Balnave History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

A family in the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland was the first to use the name Balnave. They lived in the lands of Balneaves in the parish of Kinkell in Angus. 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. Even today, there is a small farm in the area called Balneaves.

Early Origins of the Balnave family

The surname Balnave was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say before the eleventh century.

They held a family seat on the lands of Balneaves in the parish of Kinkell, the site is still marked by three aged trees, which are bounded by Kyrkness and Louchor. Laurence Balnaves attended the beating of the boundaries of his territories in 1395.

Early History of the Balnave family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balnave research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1513, 1538, 1539, 1542, 1579, 1587 and 1597 are included under the topic Early Balnave History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balnave 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 Balnave has been spelled Balneaves, Balnaves, Balnavis, Banese, Bannese, Bennase, Bennese, Benes and many more.

Early Notables of the Balnave family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Henry Balnaves (d. 1579), Scottish reformer, usually described as of 'Halhill' after a small estate belonging to him in Fifeshire. "He was born in Kirkcaldy during the reign of James V of Scotland (15...

Migration of the Balnave family

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 Balnave: Richard Benes who settled in Barbados in 1635; Bennett Bennes settled in Virginia in 1652; Ann Bennes settled in Virginia in 1654; John Bennes landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1868..

The Balnave 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: Hinc origo
Motto Translation: Hence our origin.