coull

coull Sounds of Scotland

COULL FAMILY HISTORY
I have heard from many people who, like myself, bear the name Coull, (or a variant spelling). each variation has its strong defender and claims that their way is the proper one.

Most sources would say that our surname started as Cul and became over time, Coll, Coul, Coule, Coull, Cowel, Cowl, Cowle, Cull and a myriad of others. Not to forget MacCoul. What does Coull "mean"? From the Gaelic, Cul means refers to the back of a Hill. (possibly this led to the word Coullee? Cull translated as a "corner". In everyday English, Cull means to gather or select. Many choices but none proven.

Various surnames in and around the 12th Century were William de Cul, Davata de Kule and Ochter Cule. Most certainly, if not Normans themselves, they had arrived with the Norman "invasion".

If indeed our "roots" are Norman, then what of the deep seated feeling that we are descendants of the PICTISH race? Is Finn MacCool (the one responsible for the Giants Causeway), an early ancestor?

The gentleman pictured above is James Coull QM Royal Navy. (see below)

My personal overview of whence came the Coulls.

I strongly believe they were a remnant group of the remaining northern Picts who were primarily located in the west of Scotland on both the mainland and the Islands.

Picts who once raided Roman Britain, defeated the Angle and Saxon invaders and then in one of the great mysteries of the ancient world, disappeared as a separate people by the end of the tenth century.

With the arrival into Scotland of the hordes from Ireland the Coulls would have soon felt themselves overwhelmed and unprotected. A great number would have made their peace with the great Donald of the Isles and thus came under his protection.Thus considered by historians as a sept of the MacDonalds. It is doubtful if this was acknowledged by the Coulls, as they were not a clannish society. The Picts were a fighting society led by Warlords.

When the great Donald's son Dougall left his Father's home to go on his own, a number of Coulls followed him. They appear to have moved farther north along the western coast. Eventually either by shoreline travel or by cross country routes the majority of Coulls ended up on the North East coast of Scotland.

With locations spreading from Cullen in the north to Dundee in the south.This would be for a more acceptable area to access the sea and harvest its crops.

The Coulls never had coats of arms, tartans, crests and the like.
If someone asks what tartan they could wear to represent Coull, I would say either MacDonald of the Isles,MacDougal or MacCoul tartan would be acceptable.

The above left to right, MacDonald of the Isles, MacDougal and MacCoul represent varous renditions of the tartans.
There are many more variations.

In Aberdeenshire, Scotland there is an area known as Coull. Within the area stood Coull Castle (c1228: originally built by the Durward family and later to be destroyed by old BRAVEHEART himself, William Wallace. Done so to prevent the English from using it as they were prone to do during their incursions into the area of northern Scotland.
The area is also home to the Coull Church (c 1792) which is one of the oldest Christian sites in Aberdeenshire.
In all my research so far I have found nothing conclusive that would identify the person or family unit (Clan or Sept) who gave the region its name.

My family tree is as follows.

David Coull Burnett b 1933

Joseph Coull Burnett (Father) b 1891

Isabel Coull (Gmother) b 1860

Joseph Coull b 1827 (Elspet Watt)

David Coull b 1797 (Jean Coull)

Joseph Coull b 1762 (Jean Pert)

Robert Coull c 1715 (Janet Mathie)

Alexander Coull c 1684 (Margaret Goodall)

Other than my Father, all of my ancestors lived and died in the Angus area. Their lives were not easy ones and in most cases were tied to the sea as a means of making a living.

If anyone viewing this site has photographs or data related to my Ancestors (above) I would be most grateful to get copies. The point of my web pageis to try and gather what informationis available and attempt to put the pieces of the puzzle together>
Where in the WORLD are you located?
Let me know so I can put you on my map.

I would like to tell the story of three of my ancestors.

My Grandmother Isabel Coull. My namesake Commodore David Coull and James Coull QM RN.

JAMES COULL
was the Quartermaster of the Royal Navy vessel HMS Shannon during the War of 1812. He was at the wheel of the Shannon when it went into battle on June 12, 1813 against the USS Chesapeake near Boston, Massachusets.

The Shannon was victorious that day and captured the Chesapeake in a battle that was over in less than half an hour. During the hand to hand fighting while boarding the Chesapeake, James was hit by a musket ball and the ships doctor had to remove his arm. He was retired from the Royal Navy with an annual pension of Ł 16.
James was the eldest son of my GGGrandparents Joseph Coull & Jean Pert. Joseph Coull died at an early age leaving his wife and son homeless and destitute. For survival James was put into ships service as a cabin boy at age 6. Years later when he was serving on the Concord out of Montrose, Scotland he was on shore leave and he was press ganged into service under Admiral Nelson on board the Centaur. He later fought at Trafalgar and eventually the meeting with the Chesepeake. He spent the balance of his working years on the Montrose whaling ships as a cook.
James was married to Anne Burns and they had one son James Jr. who died at age 21. James Coull died in 1880 at the age of 95. He was buried with full military honours at Montrose.

A very elderly James Coull. "old Coull" as painted by David Waterston. (Brechin).

Commodore David Coull
Coull

David Coull was born in 1850, and was the eldest son of Joseph Coull and Elspet Watt.

His entire working life was on the sea as a sailor. He made his first voyage on the Montrose brig Rosehall. He qualified for his Masters certificate at a relatively young age and took command of the barque Adriatic of Montrose in which he made several trips to the West Indies.
In 1886 he entered service with the Prince Line of Newcastle. His first appointment was on the Crown Prince and subsequently was in command of the Castillion, Welsh Merchant and the Royal Prince.
During the Russo-Japanese War, David was engaged in transport work for the Russians and with the outbreak of WW1 did similar work between the UK, France, America and Russia.
After 35 years service with the Prince Lines he retired. He returned to Ferryden where lived until his death in 1921
He was survived by his wife Margaret Mearns and a son and daughter. Three other children died young. David Coull's sister Isabel, was my Grandmother.
David Coull was my namesake

Isabel Coull was born 29 July 1860 in Ferryden, Scotland to Joseph Coull and Elspet Watt. After her life on the "LIGHTHOUSES" she returned to Ferryden to live out her life. She died on March 4,1934.

< TITLE="Alexander Burnett & Isabel Coull family.">

Seated, left to right: Isabel Coull, Christine Petrie Burnett (on lap), Alexander Burnett Sr., Standing left to right: Joseph Coull Burnett, Ann Young Burnett, Elsie Watt Burnett, Isabel Burnett, James Burnett.
Alexander #1 (died) (Alexander #2 and Walter Baden Powell Burnett not born at time of photograph.) c 1895 Arbroath

Isabel Coull and Alexander Burnett were Lighthouse Keepers for the Northern Lighthouse Board. During their career they served at 10 separate Lighthouses at various locations on Scotland's shores. The photograph was taken upon their retirement. Inchkeith
Isle of May
Bressay
Bell Rock
Chanowry
Langness
Stroma
Tuimpenhead
Monach
Clythness
Most of the children were born at Lighthouse locations. My Father, Joseph Coull Burnett was born in a rowboat off shore from theBressay Lighthouse in the Shetland Islands.(below)

Bressay Lighthouse, Shetland Islands

Any Web visitors are asked for comments, advice or information they may have pertaining to my Grandparents and indeed the Burnetts and Coulls in general.

David Burnett e_mail address; dcb123@shaw.ca

David and Susan Burnett Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Burnett of Monboddo family history