Inns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The distinguished surname Inns emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Inns family originally lived in either of the places called Ince in Cheshire and Lancashire, in the settlement of Innes in Cornwall, or in the barony of Innes in Urquhart. The surname Inns belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Inns family

The surname Inns was first found in the parish of Saltash, Cornwall. "Ince, or Innes, was at an early period in moieties between John de Innes, and Thomas de Stonehouse." 1

Early History of the Inns family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Inns research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1296 is included under the topic Early Inns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Inns Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Innes, Innis (Gaelic), Innice, Inniss and others.

Early Notables of the Inns family

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

Inns migration to the United States +

The records on immigrants and ships' passengers show a number of people bearing the name Inns:

Inns Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anna Inns, aged 34, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876 2
Gerad Inns, aged 8, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876 2
Isaac Inns, aged 4, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876 2

Inns migration to Australia +

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

Inns Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Inns, English convict who was convicted in Buckinghamshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asiatic" on 5th June 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
Peter Inns, aged 34, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Melbourne"

The Inns 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: Prudentia et vi
Motto Translation: Be faithful.

Citations +

Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas