Show ContentsKing History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

King Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of King

What does the name King mean?

The origins of the King surname date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a person who lived and acted like a king. It is derived from the Old English cyning or cyng, meaning "king," and was probably first bestowed as a nickname upon someone who was kingly in personality or appearance, or perhaps to someone who had played the king in a pageant.

As one source notes, it is curious that the name "Queen" is not as popular as it should be given the similar importance of the title in ancient times. 1

Early Origins of the King family

The surname King was first found in Devon, where the name was first found about 1050. 2 Geoffrey King brought the name to Cheshire in 1177 and by 1273 John King had established lands and estates in the county of Norfolk as evidenced by John le Kyng who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk at that time. The Hundredorum Rolls also lists Walter le Kyng in Cambridgeshire. 1

Regional distribution of the name is interesting. "Mostly confined south of a line drawn from the Wash to the southern border of Shropshire. North of this line the name rapidly diminishes in frequency, being absent from my list in nearly all the counties thus marked off. It is rare also in the extreme south - west, in Devon and Cornwall. It is best represented in Beds, Bucks, Suffolk, and Wilts. The name is sparingly represented in Scotland." 3

In Scotland, it was "a surname of some antiquity and still met with in many parts of the country, Berwick, Fife, and Aberdeen. The first of the name recorded in Aberdeenshire is "Robertus dictus King" who bequeathed to the prior and convent of St. Andrews land in that shire which was the subject of a convention in 1247 between his brother's daughter, Goda, and the prior and convent." 4

Early History of the King family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our King research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1247, 1421, 1432, 1467, 1500, 1503, 1592, 1600, 1606, 1611, 1621, 1637, 1648, 1659, 1660, 1661, 1663, 1669, 1676, 1679, 1681, 1688, 1706, 1712, 1717, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early King History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

King Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. King has been spelled many different ways, including King, Kings and others.

Early Notables of the King family

  • Oliver King (c.1432-1503) was a Bishop of Exeter and Bishop of Bath and Wells who restored Bath Abbey after 1500
  • Robert King LL.D. (1600-1676), an English jurist and Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
  • John King (died 1621), Bishop of London in the Church of England from 1611 to 1621
  • Henry King (1592-1669), an English poet and bishop
  • Edward King (c. 1606-1681), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Grimsby (1660) and supporter of the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
  • Thomas King (died 1688), an English merchant and politician, Member of Parliament for Harwich in 1659 and from 1661 to 1679
  • Gregory King (1648-1712), an English genealogist, engraver and statistician
  • William King (1663-1712), an English poet. On the infamous side, John King (c.1706-1717) was an 18th-century pirate who joined the crew of Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy as the youngest known pirate on re...

King World Ranking

the United States, the name King is the 30th most popular surname with an estimated 472,530 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name King is ranked the 43rd most popular surname with an estimated 40,670 people with that name. 6 And in Quebec, Canada, the name King is the 955th popular surname. 7 Newfoundland, Canada ranks King as 6th with 1,224 people. 8 Australia ranks King as 18th with 53,858 people. 9 New Zealand ranks King as 12nd with 6,489 people. 10 The United Kingdom ranks King as 36th with 96,180 people. 11 South Africa ranks King as 517th with 13,814 people. 12

Migration of the King family to Ireland

Some of the King family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 108 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

King migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Kings to arrive in North America:

King Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Samuel King, who landed at Plymouth in 1620
  • Henery King, aged 22, who landed in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "Jonathan" 14
  • Daniel King, who settled in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1630
  • George King, (Kinge), who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 15
  • Mr. Thomas King, aged 15, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
King Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Dorman King, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 14
  • Christopher King, who landed in Virginia in 1703 14
  • Anne King, who arrived in Virginia in 1711 14
  • Elizabeth King, who landed in Virginia in 1715 14
  • Andrew King, who arrived in Virginia in 1721 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
King Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Agness King, aged 62, who landed in Massachusetts in 1812 14
  • Sarah King, who sailed from Scotland to South Carolina with her uncle John in 1820
  • Agnes King, who arrived in North Carolina in 1820 14
  • Henry King, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1828 14
  • Amos N King, who landed in Texas in 1835 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
King Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. John King, (b. 1869), aged 33, Cornish telegraph operator travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 9th August 1902 en route to Chicago, Illinois, USA 16
  • Mrs. Sarah King, (b. 1838), aged 65, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 24th May 1903 en route to Buffalo, New York, USA 16
  • Mr. William Francis King, (b. 1875), aged 28, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th October 1903 en route to Red Jacket, Michigan, USA 16
  • Mr. Ernest Victor King, (b. 1885), aged 18, Cornish labourer, from Plymouth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 28th November 1903 en route to Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA 16
  • Mrs. Edith Grace King, (b. 1880), aged 25, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Painesdale, Michigan, USA 16

