Show ContentsConkling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Conkling family

The surname Conkling was first found in early documents where it was derived from the Dutch word "konkelen" which means "plot, intrigue, conspire."

Alternatively, the name could have originated from the root name "Con," which means "bold, wise, knowing, and klein, little or son." 1

Another source notes that name could denote a "descendant of the petty king or chieftain." 2

Early History of the Conkling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Conkling research. The years 1984 and 1991 are included under the topic Early Conkling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conkling Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Conklin, Conkling and others.

Early Notables of the Conkling family

From this era of Dutch history, those of this who distinguished themselves included

  • those who were listed in the 1984 edition of the Report of Distribution of Surnames in the Social Security Number File which lists the surnames Conklin and Conkling collectively as the 1,178th most po...

Conkling Ranking

In the United States, the name Conkling is the 17,405th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3


United States Conkling migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Conkling Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Conkling, who settled in Salem, MA sometime between 1620 and 1650
  • Ananias Conkling, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1635-1637 4
Conkling Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • N Conkling, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Conkling (post 1700) +

  • Wallace Edmonds Conkling, American prelate, the 7th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago (1941-1953)
  • Helen Conkling (b. 1933), American poet awarded the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize in 1996
  • James Cook Conkling (1816-1899), American politician and attorney, Member of the Illinois House of Representatives (1866-1868)
  • Hilda Conkling (1910-1986), American poet, daughter of Grace Hazard Conkling
  • Grace Walcott Hazard Conkling (1878-1958), American author
  • Frederick Augustus Conkling (1816-1891), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1861-1863)
  • Alfred Conkling (1789-1874), American lawyer, politician, statesman and jurist, United States Federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
  • Roscoe Conkling (1829-1888), American politician, United States Senator from New York (1867-1881), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1865-1867)
  • Roscoe Conkling Brown Jr. (1922-2016), American Tuskegee Airmen and a squadron commander of the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group
  • Alfred Conkling Coxe Jr. (1880-1957), American Republican politician, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, 1929 5


The Conkling 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: Virtutis gloria merces
Motto Translation: Glory is the reward of valour.


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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