Bennine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Bennine

What does the name Bennine mean?

In the Middle Ages, the first family to use the Bennine surname took the name from a place name with Viking roots. They lived in the old barony of Binney, in the parish of Uphall, in the county of West Lothian.

According to Scottish lore, there was once a man called Binnie, who at the time supplied hay to Linlithgow Castle which was at the time held by the English. He planned to have Scottish soldiers near the gate on a certain day. He placed several of his sons in a wagon, cover them with hay and drove up to the castle. The portcullis was raised and just as the wagon was underneath it, the ropes were cut so the portcullis could not fall. The Scottish soldiers rushed in and put the garrison to the sword. Binnie was thenceforth named Binning. 1

Early Origins of the Bennine family

The surname Bennine was first found in the West Lothian, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

One of the first records of the family was William Bennings (fl. 1180), an English judge, "was, according to Giraldus Cambrensis, sent to Ireland by Henry II in 1176 as one of four envoys, of whom two were to remain with the viceroy, Richard FitzGilbert, earl of Striguil, and two were to return, bringing with them Reimund Fitzgerald, whose military exploits had aroused the king's jealousy. " 2

William Benyng or De Binn (fl. 1250), was an early Scottish "biographer, [who] may be presumed to have been a native of Binning in Linlithgowshire. He was proir of the Cistercian abbey of Newbattle until 1243, when he was elected abbot of Cupar. He resigned this office on 29 Sept. 1258, probably on account of old age. The date of his death is unknown. " 2

Early History of the Bennine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bennine research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1243, 1258, 1411, 1627, 1653 and 1666 are included under the topic Early Bennine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bennine Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, no real standards were established to judge the accuracy of spelling and translation. They were done mostly by ear and intuition, and enormous numbers of spelling variations were the unsurprising result. Bennine has appeared as Binney, Binning, Binnie, Benning, Bennyng, Bynnie, Bynny, Bynnyng, Byning, Bynning and many more.

Early Notables of the Bennine family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Hugh Binning, (1627-1653), Scottish philosopher and regent of the University of Glasgow. He was the son of John Binning of Dalvenan, Ayrshire. His maternal uncle was "one of the youthful martyrs of Scotland - Hugh...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bennine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bennine family

North America was far from Britain's oppressive monarchy. There, the Scottish found land and freedom, and many even the opportunity to pay back England in the American War of Independence. This brave heritage survives today largely in Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Bennine family in North America: Alice Binney who settled in Barbados in 1663; James Binney settled there in 1680 with his servants; John Binney settled in Philadelphia in 1808; Stephen Binney settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1822.

The Bennine 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: Virtute doloque
Motto Translation: By valour and craft.

Citations +

Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print