KINSEY
Kinsey is an English surname of Anglo‑Saxon origin, first recorded in the early fourteenth century. It is classically understood to be a patronymic name, indicating descent from an individual bearing the personal name Cynesige.
The personal name Cynesige is composed of the Old English elements cyne, meaning “royal”, and sige, meaning “victory”, and thus the name translates as “royal victory”. In the toponymic sense, the surname is linked to the place-name Kinsey in Cheshire, where eg, meaning “island” or “dry ground in marsh”, is appended. The full place-name meaning may therefore be rendered “Cynesige’s island” or “the island of the royal victor”.
Spelling variations include Kincey, Kynsey, Kimsey, Kinzie, Kinsie, Kinsy, Kinsay and others such as Kynsye, Kynesey, Kynisey, Kinesey, Kenzie and Kinsay. Earlier forms display considerable fluctuation, reflecting regional dialects and the absence of standardised spelling before the fifteenth century.
The earliest surviving record is that of William Kynsei in the Calendar of Inquisitiones post mortem of Gloucestershire in 1306, under the reign of King Edward I, 1272–1307. Subsequent documented instances include William Kynnesay, vicar of Hitcham in Norfolk, in 1471; George Kynsey in the Sussex Subsidy Rolls of 1525; Robert Kensay in the Patent Rolls of 1558; and William Chinseie or Kinssee of Cheshire, recorded in the University of Oxford Register in 1586. Church registers record the christening of Catherine, daughter of John Kinsey, at Goostrey in Cheshire on 1 March 1590; the marriage of Roger Kinsey and Bridgett Todd at St. Dunstan's in East Stepney on 26 May 1645; and the witnessing of a christening by Richard Kimsey at St. Leonards, Shoreditch, on 27 March 1796.
While the name originated in England, it has spread widely across the English‑speaking world. In contemporary times it is found in the United Kingdom, particularly in Lancashire, as well as in the United States (notably in Texas), Canada, and Australia. The widespread dispersion of the surname is a testament to historic migration patterns from Britain to the colonies and the United States.
Prominent individuals bearing the surname include Alfred Kinsey, the American biologist and sexologist whose work in the mid‑twentieth century was highly influential, and Angela Kinsey, the American actress best known for her role in the television series The Office. Their achievements illustrate the diverse fields in which members of the Kinsey lineage have made significant contributions.
Typical given names associated with the Kinsey surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Amanda
- Caroline
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sally
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Kinsey in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 4,006 people named Kinsey in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,333rd most common surname in Britain. Around 62 in a million people in Britain are named Kinsey.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Kinsey
- Angela Kinsey - American actress
- Noel Kinsey - Welsh international football player (1925 to 2017)
- Tony Kinsey - Musician
- Steve Kinsey - Football player
- Joseph Kinsey - Politician (1921 to 1983)
- Brian Kinsey - Football player
- Albert Kinsey - Football player
- George Kinsey - Football player (1866 to 1911)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.