Cash Surname History - Brief

Cash Surname History.

Researchers. Don Leslie Cash, and information provided by Christopher David Cash.



The Cash Family originated in Scotland. The original spelling of the name was not Cash.


Information published by Don Leslie Cash states that current name Cash is derived from "Cashel", which is the Gaelic term for Castle. Previous to this, the name was spelled Caiseal. Variations include Casche (ca.1450), and Casch. By the late 1500's and early 1600's the common name was Cash.


Don Cash believed that the Cash Seat was at "The Place Cash" , near Strathmilgo, Fife, Scotland. The name came from the noble family of DUNCAN, 6th Earl of Fife, and Ada, niece of Malcolm IV, King of Scotland. The lands, which were and still are called the Lands of Cash, or Casche" (the Gaelic term describing a castle or fortress), were granted by Malcolm IV in a dowry charter dated 1160(examples 4,5,6). From Duncan and Ada, it is assumed that a grandson, about 1225, first took the surname Casche, later to be the modern day spelling of Cash. This information is gathered by the martlet(bird) on top of the family crest, which is the cadency mark of the fourth son.


The House of Casche endured for 263 years until James I (James IV of Scotland) returned from bondage in England and had the Earldoms dismantled. In about 1430 the family was dispersed. Some Cash's went to clan country and took the name MacCash and MacCaishe under the Clan MacDonald. Some went to Germany, where it became Kash or Kashe. Others went to Ireland, near Cashel.


William, the originator of the name in America, is of the small branch that stayed behind in the Fife area. Lowland Scotland.