Porter Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Porter Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Porter

The Porter family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Meaning 'the porter', this is an occupational name for the gatekeeper of a town, or the door-keeper of a large house. The Porter was one of the most important officials connected with the castle or monastic institutions. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland , Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout the above islands. Examples of such are a Robert le Porter who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England , in the year 1273 and an Adam Porter who was recorded in the ancient book 'Kirby's Quest', in the reign of Edward III. In Scotland a Radulfus the Porter witnessed a gift of the Church of Cragyn, in Kyle, to the Monastery of Paisley, in the year 1177, and a Simon the Porter witnessed a charter by William the Lion to Radulph de Graham, in the year 1180. The name Porter has been in Ireland since the Norman invasion and the first mention was in 1691 when five Porters were among the Jacobites outlawed following the defeat of James II. In Modern times the name is numerous in Ulster Province.