Cloninger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The ancestors of the Cloninger family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in the lands of Clunie in Stormont, Perthshire. "This place, which is of remote antiquity, is distinguished as the scene of a battle between the Caledonians and the Romans under Agricola. In a field near the Hill of Gourdie, are still remaining several mounds, in a parallel direction, separated by trenches of equal length, called the "Steeds Stalls;" and here the advanced guard of the Caledonian army was posted to watch the movements of the Roman army, which was encamped on the plains of Inchtuthill, about two miles to the south." 1

Early Origins of the Cloninger family

The surname Cloninger was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) where "William de Clonin witnessed a confirmation charter by Alexander II to the Abbey of Arbroath c. 1214-1218. The ward of Eugene de Cluny is referred to in 1263. William de Cluny of Perthshire rendered homage in 1296, and appears again on an inquest at Perth in 1304. Another William de Cluny, chaunteur of Breghyn in the county of Strivelyn, also rendered homage in that year and is mentioned again in 1305 as Sir William de Clony, chaplain to the bishop of Brechin. Adam Cluny of Fifeshire also rendered homage in 1296, and John de Cloni or de Cloney of Fife was one of the Scots prisoners taken at Dunbar Castle in the same year." 2

The mentions of "rendered homage" in the preceding paragraph refers to King Edward I of England's intrusion into Scotland.

Cluny is a parish in the district of Kincardine O'Neil, county of Aberdeen "The name of this place, signifying, in Gaelic, meadows interspersed with rising grounds, is descriptive of the appearance of the locality." 1

Early History of the Cloninger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cloninger research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1296, 1616, 1686, 1757, 1784, 1787, 1790, 1791 and 1819 are included under the topic Early Cloninger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cloninger 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 Cloninger has been spelled Clunie, Clooney, Cloon, Cloone, Clowney, Clune, Cluney, Clunis and many more.

Early Notables of the Cloninger family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was John Clunie (1757?-1819), "the supposed author of the beautiful Scotch [(Scottish)] song 'I lo'e na a laddie but ane,' born about 1757. He was educated for the church of Scotland, and licensed by the presbytery of Edinburgh on 29 Dec. 1784. He then became schoolmaster at Narkinch, Fifeshire, and possessing a fine voice and some musical skill acted as precentor in the parish church. In 1790 he was presented by the Duke of Buccleuch to the parish of Ewes, Dumfriesshire, and...
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cloninger Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cloninger Ranking

In the United States, the name Cloninger is the 8,497^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Cloninger 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 Cloninger:

Cloninger Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Philip Cloninger, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 4

Cloninger Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ellis Cloninger, aged 20, who arrived in America, in 1920
Ralph A. Cloninger, aged 21, who arrived in America, in 1920
Marvine E. Cloninger, aged 21, who arrived in America, in 1921
Martin Cloninger, aged 22, who arrived in America, in 1922

Contemporary Notables of the name Cloninger (post 1700) +

Ralph Cloninger (1888-1962), American actor, known for his performances in Monte Cristo (1922), Hearts Aflame (1923), and for his leading role in Winds of the Pampas (1927)
Claire Cloninger (1942-2019), American songwriter of contemporary Christian music, author and speaker
Tony Lee Cloninger (b. 1940), American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played from 1961 to 1972
Claude Robert Cloninger M.D. (b. 1944), American psychiatrist and geneticist, known for his book Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being (2004)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)