Show ContentsEglinton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Eglinton family

The surname Eglinton was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Eglinton Castle was a large Gothic castellated mansion in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Built before 1528, it was the ancient family seat of the Earls of Eglinton. Unfortunately, over the years, it fell into ruin and was abandoned in 1925. One tower survives today.

Early History of the Eglinton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eglinton research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1205 and 1296 are included under the topic Early Eglinton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eglinton Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Eglinton, Eglington, Egglinton and others.

Early Notables of the Eglinton family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • Earl of Eglinton


United States Eglinton migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Eglinton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Eglinton, who settled in Maryland in 1720
Eglinton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Eglinton, who settled in Philadelphia in 1848

Australia Eglinton migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Eglinton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Robert Eglinton, aged 28, a blacksmith, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Marion" 1
  • Andrew Eglinton, aged 37, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Dirigo" 2

New Zealand Eglinton migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Eglinton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Benjamin Eglinton, aged 32, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Eliza Eglinton, aged 32, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • John Eglinton, aged 5, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Henry Eglinton, aged 2, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Mr. Benjamin Eglinton, (b. 1808), aged 32, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 25th January 1841, he died in 1874 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Eglinton (post 1700) +

  • Timothy Ian Eglinton FRS, British professor of biogeoscience at the Geological Institute, ETH Zürich, son of Geoffrey Eglinton
  • William Eglinton (1857-1933), British spiritualist medium who was exposed as a fraud
  • Geoffrey Eglinton FRS (b. 1927), British chemist and Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Earth Sciences at Bristol University

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Percy William James Eglinton (b. 1918), English Signalman from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 4


  1. South Australian Register Tuesday 12th December 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Marion 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marion1854.shtml
  2. South Australian Register Thursday 23rd November 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Dirigo 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/dirigo1854.shtml
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


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