Cleland Family Tree research resources
Dig into the past of the Cleland Family Tree using the resources below. We hope you find these sites useful whilst you are researching your Family Tree !
 | Did you know that in the 1881 UK census there were 792 people with the Cleland surname? In that year Cleland was ranked number 2790 for popularity in the UK. |
"Local: From the lands of Cleland in Lanarkshire. James Cleland of that ilk was the associate of Wallace, and received from Robert Bruce several lands in the barony of Calder. He was the ancestor of William Cleland of that ilk, who by Jean his wife, daughter of William Lord Somerville, was progenitor of the Clelands of Cleland, Faskine, Monkland, and Cartness. The family arms are derived from the office they held of hereditary foresters to the Earls of Douglass. "(The origin and signification of Scottish surnames. Clifford Stanley Sims, 1862)
1921 England and Wales Census records are now available!
On 6 January 2022 the 1921 England and Wales Census records were made available online via the FindMyPast website. The records have been indexed and are searchable via the usual methods. These records are only viewable on a pay-per-view basis and are not included in any of FindMyPast's existing subscriptions with the exception of the 12 month premium subscription.
Cleland records on Ancestry
Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out your Cleland family tree. Many large databases are available to search covering from births, deaths and marriages, military records, census records and immigration records with many other smaller collections too. Free trials are normally available and are a good way to fill out a lot of your tree quickly.
| Country Collection | |
|---|---|
 |
Ancestry.com Global records search results for the Cleland family. |
 |
Ancestry.com US records search results for the Cleland family. |
|
Ancestry.co.uk UK records search results for the Cleland family. |
 |
Ancestry.ca Canadian records search results for the Cleland family. |
 |
Ancestry.com.au Australian records search results for the Cleland family. |
Historical References
"CLELAND, CLELLAND. This surname is supposed to be derived from lands named Cleland or Kneland in the parish of Dalziel, Lanarkshire. The first of the family in record is said to be Alexander Kneland of that Ilk, temp. Alexander m. He married Margaret, daughter of Adam Wallace of Riccarton, father of the Patriot, and Kneland, a follower of Wallace, is mentioned several times by Henry the Minstrel (Wallace, ra, 55, 201, etc.). Anderson (Scot. Nat.) says there are several instances of Cleland of Cleland being called Knieland of that Ilk; thus among the persons who were delated for being art and part of the murder of Darnley were William Kneland of that Ilk and Arthur Kneland of Knowhobbilhill. William Kneland was burgess of Glasgow, 1464 (LCD., p. 182), Gavin Kneland, witness in Linlithgow, 1534 (Johnsoun), and Marjory Kneland appears in Fosh, parish of Monkland, 1546 (Compute). James Kneland of that Ilk made his will in 1547 (Comm. Rec. of Glasgow), Kneland of Foskane is mentioned in 1557, Gawin Cleland was denounced rebel in 1568 (RFC., i, p. 621), and William Kneland was burgess-freeman of Glasgow, 1574 (Burgesses). The seal of Andrew Cleland, one of the bailies of Edinburgh, 1612, reads S' Andree Kneland (MacdonaM, 438). John Cleaveland or Cleland of Garrenshaugh appears in 1686 (RFC., 3. ser. xn, p. 69, 77), and James Cleiland was a merchant in Edinburgh, 1692 (Pitfirrane, 659). The name may be an early corruption of Cleveland. Roger de Cliveland was found in default for not attending an assize at Carlisle, 1278 (Bain, n, p. 34), and Osbern de Clivelond of Lanarkshire rendered homage, 1296 (ibid., p. 212). Clealand 1633, Cleilland 1678, Clayland 1604, Cliland 1687, Coleeland 1685, Kneband (error for Kneland) 1586 "(The surnames of Scotland. George Fraser Black, 1866-1948)
DNA
Sometimes you can run into a brick wall in your tree and you just don't have enough evidence to make that next step back in time. A DNA test can sometimes help to make a link to a particular family name if you find you share common DNA with people who have the same or similar surnames as each other. If you are lucky then you may get a match within a few generations and discover some Cleland ancestors. Additionally, the modern DNA test can give you a breakdown of your ethnic mix - you may be surprised at the results!
Have you reached a brick wall in your Cleland Tree?
Visit our Cleland DNA page to find out more.
Birth, Death and Marriage Records for the Cleland Genealogy
Birth, Death and Marriage records are often the best method of making the links to the Cleland Genealogy that will form part of your family tree. Although records vary from country to country, they are normally the most formal record of a person's relations. From the sources listed below it will be possible to locate a birth record and, from that record, a birth certificate may be obtainable which is likely to list the names of the parents, therefore taking you back another generation. A marriage certificate may also list the names of the respective fathers of the bride and groom which may then help you to find them earlier in life on a census record enabling you to fill out more detail in the Cleland family tree.
Check out Cleland Parish Records at Find My Past.
Explore the UK registered births, marriages and deaths for the Cleland family name using the FreeBMD database.
Search Genealogy Bank for Cleland family records.
Investigate MyHeritage for Cleland family data.
Explore the LDS Database for records of the Cleland family.
Research the Cleland surname using fold3 Military Archives and view images of original Cleland Military records.
| Did you know that there are currently 1380 people with the Cleland surname in the UK? Cleland is now ranked number 2785 for popularity in the UK. |
Cleland Family Tree Databases
Check out WikiTree for user contributed Cleland family records. Collaboration is encouraged so that accuracy of Cleland data can be verified or corrected by other users.
Check out MyTrees for information on the Cleland family and people looking to contact living Cleland relations.
Study GENi for Cleland family records.
Find your Irish Cleland relatives on findmypast.ie
Cleland Forums
Research the Cleland surname using Genealogy.com forums .
| Did you know that there are currently 3038 people with the Cleland surname in the USA? Cleland is ranked number 156 for popularity in the USA. |
Miscellaneous Cleland Databases
Explore the Ellis Island Database for information on the Cleland family. This database contains over 25 million immigration records detailing passengers arriving in the United States of America.
Use the Surname Map project to look at the current distribution of the Cleland surname in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Romania.
Ask a Question
Looking for information on a Cleland in your family tree? Why not post a question here -