Cunningham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The ancestors of the name Cunningham come from the ancient Scottish tribe known as the Dalriadans. They lived along the rugged west coast of Scotland and on the Hebrides islands and used the name to indicate a person who lived at Cunningham in Ayrshire. However, numerous branches of the Cunningham family spread all over Scotland. Two of the most prominent branches of the Cunningham Clan, the Cunninghams of Corsehill and the Cunninghams of Caprington, trace their ancestry back to the medieval era.

Early Origins of the Cunningham family

The surname Cunningham 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.

About the year 1050, it is said that Warnebald Cunningham saved King Malcolm Canmore by hiding him in the barn and covering him with hay concealing him from his pursuer the Pretender King, MacBeth. The grateful King Malcolm later bestowed on Warnebald the lands of Cunningham and the motto "Over Fork Over." 1

Early History of the Cunningham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cunningham research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1490, 1520, 1548, 1574, 1575, 1578, 1610, 1630, 1664, 1670, 1716 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cunningham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cunningham Spelling Variations

Many spelling variations of Cunningham 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. Cunningham, Cunninghame, Cunyngham, Cunnyngham, Cunnynghame, Cummingham and many more.

Early Notables of the Cunningham family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Cunningham World Ranking

In the United States, the name Cunningham is the 180th most popular surname with an estimated 134,298 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Cunningham is ranked the 345th most popular surname with an estimated 13,234 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Cunningham is the 237th popular surname with an estimated 14,320 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Cunningham as 189th with 2,961 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Cunningham as 192nd with 29,294 people. 6

Migration of the Cunningham family to Ireland

Some of the Cunningham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Cunningham migration to the United States +

Settlers from Scotland put down roots in communities all along the east coast of North America. Some moved north from the American colonies to Canada as United Empire Loyalists during the American War of Independence. As Clan societies and highland games started in North America in the 20th century many Scots rediscovered parts of their heritage. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Cunningham were among those contributors:

Cunningham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Cunningham Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Cunningham Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Cunningham Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Cunningham migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cunningham Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Cunningham Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Cunningham migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cunningham Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Cunningham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Cunningham migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cunningham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Cunningham migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 15
Cunningham Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Cunningham (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Cunningham +
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