Kinden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

The Kinden history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Kinden history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Kinden family originally lived in the county of Cornwall, at Kingdon manor. A number of places of this name exist in various counties of England. It translates as the house of the king.

Early Origins of the Kinden family

The surname Kinden was first found in the county of Cornwall where they held a family seat from early times.

Early History of the Kinden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kinden research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1462 is included under the topic Early Kinden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kinden Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Kindon, Kingdon, Kingdom and others.

Early Notables of the Kinden family

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

Migration of the Kinden family to Ireland

Some of the Kinden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kinden migration to the United States +

Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Kinden:

Kinden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Jacob Kinden, who settled in Philadelphia in 1817

Kinden Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ingelbright Sjur Kinden, who settled in Arkansas in 1918

The Kinden 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: Regis donum gratum bonum
Motto Translation: A king's gift is pleasant and good.