Kenzie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The Clan from whom the Kenzie family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from the personal name Coinneach. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Coinnich or Mac Choinnich, both of which mean son of Coinneach. However, In Adamnan, the Gaelic form of the name is Cainnechus, which is derived from the word cann, meaning fair or bright; thus, the surname is of the 'nickname' variety in this case.

Early Origins of the Kenzie family

The surname Kenzie was first found in Ross-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois) a former county, now part of the Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles in Northern Scotland, which emerged from the Gaelic lordship of the Earl of Ross, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Kenzie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kenzie research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1278, 1561, 1568, 1569, 1594, 1611, 1630, 1635, 1636, 1651, 1662, 1677, 1678, 1688, 1691, 1714, 1715, 1771 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kenzie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kenzie Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Kenzie 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 MacKenzie, McKenzie, Kennethson, Kenneth, Kennieson, MacCoinnich (Gaelic), MacWhinnie, MacWhinny, MacWhinney and many more.

Early Notables of the Kenzie family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

John Mackenzie (died c. 1561), or "John of Killin", traditionally reckoned 9th of Kintail, a Highland chief
Kenneth Mackenzie (died 1568), 10th of Kintail and nicknamed Coinneach na Cuirc (or "Kenneth of the Whittle"), a Highland chief
Colin Mackenzie of Kintail (died 1594), nicknamed "Cam" ("crooked", because one-eyed), a Highland chief
Kenneth Mackenzie, the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail (c.1569-1611), a Highland Clan chief
George Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth (died 1651), a Highland clan chief and Scottish nobleman
Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth (1635-1678), a Highland clan chief and Scottish nobleman
Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh (1636-1691), known as Bluidy Mackenzie, a Scottish lawyer, Lord Advocate
Murdoch MacKenzie (died 1688), Scottish minister and prelate, Bishop of Moray (1662-1677) and Orkney (1677-1688)

Migration of the Kenzie family to Ireland

Some of the Kenzie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kenzie migration to the United States +

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:

Kenzie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alex Kenzie, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 1
John Kenzie, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 1
Philip Kenzie, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 1
Ralph Kenzie, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 1
J Kenzie, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1822 1

Kenzie migration to Australia +

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

Kenzie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Kenzie, a shipwright, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
John Kenzie, a baker, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832

Contemporary Notables of the name Kenzie (post 1700) +

James Kenzie (b. 1986), stage name of James Victor MacKenzie, English rapper, DJ and personal trainer
Kenzie Sconce, American actress, director and writer, known for The Girl on the Mountain (2022)
Kenzie MacNeil (1952-2021), Canadian songwriter, performer, producer and director in television, film, radio and stage, and a former Conservative Party of Canada candidate
Kenzie MacNeil (1952-2021), Canadian songwriter, performer, producer and director in television, film, radio and stage, and a former Conservative Party of Canada candidate

The Kenzie 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: Luceo non uro
Motto Translation: I shine not burn.

Citations +

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)