| ![Show Contents]() Cunninghame History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
Etymology of CunninghameWhat does the name Cunninghame mean? Cunninghame is a Dalriadan-Scottish name, no doubt originally for a person who lived at Cunningham in Ayrshire. However, numerous branches of the Cunningham family spread all over Scotland. Two of the most prominent branches of the Cunningham Clan, the Cunninghams of Corsehill and the Cunninghams of Caprington, trace their ancestry back to the medieval era. Cunninghame Coat of Arms CreationThe Cuninghames have as their crest a unicorn, and the motto is, " Over fork over." The unicorn is so named from its having only one horn, which grows out of its forehead. It represents strength, a haughty mind, and one who would rather die than be brought into subjection. The horn was said to possess a powerful antidote against poison, and that other animals were glad to drink of water stirred by the horn. As to the motto, the story is that Malcolm, the first of the family, assisted Malcolm (afterwards King Malcolm Canmore) to escape when pursued by Macbeth, by forking straw or hay over him. The King afterwards rewarded him by the gift of the Thanedom of Cuninghame, and the figure on the shield like the letter Y represents the shake-fork. The other story is that the motto is derived from the fact that an ancestor had charge of the King's horses, and the shakefork was the instrument by which hay was forked to them. 1 Early Origins of the Cunninghame familyThe surname Cunninghame was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire. About the year 1050, it is said that Warnebald Cunningham saved King Malcolm Canmore by hiding him in the barn and covering him with hay concealing him from his pursuer the Pretender King, MacBeth. The grateful King Malcolm later bestowed on Warnebald the lands of Cunningham and the motto "Over Fork Over." 2 Early History of the Cunninghame familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cunninghame research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1490, 1520, 1548, 1574, 1575, 1578, 1610, 1630, 1664, 1670, 1716 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cunninghame History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cunninghame Spelling VariationsSpelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Cunninghame has appeared in various documents spelled Cunningham, Cunninghame, Cunyngham, Cunnyngham, Cunnynghame, Cummingham and many more. Early Notables of the Cunninghame familyNotable amongst the Clan at this time was Cuthbert Cunningham, 3rd Earl of Glencairn; William Cunningham, 4th Earl of Glencairn (c. 1490-1548), a Scottish nobleman; Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn (died 1574), Scottish nobleman and Protestant reformer; William Cunningham, 6th Earl of Glencairn (ca. 1520-1578); James Cunningham, 7th Earl of...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cunninghame Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cunninghame family to IrelandSome of the Cunninghame family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Cunninghame migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Cunninghame Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Alex Cunninghame, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bussorah Merchant" in 1848 3
- Agnes Cunninghame, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bussorah Merchant" in 1848 3
- Miss Mary Cunninghame, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth and Henry" on 11th February 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Cunninghame (post 1700) | + |
- Cunninghame Borthwick (1813-1885), 19th Lord Borthwick, Scottish peer
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: Over fork over
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