Clan/Family Histories
- Index Page
Here are histories of a large number of clans and families who have been significant in the making of Scotland. These histories contain links to other sources of useful information including clan/family Web sites.
A number of reference books have been used to provide the factual information including "The Surnames of Scotland" by George F Black, "Scottish Surnames" by David Dorward, "Clans and Tartans" by George Way of Plean, "Scottish Surnames and Families" by Donald Whyte, "Scottish Clans and Tartans" by Neil Grant and "Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia" by George Wray of Plean and Romilly Squire.
Agnew
Andrew Agnew was appointed hereditary Sheriff of Wigtown in 1451 and his descendants hold that office to this day.Anderson/McAndrew
"Son of Andrew" originally signified a devotee of the patron saint of Scotland.Armstrong
The head of this powerful Border family was killed by King James V.Baxter
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.Borthwick
The family is thought to be one of the most ancient in Scotland.
Boyd
Sir Robert Boyd's success as a commander at the Battle of Bannockburn led to him being granted lands in Ayrshire.Boyle
The Earl of Glasgow, head of the family, is said to have bribed poor Jacobites to support the Union of the Scottish and English Parliaments in 1707.Brodie
The name may be derived from a Pictish royal family named "Brude".Brown/Broun
Second most common name in Scotland and also found frequently in England and the USA.Bruce
Robert the Bruce wrote this surname in large letters into the history of Scotland.Buchanan
Rewarded with land on the east side of Loch Lomond by King Malcolm II, for service in fighting Nordic invaders.Burns
The family of Scotland's greatest poet.Cameron
Often described as "fiercer than fierceness itself".Campbell
Staunch supporters of the government both in the early years and later when they opposed the Jacobite uprisings.Carruthers
Hereditary stewards of Annandale in Dumfriesshire.Chisholm
Over the centuries, there were major Chisholm families in the Borders, Inverness-shire and Perthshire.Clark/Clerk/Clarkson
Clark was never a Highland clan but it is frequently found among the Clan Chattan confederacy and appears to have been a sept of the MacPhersons.Colquhoun
The surname Colquhoun comes from a location beside Loch Lomond.Craig/Craigie
Sir Thomas Craig was a renowned writer on feudal law; his work "Jus Feudale" published in 1655, is still used by Scottish lawyers.Crawford
The youngest son of the 4th Earl of Richmond was granted lands in the Barony of Craufurd (from "crow ford") in the 12th century.Cumming
Once one of the most powerful families in Scotland, Robert the Bruce set about destroying its power.Cunningham
The 14th Earl was a patron of Robert Burns who named his fourth son James Glencairn Burns.Davidson
The Davidsons are said to have formed a part of the Clan Chattan force which fought in the famous "Battle of the Clans" at Perth in 1396, staged in front of King Robert III.Douglas
This powerful family's name came from the Gaelic "dubh glais" meaning "dark water."Drummond
One of the most powerful families in Scotland. James Drummond, the 3rd Duke of Perth, commanded the Jacobite left flank at Culloden.Duff/MacDuff
The Gaelic word "dubh" meaning "black" is the origin of the name Duff which thus goes back further than recorded history.Dunbar
The Dunbars became so powerful that King James I imprisoned the Earl so that could take over the large Dunbar estates.Duncan
There were two Kings of Scotland with that name in the 11th century.Dundas
The driving force behind the repeal of the Proscription Act which banned the wearing of tartan and the carrying of weapons following the 1745 Uprising in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie.Elliot/Eliott/Ellot
Strongly associated with the Scottish Borders and the reivers (raiders on horseback) of the area.Farquharson
The clan settled in the Braes of Mar in the 16th century. The famous Braemar Gathering is held on the clan chief's estate.Fergusson/Ferguson
"Son of Fergus," but there were clearly a number of different people with the name "Fergus".Forbes
Feuds with the powerful Gordon clan and the Leslies, culminated in two battles and several massacres.Forsyth
A family with a long and distinguished history that gave its name to the Forsythia plant.Fraser
The name Fraser originated in Normandy, France.Gordon
The family from North-East Scotland who became "Cock o' the North".Graham/Graeme
Two of Scotland's great military commanders were Grahams.Grant
The name of this Strathspey clan derives from a Norman Frenchman "Le Grand".Gunn
The Gunns are descended from Vikings who came to Caithness in the 12th century.Hamilton
The 14th Duke of Hamilton was the pilot of the first plane to fly over Mount Everest.Hay
Sir Gilbert Hay was appointed Lord High Constable of Scotland by Robert the Bruce. The family still hold that title, giving them precedence in Scotland immediately after the royal family.Henderson
"Son of Henry" is a name which is found in various forms all over Europe. In Scotland, it was originally "Henryson".Hunter
The Laird of Hunterston keeps silver pennies from the reign of Robert II - just in case the monarch drops by looking for the rent!.Irvine/Irving/Irwin
William de Irwin was a neighbour of the Bruce family in Annandale and became armour-bearer and then secretary to Robert the Bruce.Jardine established at Applegirth on the River Annan in Dumfriesshire by the 14th century.
