founder of the McKeowns of the Northern Counties. My research has shown that the Bissetts are a Sept of the clan Grant as well as Fraser from Scotland.
Crest:
An arm embowed in chain armour the hand holding sword blade wavy all proper.
Arms:
Argent two lions rampant combatant sable supporting a dexter hand couped at the
wrist goules, in chief four mulletts of eight point goules, in base waves of the
sea therein a salmon naiant all proper.
Motto:
Semper Eadem "Always the same"
{Note} My personal arms' lions have the addition of green eyes (shown above), the historical version does not.
County Antrim is one of nine counties in the Province of
Ulster.
The symbol for Ulster is derived from the coat of arms of the O'Neils, who were
lords of most of the province. The famed "Lamh Dearg" or Red Hand of
O'Neil is found on many an Irish family's coat of arms. There is a map of Antrim
which shows the McKeown in central Antrim as early as the 13th
Century.
Our own McKeown antecendants came from an area known as The Braid,
named for the Braid River which flows through it. There is a settlement there
called McKeowntown.
The original homestead that this McKeown family came from is still standing in
the Braid and occupied by McKeown descendants!
Thanks to cousin Bob Gabor for investing the time to research the above
information! (Feb. 14, 1962)
Here is the McKeown Ancestry information that I have on-line.
Person Index / Surname Index
Please E-mail me with any corrections or additions. THANK YOU!
Click on the Shamrock to download great genealogy software
from Brother's Keeper!
If you would like a copy
of the McKeown file for the software, E-mail me!
Irish Ancestry Pages:
Ancestry Search / The Ultimate Irish Links / US Surname Distribution
Antrim County Genealogy / Ballymena Times
Click on the picture above to go to Roundstone Music of Ireland, maker of fine bodhrans including mine.
Scottish Pages:
Clan Grant Page
Clan
Fraser Page
Bagpipe Pages:
