Family crest translation

The "nec [...] nec" construction in Latin is equivalent to the English "neither [...] nor".

Timeo is the first person singular of the Latin verb timere which means "to fear", that is, it refers to "I", the speaker, so it means "I fear".

Similarly, "sperno" is the 1st person singular of the verb spernere, - "I despise" or "I spurn". In the context we are discussing here, namely mottos, "despise" is the translation commonly given.

Putting it all together, we get "I neither fear nor despise".

This well known motto is the family motto of (among others) the O'Connors, and, rearranged, "Nec sperno nec timeo", it is the motto of the Cogswell family, and, I daresay, plenty of others.

I looked up the same motto as another family member said "I neither fear nor spurn " but my Grandfather told me "I neither fear nor despise". It is on our family coat of arms and some of our ancestors came from county Wexford. We are probably kin from way back ??!!

Hello my great grandmothers maiden name was Hawkins. I just received my coat of arms flag.if possible I'd like to keep in contact

This is a family crest for many families. I am a "Daniels" and this is our family motto as well. I was told the translation is : "I neither fear, nor despise", I have done extensive family history and our family is from Cheshire originating in Scotland with an interesting pedigree along the way.