Ogilvy Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Ogilvy last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Ogilvy last name
Meaning of the Ogilvy last name: high plain. Ogilvy is a Scottish surname from the barony of Ogilvie in Angus, from Brythonic ocel, "high", and fa, "plain". The Earls of Airlie belong to this family. David Ogilvy founded the advertising firm Ogilvy & Mather. Ogilvie is the more common spelling of the last name.
Arms associated with the Ogilvy name
Coats of arms associated with the Ogilvy surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Ogilvy family history
This is only a glimpse of the Ogilvy story. The full Ogilvy history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Ogilvy coat of arms. Get the full Ogilvy report.
Ogilvy name FAQ
What does the Ogilvy name mean?
High plain. Common variants include Ogilvie, Ogilby.
Where does the Ogilvy surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Ogilvy coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Ogilvy coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).