Cunningham
A Scottish surname from Ayrshire, originally meaning someone from the district of Cunningham.
The #211 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,275 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This name comes from the old district of Cunningham in Ayrshire, Scotland. The place-name is usually explained from older elements meaning "rabbit" or "cony" plus a place-name ending, though nineteenth-century writers disagreed about the exact early form and meaning. In surname use, it simply identified someone who came from that region.
History
The surname is strongly associated with southwest Scotland and later spread widely through Scotland, Ireland, and the English-speaking world. Historical writers noted many spelling forms, including Conyngham and Cunynghame, and the name became established among prominent Scottish families, including the earls of Glencairn. It is also common in Ulster and in emigrant communities overseas.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The district name Cunningham is tied to one of the classic Scottish surname landscapes: a medieval regional name that outlived the old territorial boundaries and became a very widespread family name.
From the historical record
“sion of the 0. Test. CUNNINGHAM. The northern district of Ayrshire, containing many parishes, whence the old earls of Gleucairn. Conyng- ham and Cunynghame are varieties of this name. CUNYNGHAiME. See Cunningham. CUPAR. Cupar-Angus, Cupar-Fife, Cupar Grange, &c., well-known places in Scotland.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom