Kinning Park - Etymology

Etymology

A map by Robert Ogilvy in 1741 of the estate of Sir John Maxwell of Pollok shows a field called "The Park" just to the west of the building "Kinnen House" (later Kinning House) and immediately south of what today is Paisley Road Toll, but up to the 19th century was called Parkhouse Toll. Hence, this proximity of "The Park" and "Kinning House" is likely to be the origin of the name Kinning Park as the area developed. "Kinning" could be linked to the old Scots words "cunig", "cuning", "cunyg" or "coney" meaning a rabbit. This would be consistent the naming of the neighbouring area of Ibrox after the old Scots term "Y brocks" meaning "the badgers". In nearby Pollokshields there was also once a half-mile long grassy valley called "The Cunyan", which existed immediately south of Fleurs Avenue and the railway line, until it was built over as part of the route of the M77 motorway in the mid 1970s.

The same Robert Ogilvy map of 1741 also shows a field called the "Plantation" in the area which later became known as Plantation, which is likely to be the origin of that local name. There is a story that a later owner of the area, a Mr Robertson, named the area Plantation in the 1780s because he also owned property in the West Indies. However, the Ogilvy map suggests that the area was known as Plantation well before Mr Robertson's period.