Johnston
One of the many families from the Scottish Borders who frequently raided the north of England over the centuries.Keith
The Keiths were made Hereditary Great Marischal (in charge of the cavalry) by Robert the Bruce, a rank they held until 1715.Kennedy
The Kennedys are particularly associated with Carrick in Ayrshire.Kerr/Carr
There is a legend that the Kerrs were frequently left-handed.Lamont
The name is of great antiquity in southern Argyll where the chiefs were known as "The Great MacLamont of all Cowal"Leslie
Leslies took up the career of professional soldier, fighting in Germany, France, Sweden and the Baltic and took command of the Army of the Covenant.Lindsay
The Lindsays spread all across Scotland, and at at the end of the Middle ages there were over 100 Lindsay families holding land in Scotland.Logan/Logie/Loggie
Two knights named Logan accompanied Sir James Douglas on his journey to take Robert the Bruce's heart to the Holy Land. They died with Douglas fighting the Moors in Spain in 1329.MacAlister
Promoted the colonisation of Scottish territories in Nova Scotia in Canada.MacArthur
Descent from the legendary King Arhur cannot be proved.MacBean/MacBain
The name has its origins in the Gaelic word meaning "life".MacCallum
Followers of Columba were "maol Chaluim" which gradually became the name MacCallum (and Malcolm).MacDonald
MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, was once a thorn in the side of Scottish kings.MacDougall
The first Dougall was descended from Somerled, Lord of the Isles, at a time when the Western Isles were part of Norway.MacDowall
Macdougalls in Galloway changed the spelling to Macdowall to differentiate themselves from the same surname in the Western Isles when signing the "Ragman Rolls" of King Edward I.MacDuff/Duff
The Gaelic word "dubh" meaning "black" is the origin of the name Duff which thus goes back further than recorded history.MacFarlane
The 20th clan chief said to General Wade - "Mr MacFarlane may be said with equal propriety to many; but I and only I, am MacFarlane".McGowan
McGowan is the Gaelic-derived equivalent of "Smith".MacGregor
King James VI and the Privy Council issued an edict in 1603 banning the use of the name MacGregor.MacIntyre
The clan chief emigrated to America.Mackay
Initially established in Strathnaver in Caithness.Mackenzie
"Son of Kenneth" in its Gaelic form of 'Coinneach'.Mackinnon
The clan claim kinship with both King Kenneth mac Alpin and with St Columba.Mackintosh/MacIntosh
Derived from the Gaelic "mac an tiosich" or "son of the leader or chief".Maclachlan
Their name came from the Gaelic "loch-lann" meaning "fjord land" and was used as the Gaelic word for Norway.MacLean
"Gillean of the Battleaxe" is said to be the founder of the clan.MacLeod
From Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Skye, Assynt and Strathpeffer.McMillan
Descended from the Bishop of Dunkeld. His tonsured hair cut is rendered in Gaelic "Mhaoil-Iain".MacNab
The progenitor of the clan is traditionally the abbot of Glendochart and Strathearn, a younger son of Kenneth Macalpin.MacNeil/MacNeill
Said to be descended from "Niall of the Nine Hostages" a king of Tara in Ireland who ruled around 400.Macpherson
The name Macpherson is from the Gaelic "Mac-a Phearsain" meaning "son of the parson" in the days when celibacy of the priesthood was not enforced.MacRae
Hereditary constables of Eilean Donan Castle.McTavish/MacThomas
Son of Thomas.Malcolm
Followers of Columba were "maol Chaluim" which gradually became the name Malcolm (and MacCallum).Marshall
