Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:47 pm Post subject: Various Clans histories
Agnew
There are at least two possible derivations of this name. Firstly, from the Norman French barony of d'Agneux, via England and Liddesdale in the Scottish Borders. Secondly, from a branch of O'Gnimh, who were the hereditary poets of the O'Neils in Antrim, Ireland. The name was written in English as O'Gnive, then O'Gnyw and later O'Gnew.
Whatever its origins, the family became established in Wigtownshire in south-west Scotland. Andrew Agnew was appointed hereditary Sheriff of Wigtown in 1451 and his descendants hold that office to this day. Lochnaw Castle was their base with another branch in Lochryan. Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw was killed at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547.
The family prospered and there were a number of judicious marriages with other wealthy families in the area. The 5th Baronet, Sir Andrew, commanded a regiment at the Battle of Dettingen, Bavaria in 1743, when King George II commanded the English and Hanoverian troops against the French (the last monarch to do so directly). When the king commented on the way the French cavalry had penetrated Sir Andrew's troops he replied "Yes, please your Majesty, but they didna win back again". Sir Andrew later held Blair Castle in Perthshire against the Jacobite forces.
The 6th Baronet married the daughter of the Irish Lord Kingsdale and the 7th Baronet inherited the title and estates. He set about rebuilding Lochnaw castle (though it is now no longer in Agnew hands). A number of Irish Agnews emigrated to the American colonies, especially in Pennsylvania. The 11th Baronet, Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, is one of Scotland's leading heraldic experts and is the Rothesay Herald at the Court of the Lord Lyon.
The Agnew clan motto is "Consilio non impetu" which means "By wisdom, not force". _________________ FOA BOB -
Last edited by MadWelshie on Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:35 am; edited 2 times in total
The use of surnames started in France around the year 1100 AD, The Norman invaders brought the practice to Scotland nearly 100 years later. However, the use of surnames was not common for some 50 years or more after this time, or around 1155AD. Prior to this, Malcolm Ceannmor (1057-1093), spouse to Queen Margaret of Scotland directed his subjects to adopt surnames after their territorial possessions. Such was the origin of the first earls of Scotland, such as Leslie, Gordon, Shaw, and Abircrumby among others. Written references to actual surnames are first found during the time of David I, who reigned from 1124-1153AD. One such reference is found for Robertus de Brus (Robert the Bruce).
In light of this understanding about the use of surnames, one can appreciate that the name ANDERSON would not be a Scandinavian name, as the Danes invaded Britain between 997-1014 AD, some 150 years prior to the use of surnames. However, we do recognize that some Scandinavians may also bear the name.
Anderson means "Son of Andrew". Typically, the intent was to denote "servant of Andrew", Andrew being the patron saint of Scotland. The Gaelic form of the name is Gillanders. The Andersons are a diverse group, with no specific place from which the name is derived. Most likely, the name cropped up all over the country over a period of time, with one group of Andersons not necessarily related to another group of Andersons.
Anderson or Ross or Donald?
Occassionally, the Anderson name is affiliated with Clan Ross, which creates some confusion among Andersons. The first five earls of Clan Ross bore the name "Aindrea", and not Ross. They too were "Servants of Andrew". As the title passed to descendants of the female line, the name, Ross, was assumed by the male representatives of the earls as it referred to their territorial origin. The name "Ross" is actually derived from the District of Ross, and is therefore a territorial name. In fact, the Ross's first referred to themselves as do the Andersons: "Andrew's Servants". It is also possible that some descendants of Highland Andersons rightfully share a heritage with what today is the Ross Clan.
Some other Highland "Gillanders" (Servants of Andrew) may be associated with Clan Donald, also through the female line. The Lord of the Isles (Clan Donald) assumed the title of Earl of Ross. In fact it was Donald MacGillandrish who accompanied Moira McDonald of Clan Donald when she became the wife to a McIntosh chief in the 1400's. their descendants became known as MacAndrew (son of the servant of Andrew). This is the origin of the affiliation with Clan Chattan.
A Clan in its own Right
According to the Lord Lyon, there was an Anderson of that Ilk in the 1500's. This specific Anderson is unknown to us today. But this reference verifies that the Andersons are a clan in their own right, despite having a shared ancestry with other groups. The Anderson name shows up in many forms: Andrews, Andirsoone, Andersonne, Andersoun, Andersoune, Andison, Andreson, Andherson, MacAndrews, Endirone, and many others.
The origins of this powerful Border family are said to go back to a "Siward Digry" (sword strong arm) who was the last Anglo-Danish Earl of Northumberland and a nephew of King Canute, who reigned in the 11th century. The name became widespread in the north of England and the Scottish Borders but their main power base became Liddesdale in the Borders. Gilbert Armstrong was a steward of King David II and in 1363 acted as an ambassador to the English court of King Edward III.
The family grew in strength and could muster 3,000 horsemen and virtually controlled the whole Border region at one stage. This meant that they were in a more or less constant state of conflict with the English lords and earls on the other side of the border with England.
The power of the Armstrongs became a perceived threat to the monarch of Scotland and King James V (who reigned from 1513 to 1542) tricked John Armstrong of Kilnockie into meeting him at Hawick - and promptly hanged him. A few years later, however, the Armstrongs refused to support King James V's invasion of England. It is possible that this made a difference at the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542, which cost King James his life.
