Show ContentsKyncaid History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

It was in the Scottish/English Borderlands that the Strathclyde-Briton people first used the ancient name Kyncaid. It was a name for someone who lived at Kincaid in the county of Stirlingshire. The name of Kincaith, from which the family derive their name is almost certainly of Gaelic origin, coming from the Gaelic words "ceann", meaning top or head and "caithe", meaning pass. 1 2

Early Origins of the Kyncaid family

The surname Kyncaid was first found in Stirlingshire. The earliest evidence of the surname Kyncaid was found in the parish of Campsie, Stirlingshire north of Glasgow. 3

Early History of the Kyncaid family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kyncaid research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1450, 1457, 1467, 1493, 1545, 1579, 1600, 1609, 1660, 1661, 1687, 1726, 1787, 1815, 1840 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Kyncaid History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kyncaid Spelling Variations

Scribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. Kyncaid has been spelled Kincaid, Kinkeed, Kincade, Kyncade, Kinkaid and many more.

Early Notables of the Kyncaid family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Jean Kincaid (1579-1600) who led an unfortunate life with a brutal husband, John Kincaid of Warriston. Eventually, his violent ways became too much for her to bear and she incited a servant of hers named Robert Weir, to batter the man to death with his bare fists. He was admitted by Mrs. Kincaid into her husband's chamber in his house at Warriston at an early hour on the morning of Tuesday, 1 July 1600, and he killed Kincaid with his fists. News of the murder quickly reached Edinburgh, and 'the Lady Warristoun,' 'the...
Another 171 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kyncaid Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Kyncaid family to Ireland

Some of the Kyncaid family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 121 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kyncaid family

The number of Strathclyde Clan families sailing for North America increased steadily as the persecution continued. In the colonies, they could find not only freedom from the iron hand of the English government, but land to settle on. The American War of Independence allowed many of these settlers to prove their independence, while some chose to go to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots played essential roles in the forging of both great nations. Among them: John Kincaid, who was the first Kincaid in North America, landing at Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1683; John Kincaid, who settled in New Jersey in 1685.



  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. 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)


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