Show ContentsMawhinney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Mawhinney Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Mawhinney

What does the name Mawhinney mean?

The ancestors of the Mawhinney family come from the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. Their surname comes from the personal name Coinneach. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Coinnich or Mac Choinnich, both of which mean son of Coinneach. However, In Adamnan, the Gaelic form of the name is Cainnechus, which is derived from the word cann, meaning fair or bright; thus, the surname is of the 'nickname' variety in this case.

Mawhinney Coat of Arms Creation

The Mackenzies have a deer's head for their crest, and the Gaelic motto, " Cuidich an Righ " (Help the King), alleged to have been given under the following circumstances:

The founder of the family, Colin Fitzgerald, who was reputed to be an Irish adventurer, was, in 1265, with his sovereign, Alexander III., hunting in the forest of Mar, when a stag, pursued by the hounds, made straight for the King. The brave Colin interposed his own person between His Majesty and the infuriated animal, shot the stag in the forehead, and in gratitude he was granted the right to use as his armorial bearings a stag's head bleeding where the arrow pierced it, with two greyhounds as supporters.

The incident of the hunt was painted by B. West for the last of the Seaforths. The artist received £800 for the noble picture, which is still preserved in Brahan Castle.

According to Nisbet their crest was a sun in its splendour, and the motto, " Luceo non uro " (I shine but I do not burn), which motto is now on the beautiful old furniture in Brahan Castle; but neither the above crest nor motto is shown in Burke's Peerage. 1

Early Origins of the Mawhinney family

The surname Mawhinney was first found in Ross-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois) a former county, now part of the Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles in Northern Scotland, which emerged from the Gaelic lordship of the Earl of Ross, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Mawhinney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mawhinney research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1278, 1561, 1568, 1569, 1594, 1611, 1630, 1635, 1636, 1651, 1662, 1677, 1678, 1688, 1691, 1714, 1715, 1771 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mawhinney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mawhinney Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Mawhinney has been spelled MacKenzie, McKenzie, Kennethson, Kenneth, Kennieson, MacCoinnich (Gaelic), MacWhinnie, MacWhinny, MacWhinney and many more.

Early Notables of the Mawhinney family

John Mackenzie (died c. 1561), or "John of Killin", traditionally reckoned 9th of Kintail, a Highland chief; Kenneth Mackenzie (died 1568), 10th of Kintail and nicknamed Coinneach na Cuirc (or "Kenneth of the Whittle"), a Highland chief; Colin Mackenzie of Kintail (died 1594), nicknamed "Cam" ("crooked", because one-eyed), a Highland chief; Kenneth Mackenzie, the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail (c.1569-1611), a Highland Clan chief; George Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth (died 1651)...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mawhinney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mawhinney family to Ireland

Some of the Mawhinney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mawhinney migration to the United States +

Settlers from Scotland put down roots in communities all along the east coast of North America. Some moved north from the American colonies to Canada as United Empire Loyalists during the American War of Independence. As Clan societies and highland games started in North America in the 20th century many Scots rediscovered parts of their heritage. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Mawhinney were among those contributors:

Mawhinney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Mawhinney, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1871 2
  • Henry Mawhinney, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1878 2
Mawhinney Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Thomas Mawhinney, aged 29, originally from Belfast, arrived in New York in 1900 aboard the ship "Oceanic" from Liverpool, England 3
  • Maggie Mawhinney, aged 28, originally from Dundee, Scotland, arrived in New York in 1907 aboard the ship "Furnessia" from Glasgow, Scotland 3
  • Agnes Mawhinney, aged 28, originally from Belfast, Ireland, arrived in New York City, New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England 3
  • Agnes Mawhinney, aged 28, originally from Belfast, Ireland, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Cedric" from Liverpool, England 3
  • Sarah Mawhinney, aged 51, originally from Dunbar, Scotland, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Cedric" from Liverpool, England 3

Mawhinney migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Mawhinney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Wilson Mawhinney, (b. 1956), aged 20, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Pomona" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1876 4
  • Mr. Wilson Mawhinney, (b. 1955), aged 21, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Pomona" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1876 4
  • Mr. Allan Mawhinney, (b. 1947), aged 29, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Pomona" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1876 4
  • Miss Margaret Mawhinney, (b. 1947), aged 29, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Pomona" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1876 4
  • Miss Mary Mawhinney, (b. 1864), aged 19, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Westland" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 3rd October 1883 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Mawhinney (post 1700) +

  • Charles Benjamin "Chuck" Mawhinney (1949-2024), United States Marine Corps sniper who holds the record for the most confirmed kills by a USMC sniper
  • Robert J. Mawhinney (1859-1954), American attorney, the last Solicitor of the United States Treasury (1926–1932)
  • Samuel L. Mawhinney, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Allegheny County, 1883-86 5
  • Isaiah Mawhinney (1830-1913), Irish-born, Canadian politician in Manitoba
  • Maxine Mawhinney, Irish newsreader on BBC News
  • Gordon Mawhinney (b. 1943), former politician in Northern Ireland
  • Brian Stanley Mawhinney (b. 1940), Baron Mawhinney, British Conservative Party politician
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. George Waring Mawhinney (1881-1914), Irish Third Class Passenger from Belfast, Ireland who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 6

Mawhinney Motto and War Cry +

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: Luceo non uro
Motto Translation: I shine not burn.
War Cry: "Tullaich Ard."
  1. Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
  2. 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)
  3. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html

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