The Union of the Crowns in 1603 brought an official end to the cross-border conflicts but old habits died hard. In 1610 the Armstrong laird was hanged for a reiving (cattle rustling) raid on Penrith. The Armstrongs were scattered at that time and there has been no chief of the clan since then. Many Armstrongs moved to Northern Ireland and also around the world.
The most travelled Armstrong has to be Neil Armstrong who was the first man to walk on the moon.
The Armstrong motto is "Invictus maneo" which means "I remain unvanquished".
Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Armstrongs include Fairbairn and Nixon. _________________ FOA BOB -
This is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "baecestre" meaning a female baker and later Middle English "bakstere" which was applied to both male and female bakers. In early Latin charters the name is rendered as "pistor" - the Latin word for baker. In that form the name is found as early as the 12th century.
Baxters are found all across Scotland but those in the west are generally regarded as dependents of the Clan Macmillan.
In Fife, they were a prominent family in their own right and witnessed important documents in the 13th century. Between 1200 and 1240 a Reginald Baxtar witnessed a gift of a church of Wemyss in Fife. The name is still found frequently in Fife and the Baxters of Earlshall in northern Fife lived in a baronial castle there. Kilmaron Castle was a mansion built for a Baxter family near Cupar in Fife, around 1820.
In 1296 Geffrei le Baxtere of Lossithe in Forfar took an oath of allegiance to the king. Baxter was (and is) a common name in Angus as Forfar was at one time a royal residence and the first Baxters there may well have been royal bakers.
The Baxters of Kincaldrum were the first to bring power-weaving to the City of Dundee. They prospered as a result and gifted Baxter Park to the city. They endowed a college which eventually became the University of Dundee.
In more modern times, the Baxter family in Fochabers on the river Spey in Morayshire have built a successful business creating quality soups and produce from local suppliers. And Stanley Baxter has had a long career as an actor and comedian.
The Baxter clan motto is "Vincit veritas" which means "Truth prevails".
MacBaxter is regarded as a sept (sub-branch) of the McMillan clan. _________________ FOA BOB -
The earliest record of Boyd is in Irvine in Ayrshire 1205 as vassals of the Norman family of de Morvilles. There are a number of origins suggested for this name including the Gaelic "Boid" literally meaning "of Bute" (an island in the Clyde estuary). Others believe that the name was Norman in origin. Another suggestion is the Gaelic "buidhe" meaning "fair" and that Robert, a nephew of Walter the High Steward of Scotland was the first of the clan. But as the High Stewards were from Brittany it seems unlikely that they would use a Gaelic nickname (or would be fair haired).
Sir Robert Boyd was a strong supporter of Robert the Bruce and his success as a commander at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 led to him being granted lands in Ayrshire, particularly around Kilmarnock. They were raised to the peerage by King James II and Lord Boyd was one of the regents of Scotland during the minority of King James III, while a younger Boyd was a military tutor to the young king. Lord Boyd became Great Chamberlain and his son, Thomas, married Mary, the king's sister and was appointed Earl of Arran. However, their enemies conspired to convince the king that the Boyds were becoming too powerful and in 1469 they were summoned to answer charges against them. Lord Boyd escaped to England and the Earl of Arran, who was abroad at the time, remained in exile.
The family returned to favour under Mary Queen of Scots and all their estates and honours were restored. Lord Boyd supported her at the Battle of Langside in 1568 and continued to visit her when she was later imprisoned in England.
The 10th Lord Boyd was created Earl of Kilmarnock in 1661 by King Charles II. The 3rd Earl fought against the Stuarts in the 1715 Jacobite Uprising, but the 4th Earl was a Jacobite supporter and was executed in London after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. All the Boyd titles were forfeited but the eldest son succeeded to the earldom of Erroll in 1758, through his mother, and took the surname Hay. In 1941 the brother of the 22nd Earl of Erroll resumed the name of Boyd and the title of Lord Kilmarnock as well as becoming chief of the clan.
A Boyd from Wigtown emigrated to Australia and a town in New South Wales was named after him. A number of Boyds went to Ulster with the Scots settlers and some of these moved on later to USA.
The Boyd clan motto is "Confido" which means "I trust". _________________ FOA BOB -
The de Boyvilles were Anglo-Norman knights from Beauville, near Caen, who came to Scotland after the Norman conquest of England in 1066 - there is a record of a David de Boivil witnessing a charter as early as 1164. Henry de Boyville was the keeper of the castles of Dumfries and Galloway in 1291 (taking over from another, earlier, Boyville) and three de Boyvils signed King Edward's Ragman Roll in 1296.
For some time the name was confined to the south-west of Scotland where it was pronounced as "bowl". Gradually, pronunciation and spelling became one syllable, Boyll in 1367 and Boyle in 1482, although as with so many names, there were many other variants.
