Clink History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Clink family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found close to a low hill. The surname Clink originally derived from the Old English word Clenc which meant lump, or hill. 1

Early Origins of the Clink family

The surname Clink 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. 2

Hugh Clinche was recorded in Lincolnshire in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1223. 1 In Wiltshire, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 notes John de la Clenche held lands there at that time. The same rolls included Seman Clenche, Suffolk and Richard Clenche, Suffolk. 3

"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." 4

Early History of the Clink family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clink 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 Clink History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clink Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Clink include Clinch, Clench, Clinche, Clenche, Clynch and others.

Early Notables of the Clink family

Notables of the family at this time include Hugh Clinche, a prominent landholder in 13th century Lincolnshire. John Clench (d. 1607), was an English judge, son of John Clench of Wetherefield, Essex, by Joan, daughter of John Amias of the same county, and grandson of John Clench of Leeds, Yorkshire. 5 Andrew Clench, M.D. (died 1692), was an English physician, Fellow of the Royal Society in 1680; he was murdered by a swindler named Henry Harrison who his mistress had lent money. He...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clink Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Clink family to Ireland

Some of the Clink 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.

Clink migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Clink or a variant listed above:

Clink Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mich'l Clink, who arrived in New York in 1759
Michael Clink, who settled in New York in 1761

Clink Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Christian, Jr. Clink, who settled in Philadelphia in 1817

Clink migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Clink Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Clink, who settled in Ontario in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name Clink (post 1700) +

Mr. John Robert Hamilton Clink C.B.E., O.B.E. (b. 1964), British Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print