Show ContentsBinan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Binan

What does the name Binan mean?

The ancestors of the Binan family took their surname from a place name. The roots of this place name lie with the ancient Viking settlers. The Binan surname comes from someone having lived in the old barony of Binney, in the parish of Uphall, in the county of West Lothian.

According to Scottish lore, there was once a man called Binnie, who at the time supplied hay to Linlithgow Castle which was at the time held by the English. He planned to have Scottish soldiers near the gate on a certain day. He placed several of his sons in a wagon, cover them with hay and drove up to the castle. The portcullis was raised and just as the wagon was underneath it, the ropes were cut so the portcullis could not fall. The Scottish soldiers rushed in and put the garrison to the sword. Binnie was thenceforth named Binning. 1

Early Origins of the Binan family

The surname Binan was first found in the West Lothian, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

One of the first records of the family was William Bennings (fl. 1180), an English judge, "was, according to Giraldus Cambrensis, sent to Ireland by Henry II in 1176 as one of four envoys, of whom two were to remain with the viceroy, Richard FitzGilbert, earl of Striguil, and two were to return, bringing with them Reimund Fitzgerald, whose military exploits had aroused the king's jealousy. " 2

William Benyng or De Binn (fl. 1250), was an early Scottish "biographer, [who] may be presumed to have been a native of Binning in Linlithgowshire. He was proir of the Cistercian abbey of Newbattle until 1243, when he was elected abbot of Cupar. He resigned this office on 29 Sept. 1258, probably on account of old age. The date of his death is unknown. " 2

Early History of the Binan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Binan research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1243, 1258, 1411, 1627, 1653 and 1666 are included under the topic Early Binan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Binan Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were quite undeveloped in the Middle Ages. Consequently, the spelling of Scottish names was an inconsistent practice, usually governed by the unique ear of the scribe recording the name. Over the years, Binan was spelled Binney, Binning, Binnie, Benning, Bennyng, Bynnie, Bynny, Bynnyng, Byning, Bynning and many more.

Early Notables of the Binan family

Hugh Binning, (1627-1653), Scottish philosopher and regent of the University of Glasgow. He was the son of John Binning of Dalvenan, Ayrshire. His maternal uncle was "one of the youthful martyrs of Scotland - Hugh M'Kail, who was hanged at Edinburgh on 22...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Binan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Binan family

Opportunity and land greeted those who made it all the way. Some had the opportunity to solidify their new freedom by fighting in the American War of Independence, while others went or stayed north as United Empire Loyalists. Recently, the ancestors of those brave settlers have been able to recover much of their heritage through Clan societies and other patriotic organizations. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Binan: Alice Binney who settled in Barbados in 1663; James Binney settled there in 1680 with his servants; John Binney settled in Philadelphia in 1808; Stephen Binney settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1822.



The Binan 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: Virtute doloque
Motto Translation: By valour and craft.


  1. Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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