Clan map of Scotland

Scottish clans (from Scottish Gaelic clann, "children"), give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs officially registered with the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which controls the heraldry and Coat of Arms. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people Each clan has its own tartan patterns, usually dating to the 19th century, and members of the clan may wear kilts, skirts, sashes, ties, scarves, or other items of clothing made of the appropriate tartan as a badge of membership and as a uniform where appropriate. A clan is a group of People united by Kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century

Clans identify with geographical areas originally controlled by the Chiefs, usually with an ancestral castle or manor, and clan gatherings form a regular part of the social scene. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. A manor house or fortified manor-house is a Country house, which has historically formed the administrative centre of a manor (see Manorialism

Origins of the clans

The word clann in Gaelic means children of the family. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. Each clan was a large group of related people, theoretically an extended family, supposedly descended from one progenitor and all owing allegiance to the patriarchal clan chief. It also included a large group of loosely-related septs – related families - all of whom looked to the clan chief as their head and their protector.

The Senchus fer n-Alban lists three main kin groups in Dál Riata in Scotland, with a fourth being added later:^[1]

• The Cenél nGabráin, in Kintyre, supposedly the descendants of Gabrán mac Domangairt. The Senchus Fer n-Alban (The History of the men of Scotland is an Old Irish medieval text believed to have been compiled in the 10th century Dál Riata (also Dalriada or Dalriata) was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western seaboard of Scotland with some territory on the northern Gabrán mac Domangairt was king of Dál Riata in the middle of the 6th century Kintyre ( Scottish Gaelic: Cinn Tìre kʲiɲˈtʲiːɾʲə is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the south-west of Argyll and Bute. Gabrán mac Domangairt was king of Dál Riata in the middle of the 6th century
• The Cenél nÓengusa, in Islay and Jura, supposedly the descendants of Óengus Mór mac Eirc. The Cenél nÓengusa were a kin group who ruled the island of Islay, and perhaps nearby Colonsay, off the western coast of Scotland in the early Middle Jura ( Scottish Gaelic Diùra) is an Island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, situated adjacent and to the north-east of Islay
• The Cenél Loairn, in Lorne, perhaps also Mull and Ardnamurchan, supposedly the descendants of Loarn mac Eirc. Loarn mac Eirc was a legendary king of Dál Riata who may have lived in the 5th century Lorne ( Latharna in Gaelic is a region and historic district in the west of Scotland, now part of the Argyll and Bute council area. The Isle of Mull (or simply Mull; Muile in Scottish Gaelic) is the second largest Island of the Inner Hebrides, off the Ardnamurchan ( Scottish Gaelic: Àird nam Murchan: land of the great seas is a 50 Square mile Peninsula in Lochaber, Loarn mac Eirc was a legendary king of Dál Riata who may have lived in the 5th century ^[2]
• The Cenél Comgaill, in Cowal and Bute, a later addition, supposedly the descendants of Comgall mac Domangairt. Comgall mac Domangairt was king of Dál Riata in the early 6th century The Isle of Bute ( Eilean Bhòid in Gaelic is one of the Islands of the lower Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Comgall mac Domangairt was king of Dál Riata in the early 6th century ^[3]

The Senchus does not list any kindreds in Ireland. Among the Cenél Loairn it lists the Airgíalla, although whether this should be understood as being Irish settlers or simply another tribe to whom the label was applied is unclear. Airgíalla (also Airgialla Uriel Orial Orgialla Orgiall Oryallia Ergallia, Modern Irish Oirialla, English Oriel) was the name of an Irish federation ^[4] The meaning of Airgíalla 'hostage givers' adds to the uncertainty, although it must be observed that only one grouping in Ireland was apparenly given this name and it is therefore very rare, perhaps supporting the Ui Macc Uais hypothesis. There is no reason to suppose that this is a complete or accurate list. ^[5]