Derived from the French word "maréchal" meaning "horse servant" the name was introduced into Britain following the Norman Conquest.Maxwell
The name is derived from Maccus, son of Undewyn, a Saxon lord who was given a grant of land on the Tweed by King David I before 1150.Melville
Originated from the barony of Malaville or Malleville in the Pays de Caux in Normandy.Menzies
The correct pronunciation of this name - "mingis" - appears to be dying out.Mitchell
Introduced to Scotland through the French "Michel" or Michael.Moffat
Once a powerful Border family but nearly wiped out in the 16th century by the Johnstones.Montgomery
Sir John Montgomery was a hero at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 when he captured Sir Henry Percy (also known as Hotspur) after a hand to hand battle.Moore/Muir
The Scots word "muir" means a moor so the surname is found all over Scotland.Morrison
There are a number of different origins of this Scottish name.Munro
The Munros of Foulis have been living on the shores of Cromarty Firth for over 500 years.Murray
A Fleming was given land by King David I in the area known as "Moray" in the 12th century.Napier
John Napier (1550-1617) developed the system of logarithms.Nicol/MacNicol
At least one of the branches of this name originated with the Vikings.Ogilvy
Ogilvie was a province of the Picts in Angus, ruled by a mormaer, who became the first earls in the area.Paterson
A name derived from "Son of the devotee of Patrick" ie St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.Ramsay
Major contributors to poetry and painting in th 18th century.Robertson
There are claims that the Robertsons are the oldest documented clan in Scottish history.Ross
There was an ancient Celtic earldom of Ross in the 12th century, in what is now the county of Ross and Cromarty.Russel/Russell
This name is probably derived from "rous" meaning red and early bearers of the name no doubt had red hair.Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford (later Lord Rutherford) won the Nobel Prize for chemistry and is also known as the "father of atomic power".Scott
One of the most powerful of the Border families, the name was derived from the Scots who invaded Dalriada (Argyll) from Ireland.Shaw
The Shaws and their Mackintosh allies supported Robert the Bruce against the Comyns (Cummings) and took part in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.Sinclair
Henry de St Clair was a notable seaman and probably reached North America a 100 years before Columbus.Smith
Smith is the most common surname in Scotland (and in England and the USA).Stevenson / Stephenson / Stephen A well known and frequently found surname in Scotland.
Stewart/Stuart
The most famous "occupational" name in Scotland and a line of kings and queens which lasted for nearly 350 years.Sutherland
Derived from the Viking "Sudrland" or southern land, south of Caithness and north of Inverness.Taylor
From the French word "tailler" which means "to cut" - a variant of the name is "Cissor" or "Scissor".Thomson/Thomas
Thomson is the fourth most common surname in Scotland.Urquhart
Originated from a place name "Airchart" on the northwest shore of Loch Ness (in the area in which Urquhart Castle is now located).Wallace
William Wallace's "Braveheart" exploits put this clan on the map.Watt/Watson
James Watt is best known for his development of the steam engine and the unit of power "watt" is named after him.Wilson
The American President Woodrow Wilson was from Scottish and Irish roots.Young
James Young extracted paraffin from coal and was nicknamed "Paraffin Young."
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
