Innus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The west coast of Scotland and the rocky Hebrides islands are the ancient home of the Innus family. The root of their name is the personal name Angus. The Gaelic form of the name, Mac Aonguis, translates as son of Angus. Angus refers to the Pictish King Onnust who died in the year 761.

While there are no direct links with this King in the history of the Clan or surname, there is a conjectural line, which may be adopted. The lands descended into the Barony of Innes in the County of Elginshire. However, the son or sons of Angus, originally from the Kingdom of Dalriada, were one of the three kindred houses, of the kingdom, the other two houses being the Gabran (the largest) and Lornetach which provided fighting men for the defense of the Kingdom of early Scots. For every twenty homes owned, they were obliged to provide two galleys, and so Angus, having 430 houses, provided a fleet of approximately forty galleys for the defense of the waters of Dalriada, generally those estuaries around the mouth of the Clyde.

Early Origins of the Innus family

The surname Innus was first found in Morven, their earliest known territory. In 1230, the Clan suffered from King Alexander II's campaign against Argyll. The Clan, however, retained their castle Kinlochaline, which stands upon strategic rock in Morvern. A massive castle by early standards, today it is in ruins.

Early History of the Innus family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Innus research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1358 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Innus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Innus Spelling Variations

Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Innus has appeared in various documents spelled MacInnes, MacInnis, MacAngus and many more.

Early Notables of the Innus family

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

Migration of the Innus family to Ireland

Some of the Innus family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 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 Innus family

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Innus or a variant listed above: Duncan McInnes, who settled in Philadelphia in 1798; Thomas and Helen McInnes, who settled in Boston in 1849; John McInnis who settled in South Carolina in 1716.

The Innus 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: MacAonghais a-rithist
Motto Translation: Again MacInnes