Show ContentsBallinger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

A family in the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland was the first to use the name Ballinger. They lived in the lands of Ballinghall in Kinross. The name is a topographic or local surname, which was given to a family who held a barony or lands, had houses, manors or estates in the area.

Early Origins of the Ballinger family

The surname Ballinger was first found in on the lands of Kinross, where they have held a family seat from very ancient times. They have held the lands of Ballingall, in the parish of Orwell in that shire for many centuries.

Early History of the Ballinger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ballinger research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1566 is included under the topic Early Ballinger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ballinger Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Ballinger has been spelled Ballingal, Ballingall, Ballinghall, Ballengall, Bangall, Balingual, Ballingaw and many more.

Early Notables of the Ballinger family

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

Ballinger Ranking

In the United States, the name Ballinger is the 4,810th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1]

Ireland Migration of the Ballinger family to Ireland

Some of the Ballinger family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Ballinger migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, Ireland, Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Ballinger:

Ballinger Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Eves Ballinger, who arrived in America in 1682 [2]
  • Eves Ballinger, who landed in America in 1690 [2]
Ballinger Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Oliver Ballinger, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [2]
  • Henrich Ballinger, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710 [2]
  • Daniel Ballinger, who settled in New England in 1740
  • Daniel Ballinger, who settled in America in 1740
  • Philip Ballinger, who arrived in New York in 1773 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Ballinger Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Raban Ballinger, aged 36, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 [2]
  • Jacob Ballinger, aged 25, who arrived in Missouri in 1849 [2]
  • Thomas Ballinger, aged 14, who arrived in New York in 1854 [2]
  • Andreas Ballinger, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1875 [2]
  • Andrew Ballinger, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1875 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Ballinger migration to Australia +

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

Ballinger Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Ballinger, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia [3]
  • Mr. Thomas Ballinger, (b. 1803), aged 20, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [4]
  • Mr. Michael Ballinger, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia [5]
  • John Ballinger, aged 31, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Stamboul"
  • Samuel Ballinger, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Stamboul"

New Zealand Ballinger 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:

Ballinger Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Ballinger, (b. 1843), aged 20, English farm labourer from Gloucestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 [6]

Contemporary Notables of the name Ballinger (post 1700) +

  • Richard Achilles Ballinger (1858-1922), American politician, Mayor of Seattle, Washington (1904-1906), and U.S. Secretary of the Interior (1909-1911)
  • Mark Alan Ballinger (1949-2014), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1971 for the Cleveland Indians
  • Robert Alan "Bob" Ballinger (b. 1974), American lawyer and politician, Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives (2013-)
  • William Pitt Ballinger (1825-1888), American lawyer and statesman
  • Tanya Ballinger (b. 1973), American model and actress, known for her series of Miller Lite Catfight commercials
  • Bill S Ballinger (1912-1980), American author and screenwriter, known for his Barr Breed series and Joaquin Hawks series
  • William P. Ballinger, American politician, U.S. Attorney for Texas, 1850-53 [7]
  • Walter Ballinger, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 8th District, 1910 [7]
  • Lynn Ballinger, American Republican politician, Chair of Finney County Republican Party, 2011 [7]
  • John G. Ballinger, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Salem County, 1841 [7]
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Ballinger 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: Foritudine et decore
Motto Translation: By boldness and gracefulness.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
  4. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th March 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/commodore-hayes
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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