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King Family History
King Genealogy & Family TreeKing is an English name first found in Devon, England, in the 11th Century. The name comes from the Old English word cyng, which means “tribal leader” or “king,” and most likely was given as a nickname to those who were kingly in personality or appearance or those who portrayed nobility in local pageants. Roots for this name can also be found in Scotland, Ireland, and France. Irish-American immigrants often took on the name as an anglicized version of Irish names such as Conroy, and in France, all orphans were traditionally given the last name of Roy/Roi, translated as king, and were called the King’s children. King is the 35th most common surname in the United States and the 36th most common in the United Kingdom. The family motto is Audaces fortuna juvat which means “Fortune favors the bold.”
Other spellings include “Kings” and “Kinge.” Notable people with the surname include American Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., American blues musician B.B. King, American television host Larry King (Larry King Live), American singer Carole King, and American author Stephen King (The Shining, Carrie, It). The first King on record was Geoffrey King in Cheshire in 1177. The first King to come to America was Samuel King in Massachusetts in 1620.
King Birth Records
- Name Birth Date Death Date Location
- Eleanor King -- --, 1604 December 0, 1655
- John King -- --, 1578 December 31, 1636 North Yorkshire
- Thomas King -- --, 1590 December 0, 1630
- Jacob Y. King -- --, 1758 December 0, 1822 Pennsylvania
- William P. King -- --, 1861 December 0, 1926 Pennsylvania
King Death Records
- Name Birth Date Death Date Location
- Elijah King -- --, 1686 October 5, 1741 Massachusetts
- Howard Haviland King -- --, 1883 August 30, 1963 New York
- Rodney W. King -- --, 1897 October 6, 1983 Pennsylvania
- Elizabeth King -- --, 1753 December 0, 1840 North Carolina
- Edmund Edmond King -- --, 1744 July 7, 1817 Virginia
