Show ContentsBinnings History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Binnings

What does the name Binnings mean?

The place name, from which the Binnings family take their surname arrived in Scotland with the Viking settlers. The first to use Binnings as a name no doubt lived in the old barony of Binney, in the parish of Uphall, in the county of West Lothian.

According to Scottish lore, there was once a man called Binnie, who at the time supplied hay to Linlithgow Castle which was at the time held by the English. He planned to have Scottish soldiers near the gate on a certain day. He placed several of his sons in a wagon, cover them with hay and drove up to the castle. The portcullis was raised and just as the wagon was underneath it, the ropes were cut so the portcullis could not fall. The Scottish soldiers rushed in and put the garrison to the sword. Binnie was thenceforth named Binning. 1

Early Origins of the Binnings family

The surname Binnings was first found in the West Lothian, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

One of the first records of the family was William Bennings (fl. 1180), an English judge, "was, according to Giraldus Cambrensis, sent to Ireland by Henry II in 1176 as one of four envoys, of whom two were to remain with the viceroy, Richard FitzGilbert, earl of Striguil, and two were to return, bringing with them Reimund Fitzgerald, whose military exploits had aroused the king's jealousy. " 2

William Benyng or De Binn (fl. 1250), was an early Scottish "biographer, [who] may be presumed to have been a native of Binning in Linlithgowshire. He was proir of the Cistercian abbey of Newbattle until 1243, when he was elected abbot of Cupar. He resigned this office on 29 Sept. 1258, probably on account of old age. The date of his death is unknown. " 2

Early History of the Binnings family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Binnings research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1243, 1258, 1411, 1627, 1653 and 1666 are included under the topic Early Binnings History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Binnings Spelling Variations

Few standards of spelling and translation existed in the Middle Ages. spelling variations, are thus, an extremely common occurrence in records of ancient Scottish names. Over the years, Binnings has been spelled Binney, Binning, Binnie, Benning, Bennyng, Bynnie, Bynny, Bynnyng, Byning, Bynning and many more.

Early Notables of the Binnings family

Hugh Binning, (1627-1653), Scottish philosopher and regent of the University of Glasgow. He was the son of John Binning of Dalvenan, Ayrshire. His maternal uncle was "one of the youthful martyrs of Scotland - Hugh M'Kail, who was hanged at Edinburgh on 22...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Binnings Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Binnings family

Land and opportunity greeted all those who made it across the Atlantic. These settlers and their children went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Clan societies and other Scottish organizations have preserved much of this heritage for the ancestors of those brave Scots. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Binnings to North America: Alice Binney who settled in Barbados in 1663; James Binney settled there in 1680 with his servants; John Binney settled in Philadelphia in 1808; Stephen Binney settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1822.



The Binnings Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtute doloque
Motto Translation: By valour and craft.


  1. Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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