Donkane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The Clan from whom the Donkane family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from the Gaelic personal name "Donnchad," which means "brown warrior". The personal name Donnchad is composed of two elements; "donn," which means "brown" and "cath," which means "warrior".

Early Origins of the Donkane family

The surname Donkane was first found in Northumberland, where they held great estates but were a branch of the distinguished Scottish Clan of Duncan who were originally of Iona in the Hebrides, but changed their name and continued to use the basic Coat of Arms of the Duncan Clan.

Early History of the Donkane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donkane research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Donkane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Donkane Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Donkane include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include Donkin, Downkin, Donking, Donken, Downken and others.

Early Notables of the Donkane family

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

Migration of the Donkane family

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Patrick Donkin arrived in Pennsylvania in 1820.

The Donkane 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: Disce pati
Motto Translation: Learn to suffer.