Show ContentsPinly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The age-old Pictish-Scottish family name Pinly is derived from the Gaelic Fionnlagh which is often Anglicized to fair hero.

Early Origins of the Pinly family

The surname Pinly was first found in Banffshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhanbh), former Scottish county located in the northeasterly Grampian region of Scotland, now of divided between the Council Areas of Moray and Aberdeenshire, where they were descended from the Chiefs of the Clan Farquharson, one of the great federation of 26 Clans, known as the Clan Chattan.

Early History of the Pinly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pinly research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1547, 1629, 1755, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pinly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pinly Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Pinly has appeared Findlay, Findlow, Findlaw, Finley, Finlay and others.

Early Notables of the Pinly family

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

Ireland Migration of the Pinly family to Ireland

Some of the Pinly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 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 Pinly migration to the United States +

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Pinly:

Pinly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Pinly, who arrived in Maryland in 1635-1636 1


The Pinly 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: Fortis in arduis
Motto Translation: Brave in difficulties.


  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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