The family spread into Ayrshire and Largs and Kelburn Castle became the seat of the major line. John Boyle was a supporter of King James III and was killed at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. The family lands were forfeited but John's son managed to have them restored by King James IV. Support for Mary Queen of Scots and later, King Charles I, did not help the family fortunes. But during the 17th century the Boyle's grew rich through shipping and shipbuilding. Towards the end of the 17th century, David Boyle of Kelburn was elected as a Commissioner of Parliament and a Privy Councillor. He became Lord Boyle of Kelburn in 1699 and then Earl of Glasgow in 1703, one of the last to be created under the Scottish peerage. He was one of the commissioners who supported the Act of Union in 1707. He is thought to have bribed poor Jacobite supporters to support the Bill. As a staunch Hanoverian, he raised troops to fight against the Jacobite Uprising in 1715.John, the 3rd Earl of Glasgow, followed a military career in Europe and lost a hand in the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745 and was wounded twice at the Battle of Lauffeldt in 1747. He later became Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. His widow built a monument to the Earl in the grounds of Kelburn Castle, which has survived to this day.
In 1869, the 6th Earl of Glasgow inherited Kelburn and land in Dalry, Stewarton, Corshill and Fenwick and the estate at Hawkeshead outside Paisley, plus estates in Dunbartonshire, Fife, Northumberland and the greater part of Cumbrae. However, he ran into debt building Episcopal churches all over Scotland, including a Cathedral in Perth and one in Cumbrae. By 1888 he was one million pounds in debt. His cousin, David Boyle of Stewarton, later Seventh Earl of Glasgow, sold his own lands to buy back the Kelburn Estate at auction. All the rest was lost to the family. The 7th Earl was a naval officer and became Governor of New Zealand from 1892 to 1897.
A branch of the Boyles from Kelburn became established in Ireland and eventually became the Earls of Cork
The 10th Earl of Glasgow still lives at Kelburn Castle, land held by the family since the 13th century and Boyles from all over the world visit the estate, which is now a country park.
The Boyle clan motto is "Dominus provedebit" which means "God will provide".
Boyle was the 84th most frequent surname at the General Register Office in 1995. _________________ FOA BOB -
There are three possible origins for this name. Firstly, a placename on the Moray Firth ("brothac" is a Gaelic word meaning "muddy") or secondly from the Flemish word for brother. Thirdly, that the name derives from a Pictish royal family named "Brude". There is certainly evidence of Pictish settlements around Brodie and it appears that Malcolm, Thane of Brodie, was a descendant of the old Pictish aristocracy. His son was granted a charter for property in Moray by Robert the Bruce, not for services rendered but because of an ancient right of his ancestors. Early records of the family are scant as many were burnt in 1645 by Lord Lewis Gordon during the Civil War.
Alexander Brodie of Brodie (1617-79) was a staunch Presbyterian who was among those who destroyed carvings and paintings in Elgin Cathedral in 1640 because he considered them to be idolatrous. In 1649 he was one of the commissioners sent to negotiate with the exiled King Charles II for his return to Scotland. He later accepted judicial office under the "Protectorate" set up by Oliver Cromwell (though only after Cromwell's death).
Brodies spread beyond Moray and Alexander Brodie was Lord of Session in Edinburgh in 1657-61 and other Brodies were prominent in the legal profession in the 17th century.
Castle Brodie was started in the 16th century and is now in the care of the National Trust. In 1727, Alexander Brodie of Brodie became Lord Lyon, King of Arms, responsible for heraldry in Scotland.There is a striking portrait of Alexander in his official robes on display in Brodie Castle. Alexander was Lord Lyon during the Jacobite Uprising and supported the Duke of Cumberland during the campaign.
In the 18th century, Deacon William Brodie was a respected Edinburgh councillor by day and a successful burglar by night. His exploits are said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde".
The Brodie clan motto is "Unite".
Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Brodie clan include Bryde.
Brown is the second most common name in Scotland and is also found frequently in England and the USA as well as other parts of the world. It might be thought that a name such as this, which was spread so widely, would not have a specifically Scottish pedigree. But the Broun family (spelt thus) has a crest recognised by the Lord Lyon King at Arms and is included in the list of clans and families maintained by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. They also have a recognised tartan.
The French "Le Brun" appeared early in England (around 970) but did not arise in Scotland until the 12th century. Walterus Brown was involved with the church in Glasgow in 1116 and Richard de Broun and others with the same surname signed the Ragman Roll in 1296 when all the nobles and landowners were forced to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England.
A long line of Browns, which can be traced for 850 years, is the Brouns of Colstoun in East Lothian. The first of the line may have been Sir David le Brun who gave the land and witnessed the charter founding the Abbey of Holyroodhouse in 1128. These Brouns claimed that they were originally descended from the royal house of France - their arms bore the three gold lilies of France. The Broun arms registered with the Lord Lyon has a lion rampant holding a French "fleur de lis".
Sir John Brune was High Sheriff of Aberdeenshire in 1368. Patrick Broun of Colstoun was created a baronet of Nova Scotia in 1686. The 13th Baronet is Sir William Windsor Broun who lives in New South Wales, Australia.
Robert Brown, who was born in Montrose in 1773 was a botanist who worked in Australia. His experiments on powder suspended in water resulted in a phenomenon known as the "Brownian Motion".
Agnes Broun was the mother of the poet Robert Burns and the name occurs frequently in Ayrshire. James Brown of Lochton was the provost (roughly the mayor) of Dundee in 1844-47.