Some clans such as Clan Campbell and Clan Donald claim ancient Celtic mythological progenitors mentioned in the Fenian cycle, with a group including Clan MacSween, Clan Lamont, Clan MacEwen of Otter, Clan Maclachlan, and MacNeil tracing their ancestry back to the 5th century High King of Ireland. Clan Campbell is historically one of the largest and most powerful Highland Scottish clans History Origins of the clan The origins of Clan Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans The MacDonald clan has many separate branches These are Celtic mythology is the Mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the Religion of the Iron Age Celts Like other Iron Age The Fenian Cycle or Fiannaidheacht (modern Irish Fiannaíocht) also known as the Fionn Cycle, Finn Cycle, Fianna Cycle, Finnian Clan Sweeney is an Irish clan of Scottish origin The clan did not permanently settle in Ireland before the beginning of the fourteenth century when they Clan Lamont is a Highland Scottish clan. Clan Lamont claim descent from Lauman who lived in Cowal in 1238 Clan MacEwen is a Highland Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognized by Lord Lyon King of Arms and as such the clan can be Clan Maclachlan, also known as Clan Lachlan, is a Highland Scottish clan that historically centred on the lands of Strathlachlan on Loch Fyne Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan, particularly associated with the Outer Hebridean Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Others such as Clan MacAulay, Clan Mackinnon and Clan Gregor claim descent from the Scots King Kenneth Mac Alpin who made himself King of the Picts in 843, founding the Kingdom called after the name of the land Alba (modern-day Scotland). Clan MacAulay is a Scottish clan. The clan was historically centred around the lands of Ardincaple which are today consumed by the little village of Rhu and Clan Mackinnon or Clan Fingon is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the islands of Mull and Skye, in the Inner Hebrides Clan Gregor, or Clan MacGregor, is a Highland Scottish clan. Outlawed for nearly two hundred years after losing their lands in a long power struggle with The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland. Cináed mac Ailpín ( Modern Gaelic: Coinneach mac Ailpein) commonly Anglicised as Kenneth MacAlpin and known in most modern regnal lists as The Picts were a Confederation of tribes in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland from Roman times until the 10th century Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name (ˈalˠ̪əpə for Scotland. The MacDonalds and MacDougalls claim descent from Somerled, the half-Gael/Norse-Manx Lord of the Isles in the mid-11th century. Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans The MacDonald clan has many separate branches These are Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan who were the descendants of Dugald, son of Somerled, who ruled Lorne and the Isle of Mull Somerled ( Old Norse Sumarliði, Scottish Gaelic Somhairle, commonly Anglicized from Gaelic as Sorley) was a military and political The Norse-Gaels were a people who dominated much of the Irish Sea region and western Scotland for a large part of the Middle Ages, who were of Scandinavian The designation Lord of the Isles (Triath nan Eilean or Rí Innse Gall now a Scottish title of nobility, emerged from a series of hybrid Viking / Gaelic

Though the clans had always been a feature of pre-Christian Ireland and Scotland, they first emerged into English consciousness from the turmoil of the 12th and 13th centuries when the Scottish crown pacified northern rebellions and re-conquered areas taken by the Norse, and after the fall of Macbeth when the crown became increasingly Anglo-Norman. Mac Bethad mac Findlaích ( Modern Gaelic: MacBheatha mac Fhionnlaigh) anglicised as Macbeth, and nicknamed Rí Deircc, "the Red King" The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the conquest by William of Normandy in 1066, although This turmoil created opportunities for Norse, Scottish and English warlords and their kin to dominate areas, and the instability of the Wars of Scottish Independence brought in warlords with Norman, and Flemish ancestry, founding clans such as the Chisholms and Menzies. Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who speak one of the North Germanic languages as their native language England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. The terms Fleming and Flemings ( Vlaming and Vlamingen in Dutch) denote respectively a person and people and the Flemings or Clan Chisholm is a Scottish clan. The clan had its origin outside Scotland For Menzies as a personal name including its pronunciation and a list of famous people of that name see Menzies.

