Show ContentsKinham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Kinham was first used as a name by descendants of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Kinham family lived in the barony of Kinghorn in the county of Fife. The surname Kinham belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Kinham family

The surname Kinham was first found in Fife, at the historic former Royal Burgh of Kinghorn, now a town which derives its name from the Scottish Gaelic Ceann Gronna, meaning "head of the marsh" or "head of the bog." Perhaps best known as the place where King Alexander III of Scotland died, this town is steeped in history including the former castle in Kinghorn which was frequently visited by the Scottish Court in the period of the House of Dunkeld. No trace of the castle can be found today. King Alexander III returned here to see his new wife Yolande of Dreux, but fell from his horse on the way and was found dead on the beach of Pettycur bay.

Early History of the Kinham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kinham research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1292, 1296, 1513, 1597 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kinham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kinham Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name Kinham include Kyngorn, Kinghorn, Kinghorne, Kingorn, Kynghorn, Kyngorne, Kynghorne, Kinghan and many more.

Early Notables of the Kinham family

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

Ireland Migration of the Kinham family to Ireland

Some of the Kinham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Kinham migration to the United States +

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of Kinham:

Kinham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Alice Kinham, aged 22, who arrived in New England in 1635 from Weymouth, England possible boat is Mary Gould 1


The Kinham 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: A favore regis nomen
Motto Translation: The popularity of the name


  1. 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)


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