Clyne Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Clyne Family History

Clyne Family History

The Clyne ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Clyne include Kilcline, Clynes, Cline, Clynne and Clines. This name in Irish is Mac Giolla Chlaoin and the latter variants are the anglicized form of this. This sept came from Longford and Mayo.

A sept or clan is a collective term describing a group of persons whose immediate ancestors bore a common surname and inhabited the same territory. It is also the case that many Irish septs or clans that are related often belong to a larger groups, sometimes called tribes. For example the 'Tribes of Galway' consisted of fourteen distinct families. The 'Tribes of Kilkenny' were ten families, etc.

Their territory was around Ballykilcline in Longford and Mayo and we first find them in records in the year 1585. They became numerous in the neighbouring County of Leitrim as well as Mayo. The older form of the name 'Kilcline' is now rare having been replaced by Clynes and Clyne which is now chiefly found in Leitrim and Longford with the other variants. The famous fourteenth century annalist, John Clyn, was of Kilkenny and this family is perpetuated in the placename Clinstown where families of the name can still be found to this very day.The Clyne family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Clyne descendants.