The Highland clan system

Inheritance and authority

The Scottish Highland clan system incorporated the Celtic/Norse traditions of heritage as well as Norman Feudal society. The Scottish Highlands ( Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghàidhealtachd, Scots: Hielans) include the rugged and Mountainous Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who speak one of the North Germanic languages as their native language The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. Feudal society is a sometimes-debated term used to describe the Social order in the Western Europe, Central Europe, and sometimes Japan Chieftains and petty kings under the suzerainty of a High King ruled Gaelic Alba, with all such offices being filled through election by an assembly. Suzerainty (ˈsjuːzərənti RP or /ˈsjuːzəreɪnti/ RP) (/ˈsuːzərənti/ GA) is a situation in which a Region or people is a Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name (ˈalˠ̪əpə for Scotland. Usually the candidate was nominated by the current office holder on the approach of death, and his heir-elect was known as the tanist, from the Gaelic tànaiste, or second, with the system being known as tanistry. Tanistry was a system for passing on titles and lands In this system the Tanist ( Irish Tánaiste; Scottish Gaelic Tànaiste This system combined a hereditary element with the consent of those ruled, and while the succession in clans later followed the feudal rule of primogeniture, the concept of authority coming from the clan continued. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Primogeniture is the Common law right of the Firstborn son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings

Thus the collective heritage of the clan, the dùthchas, gave the right to settle the land to which the chiefs and leading gentry provided protection and authority as trustees for the people. This was combined with the complementary concept of òighreachd where the chieftain's authority came from charters granted by the feudal Scottish crown, where individual heritage was warranted. While dùthchas held precedence in the medieval period, the balance shifted as the mainly lowland Scots law became increasingly important in shaping the structure of clanship. Scots law is a unique legal system with an ancient basis in Roman law.

Legal process

To settle criminal and civil disputes within clans both sides put their case to an arbitration panel drawn from the leading gentry of the clan and presided over by the chief. Arbitration, a form of Alternative dispute resolution (ADR is a legal technique for the resolution of Disputes outside the Courts wherein the Similarly, in disputes between clans the chiefs served as procurators (legal agents) for the disputants in their clan and put the case to an arbitration panel of equal numbers of gentry from each clan presided over by a neighbouring chief or landlord. There was no appeal from the decision which awarded reparations, called assythment, to the wronged party and which was recorded in a convenient Royal or Burgh court. This compensation took account of the age, responsibilities and status of the victim as well as the nature of the crime, and once paid precluded any further action for redress against the perpetrator. To speed this process clans made standing provisions for arbitration and regularly contracted bands of friendship between the clans which had the force of law and were recorded in a convenient court.

Social ties

Fosterage and manrent were the most important forms of social bonding in the clans. Fosterage, the practice of a family bringing up a child not their own differs from Adoption in that the child's genetic parents not the foster-parents remain the In fosterage, the chief's children were brought up by favoured members of the leading clan gentry (traditionally the mother's brother or similar, i. e. in another clan), whose children in turn were brought up by other favoured members of the clan (again the mother's brother or the like - i. e. in another clan). This brought about intense ties and reinforced inter-clan cohesion. Manrent was a bond contracted by the heads of families looking to the chief for territorial protection, though not living on the estates of the clan elite. These bonds were reinforced by calps, death duties paid to the chief as a mark of personal allegiance by the family when their head died, usually in the form of their best cow or horse. Although calps were banned by Parliament in 1617, manrent continued covertly to pay for protection. TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those

Less durably, marriage alliances reinforced kinship between clans. These were contracts involving the exchange of livestock, money and rent, tocher for the bride and dowry for the groom.

