Jenkins Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Jenkins Family History

Jenkins Family History

The family history of the ancient name Jenkins was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Jenkins is a baptismal name meaning 'son of John', a personal name of great antiquity. Variants include Jenkin, Jenking, Jenkinson and Jenkyns. This name is of Flemish origin and is found throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are an Adam Janekyn, of County Somerset, England, who was recorded in 'Kirby's Quest' in the reign of Edward III. A Robertus Jonkinson was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire in the year 1379. A John Jenkins was Burgess of Glasgow, Scotland, in the year 1584. In Ireland the name Jenkins is often of immigrant origin having been introduced into Ulster Province by settlers from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. It has also been Gaelicized as 'Sinicin' and is mostly found in County Cork, where the variant Shinkwin can also be found. The Jenkins 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 Jenkins descendants.