Septs
Rosemarkie. Ros = promontory; markie = horseman, from marcaich; associated with St. Boniface & King Nectan mac Derile of the Picts (d. 724), also with Saint Moluag. The Dal Riada were originally a tribe of North Antrim in Ireland, but from as early as the third century, and especially during the late fifth century there had been a steady settlement of the adjacent coastal and island areas of Scotland by these Dal Riada Scots. This area, which became the Scottish part of the greater tribal kingdom of Dal Riada, was separated from the rest of Scotland by mountains. The Scottish part of the tribal kingdom of Dal Riada was known as Argyll which means "coastland of the Gaels," for by this time the population of Ireland had long been Gaelic-speaking, and the Dal Riada considered themselves to be Gaels in the general sense, though nonetheless Érainn in the context of ethno-dynastic politics. About A.D. 500 the kings of Dal Riada took up permanent residence in the Argyle, and with the coming of the Vikings in the ninth century, the tribe, by then centered in Argyle, was cut off from their Irish collateral kinsmen in Antrim. The chief kindreds of the Dal Riada of Argyle, the Cenél Loairn and the Cenél nGabrain, soon spread into much of Scotland with the uniting of their kingdom and the Kingdom of the Picts.
The Cenél Loairn derive their descent from Loam, son of Erc, a king of Dal Riada in the fifth century. They originally inhabited the present districts of Loin (named for them) and Mull, with the adjacent mainland and island territory to the north and west. This territory comprised the northern part of Scottish Dal Riada, and when the time came for expansion, the Cineal Loairn migrated up the Great Glen. The chief kindred branches of the Cenél Loaimn were the Clann Duibhne, or Campbells, the MacGillivrays and Maclnneses, the Cineal Baodan, or MacLeans, the MacNaughtens, the MacNabs, the Clan Chattan, and the Carnerons, MacGillonies, MacMartins [Martan Ua Roichlich, abbot of Lismore, died 878]and MacSorleys Clann Somhairle Ruaidh of Glenn Nevis [Soairleach Ua Con Cuarain, abbot of Lismore].
Ross, so called from an old word of the Scots which some interpret as promontory, others as peninsula; the people called Cantae, a word not dissimilar in its meaning, lived there in the time of Ptolemy. Above is the High Coast which Ptolemy mentions, now apparently Tarbat [it belongs to Lord John Makenzie, a relation of the Earl of Seaforth]. So much on the Eastern Ocean. Into the Western Sea flows the River Longus mentioned by Ptolemy, which is today Loch Long. Then the Cerones were settled where Assynt now is, a region cut through by very many estuaries. Lovat in this area is a castle and barony of the famous family of Frasers; as they had served the kingdom of Scotland very well, James II, it is said, admitted them to the rank of Barons; and the most bloody race of Clan Ranald, when a conflict began, would have totally extinguished them, if by divine fortune eighty of the leading men of this family had not left their wives at home pregnant; they, giving birth to the same number of male children, restored the family. For Sutherland to the east and north-east is bounded by Caithness and the German Sea since Strathnaver is now part of Sutherland; it is pounded by the Ocean; and on the south it has partly Ross and partly the German Sea. This province was called in the beginning Cattei and its inhabitants Cattegh: from the Cattei of Moray, who emigrated here from Germany. For so they are named today in the Scottish Gaelic language. Later however it was named Sutherland. The bishopric of Caithness undoubtedly first took this title from Cattei: for this diocese includes in its ambit not only Caithness, but also Sutherland, Strathnaver and Assynt, all of which were formerly known under the one name of Cattei. Today Sutherland is divided into ten parishes: Dornoch (or Durnogh), Criech, Lairg, Rogart, Culmailly, Clyne, Loth, Kildonan, Durness and Farr. This last is in Strathnaver.
Strathnaver is separated from Sutherland by mountains which stretch from east to west. The length of Sutherland, from west to east, is about fifty-five miles. The principal town of this province is Dornoch, notable for the castle of the Earls of Sutherland and the Cathedral church dedicated to the Holy Virgin. The founder of this church was Gilbert Bishop of Caithness. Where Dornoch faces the east, one may see a monument, in the form of a cross, in the vernacular Cras Worwair, that is, the Cross of the Thane or Earl. These Earls of an ancient and most noble family have their place among the first in the highest convention of Estates. There is another one also not far from Embo, named Ri-Croiss, that is, Cross of the King; so called because a King or General of the Danes had been killed and buried there. Assynt was once part of Sutherland, which the Lords of Kinnard owned with the barony of Skelbo. Sutherland it has Ross on the south and south-west. The principal town of the region is Dornoch on the southern shore at the previously mentioned gulf, opposite to and in sight of the town of Tain, famous for its castle and cathedral church. The principal names and families which are now extant in Sutherland (excluding Strathnaver, Durness and Eddrachillis) are Gordons, Sutherlands, Murrays, Grays, Clan Gunn, Thomasons, Johnsons, and MacPhails. Dunrobin is the most famous castle in it, the main seat of the old Earls of Sutherland, from the family Murray; Gordon of the family of the Earls of Huntly.