Clan management

Payments of rents and calps from those living on clan estates and calps alone from families living elsewhere were channelled through tacksmen. These lesser gentry acted as estate managers, allocating the run-rig strips of land, lending seed-corn and tools and arranging droving of cattle to the Lowlands for sale, taking a minor share of the payments made to the clan nobility, the fine. The Scottish Lowlands ( a' Ghalldachd, meaning roughly 'the non-Gaelic region' in Gaelic, and called Lawlands or Lallans in Scots They had the important military role of mobilising the Clan Host, both when required for warfare and more commonly as a large turn out of followers for weddings and funerals, and traditionally in August for hunts which included sports for the followers, the predecessors of the modern Highland games. Highland games are events held throughout the year in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage especially

From the late 16th century the Scottish Privy Council, recognising the need for co-operation, required clan leaders to provide bonds of surety for the conduct of anyone on their territory and to regularly attend at Edinburgh, encouraging a tendency to become absentee landlords. The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. With an increase in droving, tacksmen acquired the wealth to finance the gentry's debts secured against their estates, hence acquiring the land. By the 1680s this led to the land in ownership largely coinciding with the collective 'dutchas' for the first time. The tacksmen became responsible for the bonds of surety leading to a decline in banditry and feuding.

Disputes and disorder

Where the oighreachd, land owned by the clan elite or fine, did not match the common heritage of the duthchas this led to territorial disputes and warfare. The fine resented their clansmen paying rent to other landlords, while acquisitive clans used disputes to expand their territories, and many clan histories record ferocious long lasting feuding such as the Clan Gordon and the Clan Forbes, which lasted for centuries and caused many deaths in both clans. Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a traditional Scottish clan name and it is now a common forename Clan Forbes is a Lowland Scottish clan from Aberdeenshire, Scotland. On the western seaboard clans became involved with the wars of the Irish Gaels against the Tudor English, and a military caste called the buannachan developed, seasonally fighting in Ireland as mercenaries and living off their clans as minor gentry, but this was brought to an end with the Irish Plantations of James VI of Scotland and I of England. Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland were established throughout the country by the confiscation of lands occupied by Gaelic clans and Hiberno-Norman dynasties James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James During that century law increasingly settled disputes, and the last feud leading to a battle was at Mulroy in Lochaber on August 4 1688. The Battle of Mulroy was fought in August 1688 in the Lochaber district of Scotland between the Chattan Confederation led by the Clan MacKintosh District of Lochaber

Reiving had been a rite of passage, the creach where young men took livestock from neighbouring clans. Border Reivers were raiders along the Anglo - Scottish border ( Border country) for nearly three hundred years from the late 13th century By the 17th century this had declined and most reiving was the spreidh where up to 10 men raided the adjoining Lowlands, the livestock taken usually being recoverable on payment of tascal (information money) and guarantee of no prosecution. The Scottish Lowlands ( a' Ghalldachd, meaning roughly 'the non-Gaelic region' in Gaelic, and called Lawlands or Lallans in Scots Some clans offered the Lowlanders protection against such raids, on terms not dissimilar to blackmail. Blackmail is the crime of threatening to reveal substantially true information about a person to the public a family member or associates unless a demand made upon the

Although by the late 17th century disorder declined, reiving persisted with the growth of cateran bands of up to 50 bandits, usually led by a renegade of the gentry, who had thrown off the constraints of the clan system. As well as preying off the clans, caterans acted as mercenaries for Lowland lairds pursuing disputes amongst themselves.

