An ancient Pictish-Scottish family was the first to use the name Kirknes. It is a name for someone who lived in either of the settlements called Kirkness in Orkney and Shetland. The surname Kirknes belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
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Early Origins of the Kirknes family
The surname Kirknes 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.
Early History of the Kirknes family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirknes research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1391, 1426, 1438, 1678 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Kirknes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kirknes Spelling Variations
During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name Kirknes include Kirkness, Kirknes and others.
Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of Kirknes: David Kirkendall, who came to Canada in 1810; Eliza Kirkendall, who came to Canada in 1811; Peter Kirkness, who settled in Ontario sometime between 1825 and 1904.
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: Through
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