The Clann Duibhne or Campbells (Caimbeul), the most powerful clan in Argyle and one of the most powerful in Scotland, descend from the issue of the thirteenth century marriage between Sir Gillespie Campbell and the heiress of Duncan Mac Duibhne of Lochawe. Thus did the Campbells inherit the leadership of the Clann Duibhne, whose name they retained notwithstanding the fact that they, like the Galbraiths of Loch Lomond, were by origin Strathclyde Britons from around Dunbarton, where they were still important to the end of the thirteenth century. Ethnically these Strathclyde Britons were Laiginian, being descended from a Dumnonian influx from Ireland.
The senior line of the Campbells, descended from Sir Gillespic’s older brother Duncan, were the MacArthurs (Clann Artair) of Loch Fyne and Lochawe. The MacArthurs lost power after their chief, lain MacArthur, "a great prince among his own people and leader of a thousand men," was beheaded by the Stewart King James I in 1427. Afterwards they lived under the protection of their Campbell kinsmen. As for the Campbells themselves, they rose to preeminence in Argyle under royal patronage following the downfall of the MacDonalds’ Lordship of the Isles. The chief of the Lochawe line, the main stem of the family, was created Duke of Argyle in 1457. The Campbells of Glenorchy, later Earls of Breadalbane (1681), descend from the grandson of Sir Gillespie, while those who inherited Cawdor (in Moray) descend from the third son of the second Earl of Argyle. The Campbells became infamous for their political pragmatism, which led them to commit acts of brutality and treachery against neighboring clans, notably the MacGregors and the MacDonalds of Glencoe.
The MacGillivrays (Mac Giolla Bhratha) and Maclnneses (Mac Aonghuis) are of the same stock, and akin to the Clann Duibhne. The original territory of the MacGillivrays was in Morven and Lochaber, in the north of the original Cenél Loairn territory. In the thirteenth century, after political upheavals weakened the power of the Lords of the Isles in the area, most of the MacGillivrays joined the Clan Chattan confederacy, and by 1500 had moved into Strathnairn. Those that remained in Morven followed the MacLeans, the Mull branch being principal among these. The Maclnneses seem to have traditionally been the constables of the castle of Kinlochaline, originally under the MacDonalds, but later, about 1600, under the MacKenzies. However, they usually followed their kinsmen, the Campbells. The Cenél Baodan, or MacLeans (Mac Giolla Eoin) descend from Baodan, great-grandson of Loarn, king of Dal Riada. The clan was originally settled in Morvern, where they gave their name to a district, and one of their early ancestors was abbot of the nearby Isle of Lismore. In later times they migrated up the Great Glen into Moray, and later still, about 1160, they were one of several clans transferred to the Scone area (Tayside in Perthshire) by Malcolm IV the Maiden. Their eponymous ancestor was Gillean (Giolla Eoin) of the Battleaxe, who lived during the reign of Alexander III (1249—1283), and fought at the Battle of Largs in 1263.
Gillemoir MacLyn of Perthshire, son of Gillean, settled in Loin, and his son, a supporter of Robert Bruce, was named "Malise," which was the favorite name of the earls of Strathearn (Perthshire) at that time, and almost unique to them. Malise’s grandson, Ian Dhu MacLean, settled in Mull, and was the father of Lachlan Lubanach, progenitor of the MacLeans of Duart, the chief family of the clan. He was also father of Eachin Reganach, progenitor of the MacLaines of Lochbuie, and the MacLaines disputed the chiefship with the Duart branch on the claim that Eachin was elder to Lachlan, though the chiefship was settled on the Duart branch by tanistry. Both of these brothers lived in the reign of Robert II. The clan held wide power in the Hebrides, as allies of the MacDonalds, under the Lord of the Isles. One of Eachin’s Sons, Charles MacLean, settled in Glen Urquhart, in Moray, and was the founder of the Clann Thearlaich, also known as the MacLeans of the North. The Clann Thearlaich joined the Clan Chattan confederacy (see below) about 1460, but nonetheless appealed to MacLean of Duart, as their hereditary chief, for protection against harassment by the Chisholms. The Duart chief recognized their rights as clansmen, and forced the Chisholms to desist.