Civil wars and Jacobitism

As the civil wars of the Three Kingdoms broke out in the early 17th century the Covenanters were supported by the territorially ambitious Argyll Campbells and House of Sutherland as well as some clans of the central Highlands opposed to the Royalist House of Huntly. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms (sometimes known as the Wars of the Three Nations) formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in Scotland, The Covenanters formed an important movement in the religion and politics of Scotland in the 17th century While some clans remained neutral, others led by Montrose supported the Royalist cause, projecting their feudal obligations to clan chiefs onto the Royal House of Stuart, resisting the demands of the Covenanters for commitment and reacting to the ambitions of the larger clans. James Graham 1st Marquess of Montrose (October 1612 - 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who initially joined the The House of Stuart or Stewart was a Royal house of the Kingdom of Scotland, later also of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of In the Wars of 1644-47, the most prominent Royalist clan were Clan Donald led by Alasdair MacColla. Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms covers Scotland 's involvement in the wider conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms between 1644 and 1650 Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans The MacDonald clan has many separate branches These are Alasdair MacColla (c 1610&ndash1647 was a Scottish - Irish soldier

With the Restoration of Charles II, Episcopalianism became widespread among clans as it suited the hierarchical clan structure and encouraged obedience to Royal authority, while some other clans were converted by Catholic missions. The English Restoration, or simply The Restoration began in 1660 when the English monarchy, Scottish monarchy and Irish monarchy were restored Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". In 1682 James Duke of York, Charles' brother, instituted the Commission for Pacifying the Highlands which worked in co-operation with the clan chiefs in maintaining order as well as redressing Campbell acquisitiveness, and when he became King James VII he retained popularity with many Highlanders. James II of England and Ireland James VII of Scotland (14 October 1633 &ndash 16 September 1701 was King of England, King of Scots, Later that same year James All these factors contributed to continuing support for the Stuarts when James was deposed by William of Orange in the "Glorious Revolution". William III or William of Orange (14 November 1650 &ndash 8 March 1702 He is informally known in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy" The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England (VII of Scotland in 1688 by a union

The support among many clans, their remoteness from authority and the ready mobilisation of the clan hosts made the Highlands the starting point for the Jacobite Risings. The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings rebellions and wars in the kingdoms of England, Kingdom of Scotland (later the United Kingdom of Great Britain In Scottish Jacobite ideology the Highlander symbolised patriotic purity as against the corruption of the Union, and as early as 1689 some Lowlanders wore "Highland habit" in the Jacobite army. Jacobitism was (and to a limited extent remains the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland

Decline of the Clan system

Successive Scottish governments had portrayed the clans as bandits needing occasional military expeditions to keep them in check and extract taxes. As Highlanders became associated with Jacobitism and rebellion the government made repeated efforts to curb the clans, culminating with brutal repression after the battle of Culloden. Jacobitism was (and to a limited extent remains the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland The Battle of Culloden (Blàr Chùil Lodair (16 April 1746 was the final clash between the French-supported Jacobites and the Hanoverian This followed in 1746 with the Act of Proscription, further measures making restrictions on their ability to bear arms, traditional dress, culture, and even music. On August 1, 1746 the Act of Proscription (19 Geo 2 c 39 came into effect in Scotland. The Heritable Jurisdictions Act removed the feudal authority the Clan Chieftains had once enjoyed. The Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland Act 1746 (20 Geo 2 c 43 was an Act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in 1746. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed

With the failure of Jacobitism the clan chiefs and gentry increasingly became landlords, losing the traditional obligations of clanship. They were incorporated into the British aristocracy, looking to the clan lands mainly to provide them with a suitable income. From around 1725 clansmen had been emigrating to America; both clan gentry looking to re-establish their lifestyle, or as victims of raids on the Hebrides looking for cheap labour. See also Hebrides (disambiguation The Hebrides (ˈhɛbrɨˌdiːz "HEB-ri-deez" Gaelic: Innse Gall) comprise a widespread and diverse Increasing demand in Britain for cattle and sheep led to higher rents with surplus clan population leaving in the mass migration later known as the Highland Clearances, finally undermining the traditional clan system. The Highland Clearances ( Scottish Gaelic: Fuadaich nan Gàidheal the expulsion of the Gael were Forced displacements of the population of the Scottish

