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Scottish Surnames, Kay to Kyle

KAY
Vide, Cay.

Kay, Sir James Reid (1885-1965) of Glasgow. President, Imperial Bank of India (Bengal), (1933-34, 1935-36, and 1939-40). Pres. Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (1937-38).

Kay, Katherine Cameron of Glasgow. Painter and etcher. Exhibited at the Royal Academy, Royal Scottish Academy, Berlin, Liverpool, Venice, Leipzig, etc.

KEEN
Bold, eager, daring.

KEILLER, Mrs Keiller of Dundee. Invented marmalade in 1797. Her son founded the Keiller Co., and marmalade became popular throughout the world.

KEIR, Andrew (1926-) of Shotts. Actor. Became popular as Adam Smith the Scottish minister on TV. Played Cromwell in A Man for all Seasons, Prince John in TV's Ivanhoe. Won an award for his leading part in Soldier, Soldier.

KEIR, James (1735-1820) of Edinburgh. Chemist who became a pioneer in industrial chemistry.

KEITH
The family are descended from Robert, chieftain of the Catti, who having joined Malcolm II, at the battle of Panbridge, in 1006, was instrumental in gaining a great victory over the Danes, and slew with his own hand Camus, the Danish leader, which King Malcolm. perceiving he dipped his three fingers in Camus's blood and drew three strokes or pales on the top of Robert's shield, and these have ever since been the arms of his descendants. In the year 1010, he was advanced by King Malcolm to the hereditary dignity of Marshal of Scotland, and rewarded with a Barony in Lothian called Keith Marshal, and also with the island of Inskeith in gulf of Edinburgh.

Keith, Sir Arthur (1866-1955) of Old Macher, Aberdeenshire. Anatomist and anthropologist. Wrote Introduction to the Study of Anthropoid Apes (1896), Human Embryology and Morphology (1901) and works on evolution and the origin of man. Elected FRS.

Keith, Arthur Berriedale (1879-1944) of Edinburgh. Sanskritist and Constitutional Lawyer. He became a leading authority on constitutional law.

Keith, George (1685-1778). Close friend of Frederick the Great. He was the last Earl Marshal of Scotland.

Keith, George (c.1639-1716), Scottish Quaker missionary. Emigrated to Philadelphia in 1689, and was banned from preaching there in 1692.

Keith, James Francis Edward (1691-1758) of Inverugie, near Peterhead. Soldier who became a Field Marshal and Commander in Chief to Frederick the Great.

KELLY
Local: from the village of Kelly in Renfrewshire.

KELSO
Local: from Kelsoland in Ayrshire. The family are descended from Hugo de Kelso of Kelsoland, 1296.

KELVIN of Largs, William Thomson, 1st Baron (1824-1907), born in Belfast of Scottish descent. Physicist, mathematician, philosopher and engineer. Discovered the second law of thermodynamics. Inventor of telegraphic and scientific instruments, etc., incl. the improved mariner's compass and sounding equipment. Elected FRS in 1851. Buried in Westminster Abbey.

KEMP
A soldier.

Kemp, George Meikle (1795-1844) from near Biggar. Draughtsman and Architect. Designer of the Scott Monument, Edinburgh.

KENAN
White headed.

KENNEDY
The chief of the clan. Duncan de Carrick living in 1153, was father of Nichol de Carrick, whose son, Roland de Carrick, temp. Alexander III, took the name of Kennedy, and was the ancestor of the family.

Kennedy, David (?-d.l886) of Perth. Singer who had great success in London, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Canada and USA.

Kennedy, James (c. 1406-66). Cleric and Statesman. Was Bishop of St Andrews. Took an active part in the politics of Scotland. Acted as Regent during the minority of James III. Was the founder of St Salvators Coll., St Andrews.

Kennedy, Sir James Shaw (1788-1865) of Kirkcudbrightshire. Soldier. Became a General and distinguished himself under Wellington.

Kennedy, John (1769-1855) of Kirkcudbrightshire. Cottonspinner and inventor. Introduced several ingenious improvements in the spin-ning of fine yarns, including the 'Jack Frame'.

Kennedy, Ludovic (1919-) of Edinburgh. Writer and broadcaster. TV broadcasts incl., ITN newscaster (1956-58), Introduced This Week (1958-60), Commentator, Panorama (1960-63). Many films incl. The Singers and the Songs, Scapa Flow, The Sleeping Ballerina, U-boat War, and The Rise of the Red Navy. His books incl. Sub-lieutenant, One Man's Meat, The Trial of Stephen Ward, and The Life and Death of the Tirpitz.

KER, William Paton (1855-1923) of Glasgow. Scholar, talker, lecturer and writer. Professor of English at Cardiff (1883), at London (1889) and of Poetry at Oxford (1920). He died of heart failure while climbing in the Alps at the age of 67.

KERR
A marsh. The family are descended from Ralph and Robert Ker of Ker Hall in Lancashire, who were living in Roxburghshire in 1340, when Robert Ker obtained from David II, the lands of Oultoburn, and was ancestor of the Kerrs of Cesford. Ralph Ker was the founder of the family of Kerr of Ferniherst.

Kerr, Deborah Jane (1921-) of Helensburgh. Actress. World famous with many notable successes. Her most powerful performance was per-haps her part in From Here to Eternity (1953)

Kerr, John (1824-1907) of Ardrossan. Physicist and lecturer in mathematics. In 1876 he discovered the 'magneto-optic effect' which was then named after him. He was the author of An Elementary Treatise on Rational Mechanics (1867). Elected FRS.

