The proud Kendig family originated in
Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern
England. 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. The Kendig family originally lived in the county of Cornwall, at
Kingdon manor. A number of places of this name exist in various counties of England. It translates as
the house of the king.Early Origins of the Kendig family
The surname Kendig was first found in the county of
Cornwall where they held a
family seat from early times.
Early History of the Kendig family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kendig research.
Another 199 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 146 and 1462 are included under the topic Early Kendig History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kendig Spelling Variations
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into
England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly,
spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of
Cornwall and the rest of
England. The Cornish spoke a unique
Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Kindon, Kingdon, Kingdom and others.
Early Notables of the Kendig family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Kendig Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kendig family to Ireland
Some of the Kendig family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 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 Kendig family to the New World and Oceana
In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Kendig were found:
Kendig Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Martin Kendig, who arrived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1710 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Kendig (post 1700)
- Daniel S. Kendig, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Seneca County, 1855 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - A. Edward Kendig, American Democrat politician, Member of Wyoming State Senate from Platte County, 1965 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Kendig 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: Regis donum gratum bonum
Motto Translation: A king's gift is pleasant and good.