Romantic "revival" of interest

Sir David Wilkie's flattering portrait of the kilted King George IV, with lighting chosen to tone down the brightness of his kilt and his knees shown bare, without the pink tights he wore at the event. Sir David Wilkie may refer to Sir David Wilkie (artist (1785-1841 Scottish painter Sir David Wilkie (surgeon (1882-1938 British The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century Tights are a type of fabric leg covering usually extending from the waist to feet and fitting as tightly as possible to the body (from which the name derives

The Ossian poems of James Macpherson in the 1760s suited the Romantic enthusiasm for the "sublime" "primitive" and achieved international success with a disguised elegy for the Jacobite clans, set in the remote past. Ossian is the narrator and supposed author of a cycle of poems which the Scottish poet James Macpherson claimed to have translated from ancient sources in the James Macpherson (Seumas Mac a' Phearsain 27 October 1736 17 February 1796) was a Scottish Poet, known as the "translator" Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the They were presented as translations of ancient ballads, a fraud caustically dismissed by Dr. Samuel Johnson. Samuel Johnson (often referred to as Dr Johnson) (18 September This damaged the reputation of the poems, but their artistic merit had widespread influence.

Shortly before or after the Dress Act restricting kilt wearing was repealed in 1782, Highland aristocrats set up Highland Societies in Edinburgh and other centres including London and Aberdeen, landowners' clubs with aims including "Improvements" (which others would later call the Highland Clearances). The Dress Act was part of the Act of Proscription which came into force on 1 August 1746 and made wearing "the Highland Dress" including Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. The Highland Society of London is a registered United Kingdom charity, with "the view of establishing and supporting schools in the Highlands and Aberdeen ( pronounced; Aiberdeen Obar Dheathain is Scotland 's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council The Highland Clearances ( Scottish Gaelic: Fuadaich nan Gàidheal the expulsion of the Gael were Forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Clubs like the Celtic Society of Edinburgh included Highland chieftains and Lowlanders taking an interest in the clans. The success of the historical novels of Sir Walter Scott as well as the pomp surrounding the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822 spurred 19th century interest in the clans and a reawakening of Scottish culture and pride. An historical novel is a Novel in which the story is set among historical events or more generally in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the Author Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout The 1822 visit of King George IV to Scotland was the first visit of a reigning monarch to Scotland since 1650.

Lowland families

The Lowlands south of the river Forth had been Brythonic Celtic, with the southeast coming under the Angles and Galloway and the western seaboard becoming Norse-Gaelic, then by 1034 the Kingdom of Alba had expanded to bring all but the last area under Gaelic Celtic rule. The Scottish Lowlands ( a' Ghalldachd, meaning roughly 'the non-Gaelic region' in Gaelic, and called Lawlands or Lallans in Scots The Angles is a modern English word for a Germanic-speaking people who took their name from the cultural ancestral region of Angeln, a modern district located in Galloway ( Gaelic: Gall-Ghaidhealaibh, əŋ ɡauɫ̪ɣəɫ̪əv or Gallobha, Lowland Scots Gallowa) is an area in southwestern The Norse-Gaels were a people who dominated much of the Irish Sea region and western Scotland for a large part of the Middle Ages, who were of Scandinavian The Kingdom of Alba ( Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba) pertains to the Kingdom of Scotland between the deaths of Donald II (Domnall mac Causantin From the accession of King David I (1124), the traditional social patterns of much of eastern Scotland began to be altered, particularly with the growth of burghs and the settlement of French feudal families on royal demesne lands. David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim ( Modern: Daibhidh I mac Chaluim; b A Burgh (ˈbʌʀə is an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland, usually a Town. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed This process was, of course, very slow, but its cumulative effect over many centuries was to undermine the integrity of Gaelic in the areas affected, areas which later became known collectively as the Lowlands, though to a large extent Galloway and Carrick, where Galwegian Gaelic survived into the 17th century, were not affected as much as elsewhere until very late. Galwegian Gaelic is an extinct Goidelic Dialect formerly spoken in South West Scotland.