Munroe. The first known of the race is said to have been a certain Donald O’Ceann, of the time of Macbeth. The patronymic O’Ceann, Skene, in his Highlanders of Scotland, ingeniously converts into O’Cathan, and so makes out that the race is a branch of the great Clan Chattan or Siol O’Cain. It seems much more likely, however, that the name Donald O’Ceann is simply what it says—Donald, son of the Chief. The same word is found in the name of the contemporary Malcolm III., who was known as Ceannmore or Canmore, "great Chief," by his Gaelic subjects. The Munroes are also known among the Highlanders as Clan Rothich or Roich. From this Donald O’Ceann, its first possessor, the territory on the north side of Cromarty Firth came to be known as Fearran Donuill, or Donald’s Country. and the chief of the clan was designated of Foulis, his residence in the parish of Kiltearn, near the mountain called Ben Uaish or Ben Wyvis. Soon after the accession of Alexander III, an insurrection broke out against the Earl of Ross, the feudal superior of the Munroes, by the clans Ivor, Talvigh, and Leajvis (MacLea's), and other people of the province.
The origin of the name Shaw is uncertain but it may derive from the old Gaelic personal name Sithech, that is first recorded about the 12th century. The Clan Shaw were one of the principal clans of the confederation of Clan Chattan and a sept of the Mackintoshes. The home of Clan Shaw was Rothiemurchus, part of the Mackintosh patrimony and according to tradition was bestowed upon Farquhart Shaw, Shaw "Mor", great-grandson of Angus, 6th Chief of Mackintosh and Eva of Clan Chattan, who lead Clan Chattan to battle on the North Inch Perth in 1396. However, there is also the possibility that these lands may have been received earlier from the Bishop of Moray in 1226. Earliest reference of the name is from the Book of Deer, "Donnachac mac Sithech, toisech of Clan Morgan (McAedh)" circa 1130.
St. Gilbert came from the Moray area and was part of the family of the Lords of Duffus, known as 'de Moravia'. Before becoming Bishop of Caithness in 1223, at the command of the king, Alexander II, he was archdeacon of Moray for several years. Of the first three Bishops only one did not suffer badly, the first, John who probably never entered Caithness. Both the others died horribly, John had his eyes plucked out and his tongue removed and the third, Adam was burned alive in his house at Halkirk. Despite this inauspicious start Gilbert managed to rule peacefully and die in his bed. He started to build a cathedral at Dornoch and is probably the only native Scot to be canonized during the medieval period as well as being the last pre-Reformation Scot to appear in the Kalendar.
The MacNaughtons (Mac Neachdainn) of Argyll, Lewis, Moray & Strathtay, like the MacLeans, were one of the clans transplanted from Moray about 1160 by Malcolm IV the Maiden to the Crown lands in Perthshire, where they became thanes of Loch Tay. However, by 1247 they were back in Argyle, and held the upper part of Lochawe, Glenara, Glenshira, and Loch Fyne. Nachtan Mor, descended from the Pictish rulers of Moray, lived in the late 10th Century. It is from him that this clan descends. The strongholds of the clan were in the latter two places, at the castles of Dubh—Loch in Glenshira and Dunderave on Loch Fyne. Since the clan had resided in the region of Strathearn (Perthshire) for the previous several generations, it is not surprising that in 1247 the then chief, Gillecrist MacNachtan, son of Malcolm MacNachtan, granted the church of Kelmurkhe (Kilmorich) at the head of Loch Fyne to the Abbey of Inchaffray (a foundation of the original earls of Strathearn, and continued under their special patronage). In 1267 this Gillecrist (Gilchrist) was appointed hereditary keeper of the Castle of Fraoch Eilean on Loch Awe, thenceforward to be held for the King of Scots by the Clan MacNachtan. A branch of the clan returned to Loch Tay and Glen Lyon, and was connected with the bishopric of Dunkeld.