George Brown of Edinburgh emigrated to Canada in 1843 and was influential in the purchase of the Northwest Territories by Canada.
The name Brown was adopted by a fair number of Highland clansmen when they wanted to get rid of their cumbersome (or at times politically incorrect) Gaelic names. John Brown, Queen Victoria's famous gillie may have been in this category. Additionally, it has been suggested by some researchers that at least some of Celtic origins may have been named after local judges who were called "brehons".
The Brown clan motto is "Floreat majestas" which means "Let majesty flourish".
Browns are regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Lamont or MacMillan clans. _________________ FOA BOB -
From Normandy in France, the name probably comes from "Brix" near Cherbourg. Like many of the early Scots nobility, the first Robert de Brus came over with William the Conqueror in 1066. A later Robert de Brus accompanied King David I when he returned to Scotland in 1124 from his sojourn in England. The family became established in Annandale in what is now Dumfries and Galloway. The family also owned extensive lands in England. As a result of marriage to the daughter of King David, Robert de Brus became Earl of Huntingdon.
At one point, when King David invaded England, Robert de Brus gave up his holdings in Annandale to his son and joined the English forces. He later captured his son at the Battle of the Standard in 1138. Generations after that, Robert the Bruce, Earl of Annandale, became ruler of an independent Scotland and achieved the great victory at Bannockburn over Edward II in 1314.
The royal line died out 50 years later when the first Stewart monarch ascended the throne as a result of his descent from Bruce's daughter, Marjory. But the Bruces were granted land in Fife and continued as a noble family. In 1633 Thomas Bruce was created the first Earl of Elgin. It was the 7th Earl of Elgin who rescued the marbles of the Parthenon in Greece, now in the British Museum and known as the Elgin Marbles. His son was an eminent diplomat and became Governor General of Canada.
The Bruce clan motto is "Fuimus" which means "We have been".
Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Bruce clan include Carlyle, Randolf and Stenhouse.
Bruce was the 73rd most frequent surname at the General Register Office in 1995. _________________ FOA BOB -
The early origin of this family is said to be a son of the king of Ulster who landed in Argyll around 1016 and was rewarded with land on the east side of Loch Lomond by King Malcolm II, for service in fighting Nordic invaders. The area was known as "Buth chanain", Gaelic for "house of the canon" and may have been connected with the ancient Celtic Church. The land was to remain in the possession of Buchanans until 1682 when the 22nd laird of Buchanan died and the estates had to be sold to repay debts. The mansion house of Buchanan is now owned by the Graham Dukes of Montrose.
The clan flourished after supporting Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Independence at the start of the 14th century.
In the 15th century, Sir Alexander Buchanan was amongst the 7,000 Scots who fought in France against King Henry IV of England, distinguishing himself at Agincourt and Beauge. In the latter battle in Normandy in 1421, he killed the Duke of Clarence and captured his ducal cap - which is now represented in the clan coat of arms.
The clan chief fell at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 and the clan were involved in the Battle of Pinkie in 1547 and Langside in 1568.
In the 16th century George Buchanan, born in Killearn in Stirlingshire in 1506, travelled widely abroad and had a career as a writer, poet, humanist and Protestant reformer. He was a tutor to Mary Queen of Scots and later to her son, King James VI. He is credited with providing the foundation of the monarch's undoubted academic success.
Andrew Buchanan was the Lord Provost of Glasgow at the time of the 1745 Jacobite Uprising and refused to asist the forces of the Young Pretender when he arrived in the city. A later Buchanan tobacco baron in Glasgow gave his name to Buchanan Street, which is now one of the city's fashionable shopping areas.
James Buchanan (1791-1868) was the 15th president of the USA. His ancestors had moved to Ulster and Donegal before emigrating to the US.
The Buchanan clan motto is "Clarior hinc honos" which means "Brighter, hence the honour".
The surname of Burns comes from "Burnhouse" a dwelling near a burn or a stream. Although "burn" is a common word in Scotland for a stream, the word originated in Old English. The singular form "Burn" is found in Dumfries and Galloway in the 13th and 14th century.
The poet Robert Burns' father came from Kincardineshire on the east coast of Scotland and spelt his name Burness. Robert and his brother adopted the spelling "Burns" a form which first appeared in written records only in the 17th century.
The illustration of Robert Burns above is from a commemmorative Scottish Banknote.
Burns is regarded as a sept of clan Campbell. _________________ FOA BOB -
The name is thought to be derived the Gaelic "cam-shron" meaning "crooked nose" but the earliest records show the name as "Cambron" which may indicate that it originated in Camberone (from the Gaelic "cam brun" meaning "crooked hill" - now Cameron parish) in Fife. However, there is also a Cameron placename in the outskirts of Edinburgh and in Lennox. To add to the confusion, there is a Cambron in Flanders and the Cameron coat of arms differ only in colouring from those of the family of Oudenarde, nobles in Flanders.
There is a record of a John Cameron in the Carse of Gowrie (on the other side of the river Tay from Fife) and Hugh Cambrun was sheriff of Forfar and John Cambron was sheriff of Perth. A hundred years later the name appeared in Lochaber in the far west.
