Show ContentsMcKendry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The first family to use the name McKendry lived among the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The name McKendry is derived from the personal name Henry.

Early Origins of the McKendry family

The surname McKendry was first found in Ayrshire and Fife where the intrusive "d" is common as in "Hendry." The earliest records are in the Latin form: "Henricus, dapifer, a witness c. 1183-88, and Henricus (Chen), bishop of Aberdeen, 1282-1328." 1

Early History of the McKendry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McKendry research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1519, 1527, 1551, 1552, 1562, 1600, 1700, 1718, 1771, 1774, 1777, 1781, 1785, 1790, 1793, 1798 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McKendry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKendry Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. McKendry has appeared Hendry, Hendrie, MacHendry, MacHendrick, MacKendrick and many more.

Early Notables of the McKendry family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Robert Henry (1718-1790), Scottish historian, son of James Henry, farmer, of Muirton, parish of St. Ninian's, Stirlingshire, and Jean Galloway, was born on 18 Feb. 1718. "The first volume of Henry's ‘History of England’ appeared in...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McKendry Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the McKendry family to Ireland

Some of the McKendry family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States McKendry migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name McKendry:

McKendry Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Daniel McKendry, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1812 2
  • Edward McKendry, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1852 2
  • James McKendry, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1869 2

Canada McKendry migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McKendry Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Patrick McKendry, aged 8 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Marchioness of Bute" departing 10th June 1847 from Belfast, Ireland; the ship arrived on 31st July 1847 but he died on board 3

Contemporary Notables of the name McKendry (post 1700) +

  • James Alexander McKendry (b. 1935), Irish artist and sculptor, best known for his Northern Ireland American war memorial
  • Chris McKendry (b. 1968), American journalist for ESPN
  • Sam McKendry (b. 1989), Australian professional rugby league player
  • Gary McKendry, Northern Irish Academy Award nominated film and television commercial director
  • Alex McKendry (b. 1956), Canadian professional NHL ice hockey player

Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Mr. Richard John Mckendry (1946-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Wellington, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 4


  1. 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)
  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. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 88)
  4. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx


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