Clan MacNab claims descent from the abbots of Glendochart, Perthshire. The clan was a member of the Siol Ailpein, having Abraruadh, the Abbot of Glendochart and Strathearn, the younger son of King Kenneth MacAlpin as its progenitor. The MacNabs (Mac an Aba) of Strathfillan and Glendochart in Perthshire descend from the hereditary abbots of Glendochart, who were, before the secularization and discontinuance of Celtic abbacies around 1300, of equal status with the local medieval earls of AthoIl and Menteith. Afterwards, the MacNabs became important chiefs in the western part of the old abbey lands. The original line of abbots were the co-arbs of St. FilIan, a prince of the Cenél Loairn, and descended from the Saint’s brother. The chiefs of the MacNabs were known by the proverbial title of "The MacNab." Mac an Aba of Breadalbane, Glen Dochart & Loch Tay: MacNab of MacNab, Abbot, Abbotson, Bain, Bayne, Dewar, Gilfillan, Macandeoir, MacIndeor
The Clan Chattan (Clann Chatain) was a confederation of clans in the Moray areas of Lochaber, Strathnairn and Badenoch. The main stem of the clan included the MacPhersons, Davidsons, MacBeans or MacBains, Cattanachs, and by inheritance, the MacKintoshes. These clans were joined by others, of different origin, who at various times applied for protection of the MacKintosh chiefs, who were also captains, or high chiefs, of the Clan Chattan confederation. These included the MacGillivrays, Maclntyres, MacLeans, MacQueens, MacAndrews, and others. The clan Chattan of history, according to mr fraser-Macintosh of Drummond, was composed of the following clans, who were either allied to the Mackintoshes and Macphersons by genealogy, or who, for their own protection or other reasons, had joined the confederacy: - The Mackintoshes, Macphersons, macgillivrays, Shaws, Farquharsons (includes Hardy), Macbeans, macphails, clan Tarril, Gows (Smith) (said to be descended from Henry the Smith, of North Inch fame), Clarks, Macqueens, Davidsons, Cattanachs, clan Ay (MacKay), Nobles, Gillespies. "In addition to the above sixteen tribes, the Macleans of Dochgarroch or clan Tearleach, the Dallases of Cantray, and others, generally followed the captain of clan Chattan as his friends"
The MacKintoshes (Mac an Toisich) are paternally an offshoot of the Clan MacDuff of Fife, whose chiefs, the earls of Fife, held vast territory in Moray during the thirteenth century. Rothiemurchus, the earliest known territory of the Mackintoshes, was surrounded by this territory. In 1291, Angus, sixth chief of the MacKintoshes, married Eva, daughter and only child of Dougal Dall, sixth chief of the Clan Chattan. The Clan Chattan line stretched back to the first chief, Gillechattan Mor, heir of the co-arbs of the abbey of Kilchattan on the Isle of Bute, the special abbey of the Cenél Loairn. The line of this Gillechattan Mor, whose name means "great servant of St. Cattan" (the patron saint of the Abbey of Kilchattan) acquired land in Lochaber and Badenoch, probably by Pictish succession. This may explain the use of the wildcat as the heraldic beast of the Clan Chattan, informally referred to as the Clan of the Cats: St. Cattan’s name (aka Saint Blane) means "little cat," and the Northern Picts had an ancient totemistic connection to the cat (hence the name of the province of Caithness in northern Scotland—see under "Sutherland" in Chapter X). As for the MacKintoshes, since no surname was associated with the Clan Chattan chiefship in these virtually pre-surname days in Scotland, the new line of MacKintoshes kept their name, but continued as captains of the Clan Chattan. BLAAN. Bishop and Confessor in Scotland, b. on the island of Bute, date unknown; d. 590. His feast is kept on 10 August. He was a nephew of Saint Cathan, and was educated in Ireland under Sts. Comgall and Kenneth; he became a monk, went to Scotland, and eventually was bishop among the Picts. Several miracles are related of him, among them the restoration of a dead boy to life. The Aberdeen Breviary gives these and other details of the saint's life, which are rejected however, by the Bollandists. There can be no doubt that devotion to Saint Blane was, from early times, popular in Scotland. His monastery became the site of the Cathedral of Dunblane. There was a church of Saint Blane in Dumfries and another at Kilblane. The yeare of the saint's death is variously given as 446, 590, and 1000; 446 (Butler, Lives of the Saints) is evidently incorrect; the date 1000, found in Adam King, "Kalendar of Scottish Saints" (Paris, 1588), in Dempster, "Menologium Scotorum" (Bonn, 1622), and in the "Acta SS.", seems to have crept in by confusing St. Kenneth, whose disciple Blane was, with a Kenneth who was King of Scotland about A.D. 1000. The highest authorities say the saint died 590. The ruins of his church at Kingarth, Bute, where his remains were buried, are still standing and form an object of great interest to antiquarians; the bell of his monastery is preserved at Dunblane. Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Mackintosh clan include Ayson, Crerar, Dallas, Doles, Elder, Esson, Glennie, Hardie, Hardy, Higginson, Hossack, MacAndrew, MacCartney, MacConchy, MacGlashan, MacHardie, MacHardy, MacKeggie, Mackieson, MacKilligan, MacLerie, MacNiven, MacRitchie, Niven, Noble, Paul, Ritchie, Smith, Thain, Tosh.