Often described as "fiercer than fierceness itself" the Camerons originally consisted of three branches in Lochaber - McMartins of Letterfinlay, McGillonies of Strone and McSorlies of Glen Nevis. The first chief of the combined families was Donald Dubh (born around 1400) who was descended from the McGillonies of Strone but through marriage with the McMartins brought the federation together. Donald Dubh and his successors were known as captains of Clan Cameron until the early 16th century when the lands of Lochiel were united by charter into the barony of Lochiel by Allan Cameron, the 12th chief.
The clan assisted Donald, Lord of the Isles at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411. A chief of the clan, Ewen of Lochiel, was born in 1629 and was a supporter of King Charles II. He was knighted in 1682 and fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. Oddly, there were Camerons fighting on the other side - Camerons from Fife who supported the Protestant cause.
Ewen of Lochiel was too old to fight in the 1715 Jacobite Uprising but sent his son and the clan to assist the Earl of Mar. Sir Ewen's grandson was known as "the gentle Lochiel" and is regarded as one of the noblest of all the Highland chiefs. He was persuaded, through loyalty to the crown and the persuasive words of Prince Charles Edward Stewart, to support the 1745 Jacobite Uprising. It is said that if Cameron of Lochiel had not agreed to participate, the rising might never have got off the ground, such was his influence. During the Jacobite retreat, Lochiel prevented the Highlanders from sacking Glasgow and to this day when Cameron of Lochiel enters the city, the bells of the churches are rung in his honour. The Gentle Lochiel survived Culloden and was exiled to France. Following the General Act of Amnesty of 1784 the Cameron lands were restored and Gentle Lochiel's grandson, Donald, became the 22nd chief.
In 1793 Allan Cameron maintained the fighting tradition of the clan by raising the 79th Regiment which, in 1881, became the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. The 25th chief, who died in 1905, was a Member of Parliament and his son raised four new battalions of the Cameron Highlanders on the outbreak of the First World War.
Cameron was the 35th most frequent surname at the General Register Office in 1995.
The motto of the Camerons is "Aonaibh ri chéile" ("Unite"). Septs (sub-branch) of the clan Cameron include Clark, Clarke, Clerk, Clarkson, Macolonie, MacChlery, MacGillonie, MacKail, MacLerie, MacMartin, MacSorley, Martin, Paul and Sorley. _________________ FOA BOB -
The name is said to derive from two Gaelic words, "cam" meaning twisted and "beul" meaning mouth, these features traditionally belonging to Gillespie O Duithne who lived early in the 13th century. Some historians suggest that the most likely origin of the family is Flemish, coming over with William the Conqueror in 1066. Ancestors of the Campbells used the Flemish name Erkinbald (Archibald in Scotland). Others say that the line goes back to the Britons of Strathclyde. A former name for the Campbells was "Clann O'Dhuine" and Duine's son was Diarmid and so the name "Clan Diarmid" is also used. There are a number of main branches of Campbell - Argyll, Breadalbane and Cawdor.
The first Campbell in written records is Gillespie Campbell in 1263 although it would appear that the clan had been established in Argyll at an earlier date. Archibald Campbell obtained the Lordship of Lochow when he married the King's Treasurer and Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow, knighted in 1280, founded the Campbells of Argyll. Sir Colin was killed in a skirmish with the MacDonald Lords of the Isles and a cairn still marks the spot where he fell. From him, the title "MacCailean Mor" or "Son of Great Colin" has been carried by the clan chief to this day.
Sir Neil Campbell supported Robert the Bruce and was rewarded with lands forfeited by the Macdougals. Sir Neil also married King Robert's sister and their son, John, was created Earl of Atholl. Another Colin Campbell was made Earl of Argyll in 1457 and his son, Archibald, who was Lord High Chancellor, was killed at Battle of Flodden in 1513.
The fifth earl commanded Mary Queen of Scots' army at the Battle of Langside in 1568, while his brother supported the opposition. Archibald, the 10th Earl was a close supporter of William of Orange and was rewarded with the title of Duke of Argyll and Marquess of Lorne and Kintyre in 1703.
The Campbells are still remembered for the massacre of 38 MacDonalds in Glencoe on 12 February 1692, in an act of treachery. The government troops who carried out the orders were led by a Captain Robert Campbell but the orders were signed by the Secretary of State, Sir John Dalrymple, Earl of Stair.
Campbells were noted as staunch supporters of the government both in the early years when they opposed the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles and later opposed the Jacobite Uprisings. They were well rewarded for their loyalty - and also married shrewdly to extend their lands and power. By the 19th century they owned 40 estates covering almost 1.25 million acres, most of it owned by the Duke of Argyll. Castles with Campbell connections are Dunstaffnage near Oban, Cawdor near Inverness and Inverary in Argyll (the latter is the seat of the current clan chief).
Campbell was the 8th most frequent surname at the General Register Office in 1995.
The Campbell motto is "Ne obliviscaris" ("Do not forget).