King migration to Canada +

King Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Isaac King, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Giles King, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Hooper King, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Cathe King, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Ann King, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
King Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James King, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1811
  • Jane King, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1811
  • Rosina King, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "William" in 1834
  • Betty Ann King, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor" in 1834
  • Thomas King, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

King migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet, Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Mr. George King, British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 13
  • Mr. Thomas King, British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
  • Mr. Charles King, (d. 1824), British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1787, sentenced to Life for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
  • Mr. Henry King, (1769 - 1790), aged 20, British settler convicted at Cambridgeshire, England in 1785, sentenced to Life for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
  • Mr. Thomas King, British settler convicted at London, England in 1788, sentenced to Life for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
Second Fleet
  • Mr. Royal James King, British settler convicted in Norfolk, England in 1790, sentenced to Life for highway robbery, transported aboard the ship "HMS Gorgon" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
  • Mr. James King, British settler convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing birds, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
  • Mr. John King, British settler convicted in Suffolk, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing a cow, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
  • Mr. Joseph King, British settler convicted in Yorkshire, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for forgery, transported aboard the ship "HMS Gorgon" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
  • Mr. James King, British settler convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing birds, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
Third Fleet
  • Mr. John King, (b. 1754), aged 33, English settler convicted in London on 21st April 1784, sentenced for 7 years for stealing clothing, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 14
  • Mr. Philip Gidley King, (1758 - 1808), British 2nd Lieutenant on the Navy support ship for the First Fleet the "HMS Sirius" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788
  • Mr. Samuel King, British private on the Navy support ship for the First Fleet the "HMS Sirius" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788
Following the First, Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

King Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Francis King, (Fuiz), Irish soldier who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for life for desertion, transported aboard the  "Friendship" on 24th August 1799, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
King Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

King 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:

King Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • J W King, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1816
  • P H King, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1836
  • J King, who landed in Kororateka, New Zealand in 1836
  • Mr. King, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Dublin Packet" arriving in Cloudy Bay, South Island, New Zealand in 1838 21
  • James King, aged 28, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

King migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 22
King Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Edward King, (b. 1610), aged 25, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 23
  • Mr. Thomas King, (b. 1608), aged 27, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 23
  • Mr. William King, (b. 1617), aged 18, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Paul of London" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 23
  • Mr. Richard King, (b. 1612), aged 23, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Anne and Elizabeth" arriving in Barbados in 1635 24
  • Mr. John King, (b. 1605), aged 30, British settler travelling from Gravesend, England aboard the ship "Falcon" arriving in Barbados in 1636 25
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name King (post 1700) +

  • Riley "BB" King (1925-2015), famous American blues guitarist and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, perhaps best known for his song "The Thrill is Gone"
  • John David King (1951-2025), American artist and musician, best known for commercial art illustrations for companies including Absolut Vodka, Atlantic Records, Condé Nast Publications, Sony, and others
  • Nancy King (1940-2025), American jazz singer from Portland, Oregon, known for her masterful scatting and elastic range, performed on worldwide tours and recordings, as well as collaborations with such artists as Jon Hendricks, Vince Guaraldi, Ralph Towner, Dave Friesen, and others
  • Lena M King (1923-2024), née Derriecott, American corporal in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
  • Laura Amelia King (1923-1992), née Bias, American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
  • Richard King (b. 1940), American film sound designer and editor, BAFTA Award and Academy Award winner
  • Matthew Carl King, American swimmer and 2024 Summer Olympic gold medalist
  • Joey Lynn King (b. 1999), American actress, known for her roles in The Kissing Booth (2018), Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) and White House Down (2013)
  • Keith King (1948-2024), American Republican politician from Colorado
  • ... (Another 59 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Miss Nancy King (1917-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Russell, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 26
  • Mr. Jerry Joe King (1964-1985), American Private 1st Class from Fort Worth, Texas, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 27
  • Mr. Robert M King (1953-1985), American Captain from Clarksville, Tennessee, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 28
  • Mary King (b. 1825), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • Evelyn Veronia King (1905-1943), Australian Sister who died aboard the ship "Centaur" an Australian hospital ship when torpedoed on 14th May 1943
  • ... (Another 51 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Suggested Readings for the name King +

  • History of the King Family in Flanders & America by Robert E. King.
  • Kennard, King, Knight, Hardin, Goodin by Alta Kennard Patterson.
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  7. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  8. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  9. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  10. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  11. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  12. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  14. 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)
  15. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  16. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  20. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
  21. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  23. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  24. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 23rd September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  25. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  26. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  27. American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550

Houseofnames.com on Facebook