Show ContentsInes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Ines emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Ines family originally lived in either of the places called Ince in Cheshire and Lancashire, in the settlement of Innes in Cornwall, or in the barony of Innes in Urquhart. The surname Ines belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Ines family

The surname Ines was first found in the parish of Saltash, Cornwall. "Ince, or Innes, was at an early period in moieties between John de Innes, and Thomas de Stonehouse." 1

Early History of the Ines family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ines research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1296 is included under the topic Early Ines History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ines Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Innes, Innis (Gaelic), Innice, Inniss and others.

Early Notables of the Ines family

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


United States Ines migration to the United States +

Study of Passenger and Immigration lists has revealed that among early immigrants bearing the Ines surname were:

Ines Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Matthias Ines, who landed in New England in 1636 2
  • Richard Ines, who landed in Maryland in 1675-1677 2
Ines Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • O Ines, aged 60, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 2
  • Jose Fa Ines, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 2
  • Andres Ines, aged 50, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1839 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Ines (post 1700) +

  • Jessica Ines Tuck (b. 1963), American Daytime Emmy Award and Soap Opera Digest Award nominated actress
  • Ida Ines Torres, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 3
  • Ines Torelli (b. 1931), Swiss comedian, radio personality, and stage, voice and film actress
  • Ines Segert, American assistant teaching professor of psychology at the University of Missouri


The Ines 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: Prudentia et vi
Motto Translation: Be faithful.


  1. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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