A number of other clans/families are septs (sub-branches) of the Campbells, including Burns/Burnes, Caddell, Hastings, Hawes/Haws/Hawson, Lorne, Loudon, MacConnechy, MacDermid/MacDiarmid, McIsaac, MacIver/MacIvor, MacKellar, MacKelvie, MacLehose, MacOwen, MacPhedran, MacTavish, MacUre, Pinkerton and Ure. _________________ FOA BOB -
The name Chisholm is from a Norman French word "chese" meaning "to choose" and the Saxon word "holm" meaning "meadow. They became established first in the county of Roxburgh in the Border area of Scotland and the earliest record of the name is John de Chesehelme who is mentioned in a letter from Pope Alexander IV in 1254. John de Chesolm from Berwick and Richard de Chesolm from Roxburgh both signed the Ragman Rolls of King Edward I in 1296 and were two of 2,000 landowners and clergy to do so. The seal used by Richard shows the head of a boar which is part of the family coat of arms to this day. A number of other Border families also have a boar's head in their arms (Gordons, Elphinstones, Nisbets, Hoggs, Swintons) and may be descended from the Anglo-Saxon rulers of Bernicia in Northunbria.
According to legend, two Chesolm brothers saved the life of one of the Scottish kings in the 14th century and were granted land in Inverness-shire. Certainly, Sir Robert Chisholm was appointed constable of Urquhart Castle in 1359 but that was in succession to his maternal grandfather. His younger son remained as chief of the Chisholms in the Borders. A son of the Borders line established the Chisholms of Cromlix in Perthshire.
Alexander, Sir Robert Chisholm's eldest son, married Mary of Erchless and Comar. Erchless Castle became the seat of the Chisholm's and remained so for 500 years until the early 19th century.
Following the church Reformation in the 16th century, the Chisholms remained firmly Catholic and indeed the Perthshire Chisholms supplied three successive Bishops of Dunblane. When the Spanish Armada sailed to attack England in 1588, there were concerns about plots against Scotland and Sir James Chisholm of Cromlix was summoned to appear before the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Although no charges were brought, Sir James was later denounced in 1592 for "treason against the true Religion".
In the following century the clan chiefs became Protestant, although tolerant of the Catholic faith amongst their followers. Despite their religious conversion, the Chisholms rose in support of the Catholic "Old Pretender" in the Jacobite Uprising of 1715. They rose again in 1745 and 30 were killed at Culloden, including one of the chief's sons. After the defeat, Bonnie Prince Charlie trusted his life to eight of his followers, of whom three were Chisholms. When the Prince left from the west coast towards the Hebrides and exile, Hugh Chisholm shook hands in farewell. He vowed never to shake hands again and is said to have kept his vow to his death at a ripe old age.
After the 1745 Uprising, many clansmen emigrated, some voluntarily, others helped by periods of increased rents and forced clearances. In 1887 the chieftainship passed via an heiress to a James Gooden-Chisholm in Surrey. However, descendants adopted the Chisholm name and are now among those who form the Council of Scottish Clan Chiefs. The clan chief is referred to as "The Chisholm".
The Border Chisholms continued as a landed family until the end of the 19th century. The Cromlix lands passed to the Drummonds through marriage before 1600.
The Chisholm clan motto is "Feros ferio" which means "I am fierce with the fierce". _________________ FOA BOB -
The term "clericus" was originally applied to someone in a religious order but it was later applied to anyone who was a secretary, scribe, scholar as well as a cleric in the church. It is therefore not surprising that this occupational name became widespread when surnames began to be used. At the end of the 12th century, a Roger clericus held land in Kelso and in 1249 Alan clericus was a witness to a charter in Aberdeen. There were nine people from Scotland with that name who signed the "Ragman Roll" when King Edward I of England demanded in 1296 that all landowners had to swear allegiance to him. However, it is only after 1400 that we can be certain that it was being used as a surname rather than as a description of someone's occupation or status.
There was never a Highland clan of that name. However, it is frequently found among the Clan Chattan confederacy. Clarks appear to have been a sept (under the protection) of the MacPhersons (whose origins were also from the church, "Mac-a Phearsain" meaning in Gaelic "son of the parson" in the days when celibacy of the priesthood was not enforced).
The name is common throughout the Lowlands and Highlands of Scotland. It is particularly prevalent in Caithness and there were important families of Clarks in places as far apart as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Paisley and some have become landed families with baronetcies.
Two unrelated Clarks reached high office in the Swedish navy in the 17th century and the name is found in Sweden and Finland in the form Klerck. The American explorer George Rogers Clark (1752-1818) was of Scottish descent.
The tartan used by the Clerks is a variation of one called "Blue Clergy" which was worn by ministers, though it dates from the re-invention of tartan after the visit (orchestrated by Sir Walter Scott) of King George IV to Scotland in 1822.
Clark is currently the 14th most frequently found name in Scotland. The name is also common in England where it is often spelt Clarke.
