Gainey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Gainey family

The surname Gainey was first found in Huntingdonshire where conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Redinger held by " "Richard d'Engaine who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Richard was of Engen near Boulogne and accompanied the Conqueror at Hastings. Vitalis, his son, married the daughter of the Earl of Oxford, Alberic de Ver. It is apparent that the main line of the family were one of the rebellious barons for the next we hear is of Vitalis and Richard in Northumberland in 1130. 1

Ralph Engaine held estates in Cumberland in 1158. Some lines of the family continued in Gloucestershire, Suffolk and Devon where Richard Ingayn held in 1310. 2

William Ingania, Inganie was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding lands in Northumberland and Huntingdonshire. 3

Ralph Engaigne was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Cumberland in 1158; William de Engain in the Feet of Fines for Huntingdonshire in 1208; Richard Ingan in Gloucestershire in 1228; John en Gayne alias den Gayne in Suffolk in 1271; John le Gayne in Yorkshire in 1275; William Denganye,-de Enganne in the Hundredorum Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1279; and Richard Ingayn in Devon in 1310. The family name is only rarely spelled de Engaine. 1

"Richard Engaine, Chief Engineer to the Conqueror, derived his name from his office, and founded the baronial House of Engaine. Joane, daughter and heiress of John D'Engaine, a descendant of the Norman warrior, married in 1381, Sir Baldwin St. George, Knt. of Hatley, M.P. for Cambridgeshire, and from this alliance derived the St. Georges, the distinguished Kings of Arms, as well as the noble family of St. George of Hatley St. George, and its flourishing branch, planted in Ireland, from which spring the St. Georges, of Wood Park, County Armagh, and Woodsgift, county Kilkenny." 4

Early History of the Gainey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gainey research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1299, 1346, 1347 and 1380 are included under the topic Early Gainey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gainey Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Gainey were recorded, including Engain, Gain, Gayn, Gaines, Ingain, Engham, Engaine, D'Engain, D'Engayne, Engame, Engam, Gayne, Gayn, Gaynes, Angain, Gayney, Dengaine, Dengayne, Dangain, D'Angain, Gagne, Ingen and many more.

Early Notables of the Gainey family

More information is included under the topic Early Gainey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gainey Ranking

In the United States, the name Gainey is the 4,500^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5

Gainey migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Gainey arrived in North America very early:

Gainey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Gainey, who landed in Maryland in 1673 6

Gainey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Owen Gainey, who arrived in Maryland in 1836 6
Michael Gainey, who was naturalized in Georgia in 1894

Gainey migration to Australia +

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

Gainey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Gainey, aged 52, a gardener, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 7
William Gainey, aged 22, a wheelwright, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Gainey (post 1700) +

Edward "Ed" Gainey (d. 2013), American politician, Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Command Sergeant Major William J. "Joe" Gainey (b. 1956), the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC)
Lieutenant General Kathleen M. Gainey, American Army Director for Logistics, J4, the Joint Staff
Edward Eugene 'Ed" Gainey (b. 1990), American football defensive back, currently a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League
Michael Connor "M. C." Gainey (b. 1948), American actor, best known for his roles as Southern or Southwestern thugs and criminals
Telmanch "Ty" Gainey (b. 1960), American former Major League Baseball outfielder
Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey (b. 1975), American professional PGA golfer
Daniel C. Gainey, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Minnesota, 1948 (alternate), 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964 (alternate) 8
Richard John Gainey MBE (1890-1975), Australian politician, Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Elsternwick (1955–1967)
Steve Gainey (b. 1979), Canadian former professional NHL ice hockey forward who played from 1999 to 2009
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Constance.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html