The Clann Fhionnlaigh or Farquharsons (Mac Fhearchair) of Invercauld in Aberdeenshire are descended from the Shaws of Rothiemurchus, cadets of the MacKintoshes. They inherited Invercauld from the MacHardys. The MacKenzies are of Scatwell, Strathconon, which is adjacent to Comrie, the seate of the Ross Shire MacLea's. Comrie possibly comes from "comraich", ''sanctuary'. There is also a Comrie on the Earn River in Perth Shire, with adjacent placenames like Ross and Dalginross.
The MacPhersons (Mac an Phearsoin) descend from Ewan Ban, son of Muriach, "Macgilliechattan Clearach," Celtic Prior (or "Parson") of Kingussie, and fourth chief of the Clan Chattan. With the passing of the chiefship to the MacKintoshes through Eva, daughter of the sixth chief, the MacPherson chiefs represented the male-heir of the Clann Chattan, and thus disputed, with the MacKintoshes, the high-chiefship of the Clan Chattan, and with the Clann Dhai or Davidsons, the leadership of the right wing (the position of honor) of the Clan Chattan’s 2000-man army. MacPherson clan of Badenoch claims descent from Loarn, son of Erc, but takes its name from Duncan the Parson of Kingussie of the 15th Century. Duncan was a son of Kenneth and great-great-grandson of Muredach. It is from Muredach that the Clan Macpherson derives its alternate name of Clan Mhuirich. It formed a branch of the Clan Chattan and vied for the leadership of that confederation with the MacIntoshes. MacPherson of Badenoch: MacPherson of Balavil, MacPherson of Cluny, MacPherson of Dalchully, MacPherson of Drumochter, Carson, Cattanach, Clark, Clarke, Clarkson, Clerk, Cluny, Currie, Ferson, Gillespie, Gillies, Goudie, Gow, Lees, MacChlerich, MacChlery, MacClerich, MacClerie, MacCunn, MacCurrach, MacFall, MacGoun, MacGowan, MacGown, MacKeith, Macleish, MacLerie, MacLise, MacMurdo, MacMurdoch, MacMurrich, MacVail, MacVurrich, Murdoch, Murdoson, Pearson, Smith.
The Davidsons (Mac Dhaibhidh) descended from David Dhu, another son of Muriach, ancestor of the MacPhersons. In order to hamper the unity of the powerful Clan Chattan, the early Stewart kings played off the MacPhersons against the Davidsons by formenting the continuance of their dispute. This action led to the famous Battle of the Clans at Perth in 1396, a "legal battle" before the king, contested to the death between a limited number of clansmen of the MacPhersons and the Clan Dhai (the identity of the Davidsons as the latter party, although likely, has not been proven absolutely).
The Clan Vean, or MacBeans (MacBheathain), alias MacBain or MacBeath, originally came north from Lochaber in the train of Eva, heiress of Clann Chattan, and appear from the sword in their arms, to have held the office of swordbearer under the original Clan Chattan chiefs. They then settled in Inverness, and had their chief seate at Kinchyle, in eastern Inverness-shire. Other branches were settled in Strathnairn and Strathdearn.
Another branch of the race were the Bains or Baynes of Tulloch in Ross-shire. About the time when the Kinchyle family were being definitely recognised as chieftains a fray occurred at a market in Ross-shire which showed that the Bains of Tulloch were a family of considerable position and esteem. At a market at Logieree on the Conan on Candlemas Day, 1597, a brother of Macleod of Raasay, swaggering about with a "tail" of six or eight henchmen, not only refused to pay for certain wares he had bought, but proceeded to assault the merchant and his wife. Indignant at the outrage, Ian Bain, brother of the Laird of Tulloch, remonstrated with the aggressor. The latter answered scornfully, and from hot words the dispute came to blows. Bain had only his foster-brother to support him, but he slew Macleod and two of his men. The Mackenzies then took the side of the Macleods, while the Munros came into the fray to support Ian Bain. In a running fight as far as Mulchaich several were slain on both sides, but Bain and his foster-brother escaped unhurt, and took refuge with Lord Lovat at Beauly. Lovat not only protected them, but sent his kinsman, Fraser of Phopachie to represent their case at court, with the result that Bain was assoilzied, while proceedings were ordered to be taken against his opponents.
The Ross motto is "Spem successus alit" - literaly, "Success nourishes hope", which nowadays we would call "Success breeds success". The Corbet, Dingwall, Duthie, Fair, Gillanders, Haggart, McLulich, MacTaggart, MacTear, MacTire, Taggart, Train, Vass and Wass families are all regarded as septs (sub-branches) of the powerful Clan Ross.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,