KENNETH I, called MacAlpine (-d. c.858). Scottish king who con-quered the Picts (c.843). He made Dunkeld the ecclesiastical centre of his kingdom. Kenneth invaded England six times.

KIDSON, William (1849-) of Falkirk. Became Prime Minister of Australia in 1906.

KILBRANDON, (Charles J. D. Shaw) Baron (life peer), (1906-) of Kilbrandon, Argyll. Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (1971-). Member, Commission on the Constitution (1969-72), Chairman (1972-73).

KILGOUR
Local: from the parish of Kilgour in Fifeshire.

KILMARNOCK, (Gilbert A. R. Boyd) 6th Baron (1903-) son of the 21st Earl of Errol. Chairman, Baltic and Mercantile Shipping Exchange (1965-67). He was President, London Chamber of Commerce (1961-63). Freeman of the City of London.

KILMUIR, Viscount, formerly, Sir David P. Maxwell-Fyffe, (1904-). Lawyer and politician. Was Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trial of Nazi war criminals.

KINCADE
The front of the battle, from ceann, a head, and cad, a battle.

KINLOCH
Local: from the lands of Kinloch in Perthshire.

KINNAIRD, Arthur F., 10th Baron (1814-87) of Perthshire. Banker and philanthropist.

KINNEAR
A chieftain.

Kinnear, Norman Boyd (1882-1957) son of an Edinburgh architect. Was Curator of Bombay Natural History Museum for 12 years, as well as asst. editor of the Bombay Natural History Society Journal. Became keeper of Zoology in the British Museum in 1945, and later Director of the Natural History Dept. there.

Kinnear, Sir John Macdonald (1782-1830) of Carnden, Linlithgow. Traveller and diplomat. He was Envoy to Persia (1724-30), took part in the hostilities with Russia. He published the results of his numerous journeys in A Narrative of Travels in Asia Minor, Armenia and Kurdis-tan (1813-14).

Kinnear, Roy (d. 1988) born in Wigan, son of a professional Scots rugby player. Popular actor and comedian. Died following a fall when riding during the making of a film in Spain.

KINROSS
Local: from the town of Kinross in Kinrosshire.

Kinross, (John P. D. Balfour) 3rd Baron of Glasclune (1904-). Author and journalist. Travelled extensively in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. Was First Sec. and Director, Publicity Section, British Embassy Cairo (1944-47).

KIPPEN
Local: from the village of Kippen in Stirlingshire.

KIRK
A church.

Kirk, James B., (1893-) of Falkirk. Director Medical and Health Dept., Mauritius (1926-41), of Medical Services, Gold Coast (1941-44), of Health Div. Greece Mission UNRRA, (1945-). Chief Medical Officer, Central HQ Displaced Persons Operations, UNRRA, Ger-many (1945).

Kirk, Sir John (1832-1922), from near Arbroath. Physician and naturalist. Served as a doctor in the Crimean War, and later he went with Livingstone's second exploring expedition in 1858. Became Consul at Zanzibar in 1873 where he secured the abolition of the slave trade in the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar. His name is perpetuated in Nyasaland in the Kirk range, west of Shire River.

KIRKCALDY
Local: from the town of in Fifeshire.

KIRKPATRICK
Local: from the parish of Kirkpatrick in Dumfriesshire. The family are descended from Ivone Kirkpatrick, temp. David I. On the 10th February, 1306, Robert Bruce, in company with Sir Roger de Kirkpatrick and other gentlemen, met Red John Cummin in the Grey Friars church at Dumfries. A dispute arising between them, Bruce stabbed Cummin twice before the high altar in the church, and rushing out pale and frightened, said, on being questioned as to the cause of his alarm, " I doubt that I have slain the Red Cummin." "Doubtest thou?" exclaimed Kirkpatrick, "I make sure," and hastening into the church he dispatched the wounded Regent with his dagger. In commemoration of this action, King Robert conferred on the family for a crest, a hand holding a dagger in pale, distilling drops of blood, and for a motto: "I make sure."

KIRKPATRICK, Charles (1879-1955) of Pitlochry. Major-General (1929) in the Indian Army. Served with distinction in the Great War and on the NW Frontier.

KIRKPATRICK, Herbert James (1910-) son of Major-General Charles. Air Vice-Marshal, served on Air Staff, Fighter Command (1939-40), Bomber Commd., (1941-45), and Transport Commd. (1946-48). Chief of Staff 2nd. Allied Tactical Air Force (1957-60) and AOC No.25 Group (1961-63).

KIRKWOOD
The wood near the church.

KNOX
A little hill, from cnoc.

Knox, John (1505-72) of Haddington. Preacher and reformationist. Founder of the Presbyterian Church.

Knox, John (1913-). Scientist. Appointed Chief Scientific Officer, Min. of Technology in 1965. Head of Research Div., Dept. of Trade and Industry (1971-).

Knox, Joseph A.C. (1911-) of Aberdeen. Professor of Physiology, University of London at Queen Elizabeth Coll. from 1954.

Knox, Dr Robert (1791-1862) of Edinburgh. Anatomist and ethnologist. He was the first to bring comparative anatomy to the explanation of human anatomy. Attracted some odium through having obtained subjects for dissection from Burk and Hare.

KYLE
Local: from the district of Kyle in Ayrshire.

Kyle, Elizabeth (Agnes M. R. Dunlop) of Ayrshire. Novelist and writer of books for children. Since her first novel in 1932 she published over 50 books.

If you have a web site devoted to any of the above family surnames, please e-mail me your web address for free inclusion on this page.

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