Show ContentsClinch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Clinch comes from when the family resided close to a low hill. The surname Clinch originally derived from the Old English word Clenc which meant lump.

Early Origins of the Clinch family

The surname Clinch was first found in Wiltshire, at a hamlet named Clinch and/or Clinch Common in the Vale of Pewsey to the east of Wootton Rivers, near Marlborough. [1]

We find the first record of the family here in Wiltshire in Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. John de la Clenche held lands there at that time. The same rolls included Seman Clenche, Suffolk and Richard Clenche, Suffolk. [2]

"The family of Clinch, now best represented in and around Sittingbourne, [Kent] resided in Hernehill in this county during the 17th century, where the name still remains." [3]

Early History of the Clinch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clinch research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1223, 1273, 1305, 1327, 1332, 1582, 1584, 1593, 1600, 1603, 1607, 1680, 1692, 1743, 1770 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Clinch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clinch Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Clinch has been recorded under many different variations, including Clinch, Clench, Clinche, Clenche, Clynch and others.

Early Notables of the Clinch family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Hugh Clinche, a prominent landholder in 13th century Lincolnshire

Ireland Migration of the Clinch family to Ireland

Some of the Clinch family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 235 words (17 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Clinch migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Clinch or a variant listed above:

Clinch Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Clinch who arrived in Somers Islands in 1662
Clinch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Clinch, who landed in America in 1760-1763 [4]
  • William Clinch, who landed in America in 1763
  • Frederick Clinch, who arrived in Maryland in 1798 [4]
Clinch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Clinch, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 [4]
  • C H Clinch, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [4]
  • M D Clinch, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 [4]

Canada Clinch migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Clinch Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Clinch U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 [5]
  • Mr. Benjamin N. Clinch U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 [5]
  • Mr. Peter Clinch U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 [5]
  • Mr. Peter Clinch U.E. who settled in St. George, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 [5]
  • Lt. Ralph Clinch U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 [5]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Clinch migration to Australia +

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

Clinch Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Clinch, English convict who was convicted in Clerkenwell, London, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) [6]
  • Sarah Clinch, aged 19, a housemaid, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Emigrant" [7]

Contemporary Notables of the name Clinch (post 1700) +

  • Danny Clinch (b. 1964), American photographer and film director
  • Harry Anselm Clinch (1908-2003), American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Jon Clinch, American novelist and teacher
  • John Clinch, British brewer and founder of Clinch Brewery, an English brewery in the town of Witney, Oxfordshire in 1811
  • John Clinch (1749-1819), British clergyman and physician
  • John Williams Clinch III, Manx brewer and founder of Clinch's Brewery Company in Douglas, Isle of Man in 1779
  • Peter Clinch (1753-1816), Irish-born, Canadian politician who represented Charlotte in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1785 to 1795
  • Peter Clinch, Irish economist
  • J. Roger Clinch (b. 1947), Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons
  • Patrick Clinch (1790-1868), Canadian farmer, newspaper owner and political figure
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. 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)
  5. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
  7. South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emigrant 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/emigrant1854.shtml


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