Clan Cunningham
| Cunningham | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Crest: A silver unicorn's head with mane and horn of gold
|
|||
| Motto | "Over Fork Over" | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Scottish Lowlands | ||
| District | Ayrshire | ||
| Chief | |||
 |
|||
| Sir John Christopher Foggo Montgomery Cunninghame of Kilmaurs | |||
| Baronet of Corsehill Chief of the name and arms of Cunninghame |
|||
| Historic seat | Finlaystone Castle | ||
|
|||
|
|||
|
|||
Clan Cunningham is a Scottish clan. On 18 December 2013, Sir John Christopher Foggo Montgomery Cunningham, Baronet of Corsehill, was recognised by Lord Lyon as clan chief, after the chiefship had been vacant for over 200 years.
Cunninghame is the northern part of Ayrshire, though a map of the 6th century shows the original spelling as Canowan. Traditionally, in 1059, King Malcolm rewarded Malcolm, son of Friskin with the Thanedom of Cunninghame. The name is therefore of territorial origin and it likely derives from cuinneag which means milk pail and the Saxon ham which means village.
The first of the name was Warnebald or his son, Robertus, who received a grant for the land of Cunningham between 1160 and 1180. There is a story that states that Malcolm who was the son of Friskin, obtained the lands from Malcolm III of Scotland after he had sheltered him under hay in a barn and this is said to have given rise to the family's coat of arms which is of a shake-fork, as well as the motto Over fork over. Sir George Mackenzie states however that the coat of arms are alluded to the office of Master of the King's Stables. Another theory is that the Cunninghams were great allies of the Clan Comyn, whose shield bore sheaves of corn and that when the great Comyn dynasty was overthrown by the Clan Bruce, the Cunninghams adopted the shake-fork that is used to fork over sheaves of corn, therefore being a reference to their former allies.
The Cunninghams were certainly well settled in the parish of Kilmaurs by the end of the thirteenth century. The son of the Laird of Kilmaurs was Hervy de Cunningham who fought for Alexander III of Scotland at the Battle of Largs in 1263 against the Norse invaders. The following year he received a charter from the king confirming all of his lands.
During the Wars of Scottish Independence the Cunninghams were supporters of the Bruces in their fight for Scottish independence. However prior to this their name appears in the Ragman Rolls, swearing fealty to Edward I of England in 1296. Bruce being generous to his supporters and after his victory the lands of Lamburgton were added to that of Kilmaurs in 1319 by royal charter. Sir William Cunningham of Kilmaurs was amongst the Scottish noblemen offered as a hostage to David II of Scotland's English captors in 1354. Sir William's eldest son, also named William, married Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Denniston of that Ilk and acquired through her substantial lands including Glen Cairn and Finlayston in Renfrewshire.
...
Wikipedia