Lennyke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Lennyke was first used as a name by ancestors of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Lennyke family lived in the district of Lennox, in the county of Dunbarton.

Early Origins of the Lennyke family

The surname Lennyke was first found in Lennoxtown, a village, in the parish of Campsie, county of Stirling. "This is a considerable place, situated in the centre of the parish, and deriving its name from the family of Lennox, of Woodhead, on whose property it is built." 1

Of this origin, there can be no doubt, but we include another for the record: "The original name was Leven-ach, the field on the Leven, from the river Leven, which flows through the county. Leven-achs, for a while spelt and written Levenax, and finally Lennox. Arkil, a Saxon, a Baron of Northumbria, who took refuge from the vengeance of the Norman William under the protection of Malcom Canmore, appears to have been the founder of the Lennox family." 2

Another source claims the family was derived from "Egrith, a Saxon noble, who died in 1064, was the ancestor of Alwin Mac Arkyll, who was created Earl of Lennox, temp. Malcolm IV, and was the founder of the family of Lennox." 3

This stronghold of Lennoxtown is still held by many of the family: "Among the most striking objects around Lennoxtown, is the elegant and newly-built mansion of Lennox Castle, the residence of J. L. Kincaid Lennox, Esq., the superior of the village; this splendid edifice was commenced in 1837, and completed in 1841, and is in the boldest style of the old Norman architecture. The principal entrance is by a handsome portcochere on the north front; and from the lofty towers, which overtop the aged trees that formerly adorned the ancient mansion-house of Woodhead, is a prospect of considerable extent and beauty." 1

Some of the first records of the name include: "John of Levenax, the duke of Albany's man, had a safe conduct into England, 1400, and John de Lenox witnessed sale of a tenement in Glasgow, 1428. William Levinax, younger, of Caly, was accused of forethought felony and oppression in Kirkcudbright, 1508, and Donald Levenax, a follower of the earl of Casillis, was respited for murder in 1526 " 4

Early History of the Lennyke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lennyke research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1500 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lennyke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lennyke Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Lennyke has been spelled Lennox, Lenox, Levenax and others.

Early Notables of the Lennyke family

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

Migration of the Lennyke family to Ireland

Some of the Lennyke family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 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 Lennyke family

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Lennyke: Alexander, Andrew, Charles, David, John, Patrick, Robert, Thomas and William Lennox all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
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)