"Libro d'Oro della Nobility di Mediterranean"
Ramsay family
All Corrections/Additions are Welcome
Last Update and created: 11-07-2010.
A ram in the sea is said to have been an emblem on the seal of Ramsay Abbey in Huntingdon in the 11th century. When David, Earl of Huntingdon, travelled north to claim the throne of Scotland in 1124, he was accompanied by many young Norman noblemen keen to share in their overlord’s heritage. These may have included Sir Symon de Ramesie (Sir Simon of Ramsey) who received a grant of land in Midlothian from David and who witnessed important charters, including one to the monks of Holyrood in 1140.
Actually the Ramsays of Nordic countries have another explanation to the origin of "Ramsay". In Islandic language (hraems-ay) Rams-ay means ravens island. This means that the black bird in Ramsay arms comes from a raven. If we look at an old coat of arms from the 13th century (Adam Ramsay 1290) the "eagle" looks more like a "raven".[3] The origin of Ramsays may be Vikings from "Ravens Island" who settled in Normandy. In a Ramsay chronicle by Anders Ramsay (Finland) mentiones that one Ramsay attended the First Crusade to Jerusalem. At that time many knights came from Normandy - but not from Scotland.
