Skin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Skin

What does the name Skin mean?

The Skin surname is thought to be derived from the Aberdeenshire parish of the same name. Legend has it that the first bearer of the name was second son of Struan Robertson, who saved king Malcolm II (circa 1014) by slaying a wolf with his "sgian," or "skene," (Scottish dagger) in Stocket Forest. which meant "a dagger." It is said that he was rewarded with the lands of Skene and henceforth used the name Skene. 1

"The Skenes obtained this name for killing a very big and fierce wolf, at a hunting in company with the king, in Stocket forest in Athole; having killed the wolf with a dagger or skene." 2

"Some derive their names as well as their arms from some considerable action, and thus a son of Struan Robertson, for killing a wolf in Stocket forest in Athole, in the king's presence, with a dirk, received the name of Skene, which signifies a dirk, and three dirks points in pale, for his arms." 3

Skin Coat of Arms Creation

This is an Aberdeenshire clan. The crest is a right arm issuing from a cloud, holding in the hand a triumphant crown or garland. The motto is " Virtutis regia merces" (A palace the reward of bravery). There are at least two legends to account for the name Skene. One is that Malcolm Canmore, on his return south from the defeat of the Danes at Mortlake, in Moray, in 1010, was pursued by a wolf through the wood of Culblean to the forest of Stocket, near Aberdeen, where one of his retainers slew it, and hence in the Skene arms three dirks or sgians, on the points of which are wolves' heads.

Another version is that while hunting in, Aberdeenshire the King was pursued by a wild boar, and that one of the family of Macdonald, or, as another authority has it, a Robertson, saw the King's danger and came to the rescue. He wrapped his plaid round his left atm, thrust it into the animal's mouth, and then stabbed it to the heart with his dirk. For this he got a grant of land, and called it and himself Skene, which is the pronunciation of the Gaelic word sgian, a dirk, and for a supporter to his arms a Highlander in his proper garb holding in his right hand a dirk. 4

Early Origins of the Skin family

The surname Skin was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland, where they held a family seat sometime before the year 1250. The family had always maintained the rank of free Barons and held the Castle Skene, and the Earldom of Mar in Aberdeen.

The family is "of territorial origin from the lands of Skene, Aberdeenshire, erected into a barony in 1317 in favor of Robert de Skene. The first record of the name is in 1296 when Johan de Skene of the county of Edneburk and Johan de Skene of the county of Aberdene rendered homage [to King Edward I of England]. Probably, like many other old families, the Skenes were hereditary possessors of the church of Skene, a vicarage dependent upon the church of Kinkell, and toox their name from it. This supposition is rendered probable by the designation of Patrick as a cleric, and by the fact that in 1358 a Giliane de Skene is mentioned who is probably a descendant of the John de Skene who bore the head of John the Baptist on his seal." 5

Early History of the Skin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Skin research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1317, 1411, 1543, 1597, 1617 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Skin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Skin Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Skene, Skeyne, Skeen, Skeene, Skin and many more.

Early Notables of the Skin family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir John Skene (1543-1617), who acquired Curriehill (taking the title Lord Curriehill); he was a much published lawyer in Scotland, who compiled...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Skin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Skin family to Ireland

Some of the Skin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Skin family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Skene who settled in West New Jersey in 1664; Robert Skene, who was on record in Maryland in 1700; Thomas Skene, who arrived in South Carolina in 1760.

The Skin 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: Virtutis regia merces
Motto Translation: A palace the reward of bravery.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
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)