Show ContentsKinnerd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Kinnerd

What does the name Kinnerd mean?

The saga of the Kinnerd family begins among the people of the ancient tribe of the Picts. They lived in the barony of Kinnaird in the county of Perth; and as such, the surname belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Kinnerd family

The surname Kinnerd was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times in the barony named Kinnaird. Radulphus Rufus had a charter from King William the Lion of the barony of Kinnaird in Perthshire and it is from this early origin that the surname was assumed. 1 2

"The family descended from Radalphus Rufus, who obtained a charter of the barony of Kinnaird in the Carse of Gowrie, Perthshire, from William the Lion, king of Scotland from 1165 to 1214. To this barony the neighbouring lands of Inchture were united in 1399 by the marriage of Reginald de Kinnaird with Margaret, the heiress of Sir John Kirkaldy of Inchture. " 3

Early History of the Kinnerd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kinnerd research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1296, 1428, 1435, 1449, 1546, 1567, 1622, 1653, 1661, 1663, 1683, 1684, 1689, 1701, 1707, 1715, 1727 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Kinnerd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kinnerd Spelling Variations

Although Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Kinnerd has been written Kinnard, Kinnaird, Kynnard, Kennard, Kynharde, Kinzerd, Kinnart, Kynnart and many more.

Early Notables of the Kinnerd family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was George Kinnaird, 1st Lord Kinnaird (c. 1622-1689), a Scottish aristocrat and politician, member of the Privy Council of Scotland, Member of Parliament for Perthshire...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kinnerd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kinnerd family

Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Kinnerd: William Kinnaird settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767; William Kinnard settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1786; D. Kinnard settled in New York State in 1823..



The Kinnerd 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: Qui patitur vincit
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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