McKinney Family Crest, Coat of Arms & McKinney Name Origin

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Origin of the Name McKinney

The ancient history of the name McKinney was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Variants of McKinney include McKenzie, this latter variant being the Irish form of the name. Their home has ever been Ross-Shire and they rose to power under a great chief, Alexander Ionraech, seventh chief of Kintail, who ruled in 1427. His grandson, John, ninth chief, followed James IV to Flodden, and lived to fight for Mary Queen of Scots, at Landside. Kenneth the next Chief, was in 1609 created Lord MacKenzie of Kintail, and his son Colin, Earl of Seaforth in 1623. William fifth Earl, was forfeited as a Jacobite in 1715, but his grandson was recreated Earl of Seaforth in 1771, and raised the Old Seaforth Highlanders in 1778. His cousin and eventual successor, Francis Humberstone MacKenzie, was recreated Lord Seaforth in 1797 and at his death in 1815 his daughter Mary, Lady Stuart MacKenzie of Seaforth, became Caberfeidh and chief of the Clan. In Ireland this name is derived from the native Gaelic MacCoinnigh sept that was located in County Tyrone. The surname McKenna has also sometimes been changed to McKinney. In modern times these names are quite widespread throughout the country.