However, many aristocratic Gaelic clans did in fact survive in form, especially in Galloway (e. g. MacDowall, MacLellan, MacCann ), Carrick (e. Clan Macdowall is a Scottish clan. The clan claims to descend from the senior descendants in the male line of the princely house of Fergus, first of the ancient Lords The name MacLellan is a Scottish clan name The clan does not currently have a chief therefore it is considered an Armigerous clan. g. Kennedy) and Fife (e. g. MacDuff). Clan MacDuff is a Scottish Armigerous clan, which is registered with Lyon Court, though currently without a chief The term clan was still being used of Lowland families at the end of the 16th century and, while aristocrats may have been increasingly likely to use the word family, the terms remained interchangeable until the 19th century.

By the late 18th century the Lowlands were integrated into the British system, with an uneasy relationship to the Highlanders. The total population of Lowlanders diminished drastically in some parts of the south as a direct result of the Agricultural Revolution which resulted in the Lowland Clearances, and the subsequent emigration of large numbers of Lowland Scots. The Agricultural Revolution in Scotland began in the mid-eighteenth century with the improvements of Scottish Lowlands farmland and the beginning of a transformation of Scottish The Lowland Clearances ( Scottish Gaelic: Fuadaich nan Galltachd) in Scotland were one of the results of the British Agricultural Revolution, "Emigrant" redirects here For the Butterflies, see Catopsilia.

However, with the revival of interest in Gaeldom and the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822, there was a new enthusiasm amongst Lowlanders for re-identification with their Gaelic culture. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. As a result many Lowland families and aristocrats now appear on clan lists with their own tartans, in some cases with a claim to ancestry from the Highland area – encouraged, no doubt, by companies who market supposed coats-of-arms and heraldic devices, manufacturers of tartan cloth, and by the immense growth of Internet genealogical research, beginning in the last few years of the twentieth century. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Genealogy (from Greek: el γενεά el-Latn genea, "descent" and el λόγος el-Latn logos, "knowledge" is the study of As a result, many of these families now have their own clan societies, websites and annual reunions. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages

Clan membership

A clan is community which is distinguished by heraldry and recognised by the Sovereign. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. A Gold Sovereign is a Gold coin first issued in 1489 for Henry VII of England and still in production as of 2008 A clan is considered a "noble incorporation" because a clan chief is a title of honour in Scotland and the chief confers his or her noble status onto the clan. for a list of the Scottish Chiefs and their clan see Scottish clans. Clans with recognised chiefs are therefore recognised under Scottish law. Scots law is a unique legal system with an ancient basis in Roman law. A group without a chief recognised by the Sovereign, through the Lord Lyon, has no position under Scottish law. All claimants to the title of chief must be recognised by the Lord Lyon who determines if the claimant is entitled to the undifferenced arms of the community that the claimant wishes to be chief of. Undifferenced arms (or plain arms) are coats of arms which have no marks distinguishing the bearer by birth order or family position A chief of a clan is the only person who is entitled to bear the undifferenced arms of that community. The clan as a "noble corporation" is the chief's heritable property and the chief's Seal of Arms is the seal of the corporation. Under law the chief owns the clan and is responsible for it. ^[6][7]

Historically a clan was made up of everyone who lived on the chief's territory, or on territory of those who owed allegiance to the said chief. Through time, with the constant changes of "clan boundaries", migration or regime changes, clans would be made up of large numbers of members who were unrelated and who bore different surnames. Often those living on a chief's lands would over time adopt the clan surname. A chief could add to his clan by adopting other families, and also had the legal right to outlaw anyone from his clan, including members of his own family. Today, anyone who has the chief's surname is automatically considered to be a member of the chief's clan. A surname is a name added to a Given name and is part of a Personal name. Also, anyone who offers allegiance to a chief is considered a member of the chief's clan, unless the chief decides not to accept that person's allegiance. ^[8] The only rule is that it is up to the chief who he or she may decide to accept as a member of his or her clan.

