Jane Kerr (Mawhinney) - Origin of the Mawhinney surname

According to the book of Scottish surnames, Mawhinney is referred to look under the name MacKenzie.
Popularly taken to be 'son of Kenneth'; but Kenneth itself is an English form of two different Celtic forenames- Coinneach (fair or comely), giving MacKenzie, and Cinaed ('springing from fire'), giving MacKenna. The 'z' used to be pronounced 'y', as witness the alternative forms of the name, Mawhinney and MacKenney (but not MacKenna)). The original Coinneach, who lived in the later 13th century, belonged to a Beauly family who members allied themselves with the MacDougall's in opposition to Robert the Bruce and the Earls of Ross. The MacKenzie's suffered ruin and dispersal, but later managed to reestablish themselves in Strathpeffer. Following their motto Cuidich an Righ ('help the king')) they supplanted the Earls of Toss in royal favour' with the eclipse of the house of Bruce and Toss the clan MacKenzie rose to rapid prominence in the north-west Highlands after the forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles in 1493, only to fall again with the passing of the Stewart dynasty whom they loyally supported. The progeny of Coinneach the Fair gave their name tow earldoms, a barony and several landed proprietors, and to hundreds and thousands of ordinary Scots. They must have been a prolific clan- their fighting strength in 1745 was reckoned to be 2,500-and they later provided most of the manpower for the Seaforth Highlanders; even today MacKenzie is the commonest Mac name after MacDonald and MacKay.