Kirkendall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Scotland

In Scottish history, few names go farther back than Kirkendall, whose ancestors lived among the clans of the Pictish tribe. They lived in either of the settlements called Kirkness in Orkney and Shetland. The surname Kirkendall belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Kirkendall family

The surname Kirkendall was first found in Orkney (Gaelic: Insi Orc, “Island of the wild pigs”) the historic northernmost island region of Scotland, an early Pictish land, which came to be a stronghold of the Vikings from the 9th century, where they held a family seat from early times.

Important Dates for the Kirkendall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirkendall research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1391, 1426, 1438, 1678, and 1753 are included under the topic Early Kirkendall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kirkendall Spelling Variations

The arts of spelling and translation were yet in their infancies when surnames began, so there are an enormous number of spelling variations of the names in early Scottish records. This is a particular problem with Scottish names because of the numerous times a name might have been loosely translated to English from Gaelic and back. Kirkendall has been spelled Kirkness, Kirknes and others.

Early Notables of the Kirkendall family (pre 1700)

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

Kirkendall migration to Canada

This oppression forced many Scots to leave their homelands. Most of these chose North America as their destination. Although the journey left many sick and poor, these immigrants were welcomed the hardy with great opportunity. Many of these settlers stood up for their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. More recently, Scots abroad have recovered much of their collective heritage through highland games and other patriotic functions and groups. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has located various settlers bearing the name Kirkendall:

Kirkendall Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• David Kirkendall, who settled in Canada in 1810
• Eliza Kirkendall, who settled in Canada in 1811

Contemporary Notables of the name Kirkendall (post 1700)

• Ernest Oliver Kirkendall (1914-2005), American chemist and metallurgist, developer of the Kirkendall effect