Clark is regarded as a sept (sub-branch) of both Cameron and Macpherson. _________________ FOA BOB -
This name comes from the Gaelic place name "cuil cumhann" meaning "narrow corner". The location of Colquhoun (pronounced "ca-hoon" with the accent on the second syllable) is on the western shores of Loch Lomond. Umfphredus de Kilpatrick was granted the lands by the Earl of Lennox in the 13th century, during the reign of King Alexander II. He adopted the surname from the name of the area. Initially, he lived at Dunglas castle, which was not far from the royal Dumbarton Castle. Later, the Colquhouns became the keepers of that castle.The chiefs obtained lands at Luss (the village is pictured here) through marriage in the 14th century. In the 15th century, Sir John Colquhoun became Comptroller of the Royal Household and expanded the estates to include the forests of Rossdhu and Glenmachome, plus the estates of Kilmardinny. Sir John was one of those who negotiated at the court of King Edward IV of England, trying to arrange the marriage of the young King James IV and Edward's daughter. While this was not successful, it was the later marriage of James IV to Margaret Tudor which led eventually to the Union of the Crowns in 1603.
In the 16th century, a Colquhoun emigrated to Sweden and began a cannon making factory. Names such as Cahun, Caun, Gahn and Kharun can still be found in Sweden.The Colquhouns were attacked by the Highland clans on a number of occasions. In 1602, following a raid on his property by the MacGregors, Alexander Colquhoun of Luss was given a royal commission to pursue the clan. In 1603, Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae led around 400 men from Loch Long into the head of Glen Fruin. The chief of the Colquhouns, with 500 men and 300 horse, advanced up the glen to meet the attack. The MacGregors split their forces into two and while one half began the battle, the other half swung through the hills and attacked the Colquhouns from the rear. They were driven into a peat bog (where their cavalry were useless) and suffered heavy losses. It was following this incident that the MacGregor name was proscribed (banned). It was not until the end of the 18th century that the chiefs of the two clans brought their enmity to an end by shaking hands on the site of the battle in Glen Fruin.
The 11th Laird of Luss was made a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1625. But a few years later he was accused of seducing his wife's sister by means of witchcraft and became a fugitive. The estates were forfeited but recovered by his son.
The 5th Baronet of Luss was a member of the Scottish Parliament at the time of the Act of Union and vigorously opposed it.
Through marriage, James Grant of Pluscardine succeeded to the estates. His fourth son, Sir James Grant Colquhoun, succeeded to the estates and built a mansion at Rossdhu which was the seat of the chiefs until recently. The crest shown here is from the gates at the former enrance to the estate.
In the USA the name is often found as Calhoun (there was a vice-president of the USA of that name). Cohen is another form of the name.
A Colquhoun clan centre has been opened in Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond.
The Colquhoun clan motto is "Si je puis" which means "If I can".
Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Colquhoun clan include Cowan, Ingram, King, MacCowan and MacManus. _________________ FOA BOB -
A "craig" in Scots is a cliff or an outcrop of rock (Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde being a prime example). It followed that someone with the name Craig came from a place with that name or perhaps just a well-known crag of rock. The name is thus found across Scotland and was never identified with one specific area.
Landowners whose name was the same as the area they came from, were sometimes described as being "of that Ilk" - of the same name. Usually that title is applicable to only one person but in the 15th century were three "Craigs of that Ilk" in different parts of Scotland.
Johannes de Crag, a burgess of Aberdeen, held land at Rubislaw and his family and heirs occupied Craigston Castle at Kildrummy for over 250 years.
Richarde de Crag was the vicar at St Mary's in Dundee in the 1550s and John Craig at St Andrews University was imprisoned during the early stages of the Reformation for adopting Protestantism. He was sentenced to death but escaped and joined John Knox and survived to see the Reformation triumph.
Sir Thomas Craig of Riccarton was a renowned writer on feudal law and his work "Jus Feudale" published in 1655 is still used by Scottish lawyers. Sir Thomas was admired by King James VI and was one of the Scots invited to attend the coronation of King James as king of England in Westminster Abbey in 1603.
The winner of the design for Edinburgh's New Town in 1766 was James Craig. Although his plans were modified, it is thanks to him that Edinburgh's 18th century Georgian architecture can be seen in all its splendour.
Sir James Craig took his family and followers to Ulster in 1610 during what was known as the "Plantations". A descendant, another James Craig, was a millionaire Irish whiskey distiller who organised the Ulster Volunteer Force against Home Rule for Ireland in the 1920s. He then became the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. He later became Viscount Craigavaon and the new town of Craigavon in County Armagh was named after him.
The Craig clan motto is "Vive Deo et Vives" which means "Live for God and you shall have life". _________________ FOA BOB -
The youngest son of the 4th Earl of Richmond (who was descended from the Duke of Brittany) was granted lands in the Barony of Craufurd (from "crow ford") in Lanarkshire in the 12th century by King David I and the family took the surname from the placename. In 1127 Sir Gregan Crawford was involved in the legendary incident when King David was saved from a stag (and founded the Abbey of Holyrood as a result).
In 1296 Sir Reginald Crawford was appointed sheriff of Ayr. His sister married Wallace of Elderslie and thus became the mother of William Wallace the great Scottish patriot. Needless to say, the Crawfords rallied to his cause.
The main branches of the family were Crawford of Auchinames (in Renfrewshire) who received a grant of land from Robert the BruceRobert the Bruce and Craufurd of Craufurdland (in upper Clydesdale). Sir William Craufurd of Craufurdland was a brave soldier who was knighted by King James I and fought for King Charles VII of France. The castle at Craufurdland was much extended in the 17th century. The castle passed to the Howiesons in 1793 and was restored in the 1980s.
