The surname Kirtlend was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by an ancient Scottish people called the Strathclyde-
Britons. It was a name for someone who lived in
Cumberland, at Kirkland or in
Lancashire at Kirkland. Both place names have essentially the same origin: "estate belonging to a church" having been derived from the Viking word "kirkja" + "land." Kirkland in
Cumberland (Cumbria) was first recorded as Kyrkeland c. 1140.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)Early Origins of the Kirtlend family
The surname Kirtlend was first found in
Cumberland, at Kirkland, a township, in the parish and union of Garstang,
hundred of Amounderness as Homines de Kyrkelaund, recorded there during the reign of
Edward I.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) Later the parish of Kirkland in
Lancashire was another
family seat. "After the lapse of a century, it belonged to William de Kirkland, whose name was derived from his residence, and who died in 1363."
[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print. As one would expect having a close proximity to
Scotland, Johannes
filius John de Kyrkeland held land in the territory of Gordon, c. 1280 and later William de Kyrkland was burgess of Glasgow, 1424. Again in Glasgow, listed there was Alan de Kyrklande (1463) and John de Kirkland (1471.)
[4]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Early History of the Kirtlend family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirtlend research.
Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1585, 1586, 1790 and are included under the topic Early Kirtlend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kirtlend Spelling Variations
Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval
Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document.
Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Kirtlend has been spelled Kirkland, Kirkeland, Kirtland and others.
Early Notables of the Kirtlend family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Kirtlend Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kirtlend family to Ireland
Some of the Kirtlend family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 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 Kirtlend family to the New World and Oceana
Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of
Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them: Phillips and Nathaniel Kirkland settled in Lynn Massachusetts in 1635; John Kirkland settled in New Jersey in 1685; Charles and George Kirkland both arrived in Philadelphia in 1813 and 1832 respectively..
The Kirtlend 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: Facta non verba
Motto Translation: Deeds not words.