Show ContentsKinnar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Kinnar family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in the barony of Kinnaird in the county of Perth; and as such, the surname belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Kinnar family

The surname Kinnar was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times in the barony named Kinnaird. Radulphus Rufus had a charter from King William the Lion of the barony of Kinnaird in Perthshire and it is from this early origin that the surname was assumed. 1 2

"The family descended from Radalphus Rufus, who obtained a charter of the barony of Kinnaird in the Carse of Gowrie, Perthshire, from William the Lion, king of Scotland from 1165 to 1214. To this barony the neighbouring lands of Inchture were united in 1399 by the marriage of Reginald de Kinnaird with Margaret, the heiress of Sir John Kirkaldy of Inchture. " 3

Early History of the Kinnar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kinnar research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1296, 1428, 1435, 1449, 1546, 1567, 1622, 1653, 1661, 1663, 1683, 1684, 1689, 1701, 1707, 1715, 1727 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Kinnar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kinnar Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Kinnar has been spelled Kinnard, Kinnaird, Kynnard, Kennard, Kynharde, Kinzerd, Kinnart, Kynnart and many more.

Early Notables of the Kinnar family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was George Kinnaird, 1st Lord Kinnaird (c. 1622-1689), a Scottish aristocrat and politician, member of the Privy Council of Scotland, Member of Parliament for Perthshire...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kinnar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Kinnar migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, Ireland, Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Kinnar:

Kinnar Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Kinnar, who landed in Mississippi in 1867 4


The Kinnar 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: Qui patitur vincit
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook