Show ContentsRanckan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The sea-swept Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland, made up the ancient Dalriadan kingdom, the ancestral home of the Ranckan family. Their name comes from the personal name Randolph, with the addition of the diminutive suffix -kin.

Early Origins of the Ranckan family

The surname Ranckan was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire.

"There is a tradition of descent from one John, son of a knight called Jacob de Rankine, burgomaster of Ghent, who married a daughter of the head of the house of Keith, and became progenitor of the Rankines. " 1 This tradition is difficult to prove but was nevertheless authored by M. H. Rankin, Esq.

Early History of the Ranckan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ranckan research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1587, 1600, 1629, 1672, 1719 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Ranckan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ranckan Spelling Variations

Many spelling variations of Ranckan have been recorded over the years, including These are the result of the medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English. Rankin, Ranken, Ranking, Rankene, Rankine and others.

Early Notables of the Ranckan family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Lieutenant John Rankin (ca 1600s), British Royal Navy, eponym of Rankin Inlet, Canada. Alexander Ramkins (c.1672-1719) was a Scottish adherent of James II, born...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ranckan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Ranckan family to Ireland

Some of the Ranckan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 105 words (8 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 Ranckan family

Many who arrived from Scotland settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would go on to become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many settlers who remained loyal to England went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Their descendants later began to recover the lost Scottish heritage through events such as the highland games that dot North America in the summer months. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Ranckan family emigrate to North America: Lawlin Rankin, who settled in Virginia in 1650; Andrew Rankin settled in New England in 1651; Alexander Rankin settled in Boston in 1764; Alexander, Andrew, David, Henry, Hugh, James, John, Robert, Thomas and William Rankin all arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1870..



The Ranckan 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: Fortiter et recte
Motto Translation: Boldly and rightly.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.


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