McKindley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name McKindley is the personal name Finlay. The Gaelic form of the surname is Mac Fionnlaigh, which means son of Finlay. Thus, McKindley is a cognate of the surname Finlayson.

Early Origins of the McKindley family

The surname McKindley was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where the surname is still commonly found around Glenlyon and Balquhidder. The earliest known record of the name is from 1493, when Gillaspyk M'Kynlay witnessed legal proceedings involving Archibald, Earl of Argyll.

Early History of the McKindley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McKindley research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1511, 1675, 1700 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McKindley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKindley Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name McKindley include many spelling variations. They include They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. MacKinley, MacKinlay, MacKindlay, MacKinly, MacKindley and many more.

Early Notables of the McKindley family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McKindley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McKindley family to Ireland

Some of the McKindley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKindley migration to the United States +

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name McKindley, or a variant listed above:

McKindley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

William B. McKindley, aged 55, arrived in New York in 1911 aboard the ship "Cretic" from Naples, Italy 1
Harriet McKindley, aged 48,arrived in New York in 1915 aboard the ship "Rochambeau" from Bordeaux, France 1

The McKindley 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: Amo
Motto Translation: I love.

Citations +

Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result