John Alloway-Strange (1727-1811), a Planter in Fluvanna County, Virginia. He married Ann Mitchell (1728-c1781), daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (?) Mitchell. John’s ancestors apparently came from the Orkney islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Some of his descendants used the surname Strange, while others used the surname Alloway. Abraham Alloway-Strange (c1758-1815), a Farmer in…
Author: Justin Durand
Indigenous Heraldry
Although coats of arms originated in Europe and customarily follow European forms, there has been some movement toward adapting the emblems of indigenous people to heraldry. My father, Ridge Durand (1933-2002) was a Lakota pejuta wikasa (”medicine man”) and a member of the Spotted Eagle Medicine Men’s Society. He was a hunkpa (”blood brother”) of Pete Catches (Petaga Yuha…
Habsburg
Origin of the Habsburgs: Three Major Theories There are three major theories of the Hapsburg ancestry, which are: (a) the Alsace theory, which would make them a branch of the Etichoni, who were themselves a branch of the Alaholfingians; (b) the Merovingian theory, which would make them a branch of the Merovingians; and, (c) the…
Swan Lore
“The Silver Swan who, living, had no note, When death approached, unlocked her silent throat. Leaning her breast against the reedy shore, Thus sung her first and last, And sung no more: Farewell all joys, O death come close mine eyes. More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.” — Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625),…
Swedish Soldiers’ Names
Scandinavians didn’t use hereditary surnames in most cases until about 1900. Their customs would surprise many Americans. The following information was adapted from a posting to the Norrbotten mailing list by Gwen Boyer Björkman.Because Swedish soldiers typically came from rural backgrounds, they often used patronymics. These names might be very common, such as Andersson, Eriksson,…