“The traces of our black ancestry are visibly existent in a hundred surnames” — David MacRitchie “Some family names that designate an ancestor who had skin darker than his companions are MURRELL and MORRILL”“If the ancestor had a very dark complexion, the name was likely to become MOHR”SOURCE; (Elsdon Cole Smith, ‘American Surnames’; 1986)In Shakspeare's time the audience at the Globe accepted the word as meaning "a black man," and either then, or later on, it became tautologically extended into "blackamoor.”The presence of Moors in heraldry cannot be fully explained by the theory that families bearing Moors’ heads as crests earned their status by aiding the Spaniards in expelling the Moors…This symbolism is far too widespread in ancient coats of arms to be solely attributed to such an explanation…Now, there was probably some difference between a "Moor" and a "Saracen," although in heraldry there does not seem to be much distinction…The Algerine pirates who made occasional descents upon the British Isles, were probably the latest wearers of this title…The opinion which has been most generally supported, and prevails at the present time, is that the word was originally Sharkeyn, an Arabian word signifying "eastern people," and used in contradistinction to Maghribé, or "western people," the Moors of Morocco…While, therefore, all Saracens were Moors, all Moors were not necessarily Saracens…But, at any rate, the term "Saracen" has been applied to the piratical invaders of the British Isles from a very early period…So when the Scots, or Gypsies, of the Borders were distinguished by the Saracenic symbols of crescents and stars, such symbols were quite in accordance with their supposed descent from such Saracens and Moors as the Scots and Picts of Galloway…In the matter of dress, Mr. Crofton infers that "Gipsies formerly had a distinctive costume, consisting of a turban-like headdress of many colours, together with a large cloak, worn after the fashion of a toga, over a long loose under-skirt”It’s been said that those black pagans “[were] armed with scimetars, and dressed in caftans”A scimitar is a type of curved, single-edged sword historically associated with the Middle East and Africa…A caftan is a long, flowing garment with wide sleeves, traditionally worn in the Middle East, North and West Africa…It is often made from luxurious fabrics like silk and is sometimes ornately decorated…The Gipsies, then, whom we have already seen described as "Moors," were also known as "Saracens," the terms being indifferently used in heraldry and in the old romances…“Nothing is known of the date of their landing" in England, while "a tradition represents them as making depredations in Scotland prior to 1460."The piratical races who are known to history under various names, and who "made depredations" throughout the British Islands at various dates "prior to 1460," were also, as Scott remarks, styled “Saracens," and it has been noticed that a "Hungarian" and a "Danish" invasion of Scotland took place, according to tradition, at the same time…The gipsies, then—not to go further into details—when accepted as numerous, warlike, and distinctly black people, living an individual existence in various districts of the British Islands during the past few centuries, but gradually becoming mingled with the white races, announce themselves very clearly as the progenitors, on one side, of all the melanochroi of Britain…It is true that, in the thirteenth century, we see them regarded as intruders by the Christian chivalry of the West, to whom they were "Saracens," "Moors," “devils," "heathen" and "pagans;" and, as such, warred against with unceasing vigour until, in Prussia, they were almost totally exterminated…And again, the Moors of heraldry, with their black skins, thick lips, and "pearls pendant," are virtually the same as the ear-ringed black and hideous “Egyptians” who trooped into Bologna about five centuries ago…Those "Egyptians" were in all probability a branch of "the pagans of Prussia" who are said to have besieged Dantzic, under Udislaus Ingello, in the year 1389…One of the oldest branches of the clan Scot, or Scott, is that of Murdockston, or Murdieston…And this is very appropriate…For it was noticed (in quoting from Elder's letter to Henry VIII.), that Murdoch, Mordhow, and Mor-dubh, were all forms of the same word:—and that that word is applied to a black warrior in the West Highland tales, being in his case simply an appellative name…Mor Dubh is Black Moor, Morrow, or Murray…In Highland tradition, there are many "sea-tinkers"—such as “the black smith of Drontheim" and in this Galloway district, specially, the legendary Blackamoor, Black Murray, or Black Douglas, is remembered in one account as a sea-rover, and in another as one of a company of sea-faring “Moors or Saracens." When in short, they were savage, sea faring, “black heathen” known under various historical names; sacking churches and monasteries, killing and ravishing; and, at one time, actually conquering the greater portion of the British Islands…