The family of Cunningham takes its name from the district of Cunningham in Ayrshire. The name occurs as early as the 12th century. About the beginning of the following century the family resigned all their lands in Kilpatrick to the Earl of Lennox. Hervey de Cunningham received from Alexander III the lands of Kilmaurs for his bravery at the Battle of Largs in 1263.

The Kilmaurs family remained the principal family, and Sir William Cunningham by his marriage to Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Dennieston of that ilk, added many lands to his family possessions including Glencairn, from which Alexander De Cunningham took his title when created Earl of Glencairn by James III in 1488. He was killed at the Battle of Sauchieburn.

William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn, born about 1610, was appointed Privy Councillor and Commissioner of the Treasury in 1641, and Lord Justice General in 1646. In 1653 he raised an army in the Highlands in support of Charles II. After the Restoration he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland. He died in 1664.

James, 14th Earl of Glencairn, was the friend of our national bard, and when he died in 1791, Burns wrote his well-known “Lament of the Earl of Glencairn”, beginning with the line “O! why has worth so short a date?” With the death of John, 15th Earl, who died without issue in 1796, the Earldom became dormant. However, many important branches of the family spread all over Scotland.

Crests: A dexter hand holding a plumb rule, proper. A ship in distress.