Kinsley Name Origin and Family Crest

Spelled Kinsley, the surname still points back to Kingsley. At root, the name means “king's clearing”.

Spelling and variants

Before spelling was fixed, Kingsley was also written Kinsley. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. Related forms: Kingsly.

Surname statistics

Kinsley ranked 10,675 in the 2010 US Census, with 2,996 people answering to the name.

Heraldry and the Kinsley name

Looking for a Kinsley coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours.

Get the complete Kinsley report, with a museum-style coat of arms.