Other lines of Crawfords began in the reign of James III when descendants of Archibald Craufurd created the families of Auchenairn, Beanscroft and Powmill. Archibald's son John was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
In the 16th century, Thomas Crawford of Jordanhill was a member of the household of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary Queen of Scots. During those turbulent times he captured Dumbarton Castle in 1571 with 150 men by scaling the supposedly impregnable rock and later received the surrender of Edinburgh Castle.
Lawrence Crawford (1611-45) fought for Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years War and returned to Britain to fight for the Parliamentary forces against King Charles I.
The Crawford clan motto is "Tutum te robore reddam" which means "I will give you safety by strength".
Crawford was the 75th most frequent surname at the General Register Office in 1995. _________________ FOA BOB -
The name almost certainly was derived from the town of Comines in northern France and came over after the Norman invasion. However, some experts suggest that the name came from a herb "cummin" which was spelt "comyn" in early times.
There were Comyns in eastern England in the 12th and 13th centuries and Wilhelmus Comyn, Bishop of Durham came north to Scotland with King David I in 1124 and was appointed Chancellor of Scotland. He established his nephew Richard in Tynedale and Roxburghshire and Richard also rose to be Chancellor of Scotland. It is from him that the titled line was descended. Richard married a grand-daughter and heiress of King Donald III. As a result of this royal blood, there was even a claim by the Comyns to the throne at a later stage. But that was not to be.
Richard's son, William, then married the heiress of the last Celtic Earl of Buchan, inheriting the earldom. The family rose to be one of the most powerful in Scotland, with land in Buchan and Speyside. William's son became Constable of Scotland while later Comyns became Earl of Mentieth and another the Earl of Angus. In all, the Comyns held 13 Scottish earldoms in the 13th century.
Hervy de Cunningham from Kilmaurs fought with King Alexander III at the Battle of Largs in 1263 in which the Viking invasion of mainland Scotland was repulsed. Later, following the death of King Alexander III in 1286 and the minority of his grand-daughter and successor, Queen Margaret (the "Maid of Norway"), John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan were two of the six "Guardians of the Realm".
Claimants for the Throne
Following the death of Margaret in 1290, John Comyn's son (also named John but often referred to as "Black Comyn") was one of the six competitors for the throne as a descendant of Donald III. The other claimants included John Balliol and Robert Bruce the elder (known as "The Great Competitor"). They were descended from Donald's elder brother, King Malcolm III and so technically had better claims.
When King Edward I of England offered to "adjudicate", he selected John Balliol (believing that he could dominate him more easily). The Black Comyn (and Robert the Bruce's grandfather) acknowledged Balliol as king. In a move designed to strengthen the claim on the throne, John's son (also named John but usually referred to as "Red Comyn") married Balliol's sister.
Eventually, Balliol rebelled and Edward came north. At this time, Bruce was one of those who rendered homage to Edward and Balliol seized the Bruce lands and gave them to Red Comyn (his nephew). Edward defeated the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar and marched across Scotland and removed such precious items as the Stone of Destiny and the Scottish crown. He humiliated Balliol by removing his royal insignia. He then demanded that all the Scottish landowners should sign an oath of allegiance to him - a document which became known as the "Ragman Rolls". There were nine Comyns of sufficient stature to sign the document (along with another 2,000 signatories).
Murder
Many of the nobles did not give much support to the efforts of William Wallace to remove the English domination of Scotland but Red Comyn was one who did. As a Guardian of Scotland (1298-1301 and 1302-1304) he often quarreled with the other nobles - in 1299 he was seen to seize the Earl of Carrick (later Robert I) by the throat. At the Battle of Roslin in 1303, an invading English army led by Sir John Segrave was defeated by Red Comyn. Following the death of Wallace, Bruce and Red Comyn appeared to be moving to an alliance to rise up against Edward. The two met at Greyfriar's Kirk, Dumfries on 10 February 1306. We don't know the details of what happened but during the meeting but Robert the Bruce stabbed Red Comyn. Comyn (and his uncle who was also present) were killed and the following month King Robert I ("The Bruce") was crowned at Scone.
Despite the principles of chivalry which prevailed at that time, murder of one noble by another was not unusual in those days. Even so, because it had taken place in a church, Robert the Bruce was excommunicated (at least for a while) by the Pope for his crime. Bruce ruthlessly raided the Buchan lands and destroyed the Comyn family there. When Red Comyn's only son died at the Battle of Bannockburn (fighting for the English) the hereditary office of Constable of Scotland and the castle of Slains were given to the Hays of Errol (who were distantly related).
Later Years
The Cummings of Altyre, descended from a brother of the Black Comyn, became established in Moray and were frequently in conflict with the Clan Chattan (particularly over the ownership of Rait castle). Robert, the 13th Chief of Altyre married a Gordon heiress, thus bringing the Gordonstoun land into the family. Later generations adopted the name Gordon-Cumming, the name of the present chief.
Clan Motto
The Cumming/Comyn clan motto is "Courage".
Septs
Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Cumming/Comyn clan include Comine, Cumin, MacNiven, Niven and Russell. Cumming is the form of the name found mainly in Scotland while Cummings is the version more frequently used in England.
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