Clan membership goes through the surname. ^[9] It does not pass through a married woman who has taken her husband's surname, and then on to her children. Children who take their father's surname are part of their father's clan and not their mothers. However, today it is common for people to claim clan membership through their mother's side of the family, anyone who offers allegiance to a particular clan chief is part of his or her clan (unless refused by the chief). ^[9] Today many clans have lists of septs. A sept is an English word for a division of a Family, especially a division of a clan. Septs are surnames, families or clans which historically, currently or for whatever reason the chief chooses, are associated with that clan. There is no official list of clan septs, and the decision of what septs a clan has is left up to the clan itself. ^[8] Confusingly many sept names are shared by many clans, and it may up to the individual to use his or her family history or genealogy to find the correct clan they are associated with.

Clan symbols

MacArthur tartan as published in the Vestiarium Scoticum in 1842. Clan Arthur, ( Scottish Gaelic: Clann Artair) is a highland Scottish clan that once held lands on the shores of Loch Awe opposite The Vestiarium Scoticum (full title Vestiarium Scoticum from the Manuscript formerly in the Library of the Scots College at Douay The Vestiarium was composed by the "Sobieski Stuarts" who passed it off as a reproduction of an ancient manuscript of clan tartans, the Sobieski Stuarts claimed to be grandsons of Bonnie Prince Charlie. John Sobieski Stuart and Charles Edward Stuart were names used by John Carter Allen and Charles Manning Allen two 19th century English brothers who are best-known for their For the US politician see Charles E Stuart For "Betty Burke" see The 'Forty-Five' below The Vestiarium has since been proven a forgery.

Tartan

Further information: Tartan and Kilt

There are no official rules on who can or can not wear a particular tartan. Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century Also, there is currently no official registry for tartans. Even though the Lord Lyon does not have jurisdiction over tartans, the Lord Lyon may record a specific tartan which a clan chief or commander wishes to use as an "official" tartan for their clan. ^[10] Originally there appears to have been little association of tartans with particular clans or areas, but the idea gained currency in the late 18th century and in 1815 the Highland Society of London began the naming and registration of "official" clan tartans, and gradually the original belted plaid was supplanted by the modern tailored kilt. The Highland Society of London is a registered United Kingdom charity, with "the view of establishing and supporting schools in the Highlands and In fact, many of today's "clan tartans" are the work of a 19th-century forgery known as the Vestiarium Scoticum. The Vestiarium Scoticum (full title Vestiarium Scoticum from the Manuscript formerly in the Library of the Scots College at Douay

Crest badge

Further information: Scottish crest badge

A sign of allegiance to a certain clan chief is the wearing of a crest badge. A Scottish crest badge, more commonly called a clan crest, is a Heraldic badge worn to show one's allegiance to a specific Scottish clan. The crest badge suitable for a clansman or clanswoman consists of the chief's heraldic crest encircled with a strap and buckle and which contains the chief's heraldic motto or slogan. The word crest is often mistakenly applied to a Coat of arms. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A slogan is a memorable Motto or Phrase used in a Political, commercial, Religious and other context as a repetitive expression of Although it is common to speak of "clan crests" there is no such thing. ^[11] In Scotland (and indeed all of UK) only individuals, not clans, possess a heraldic Coat of Arms. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people ^[12] Even though any clansmen and clanswomen may purchase crest badges and wear them to show their allegiance to his or her clan the heraldic crest and motto always belong to the chief alone. ^[13] In principle these badges should only be used with the permission of the clan chief and the Lyon Court has intervened in cases where permission has been withheld. Crest badges, much like clan tartans, do not have a long history, and owe much to Victorian era romanticism, having only been worn on the bonnet since the 19th century. Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the A bonnet is a kind of Headgear which is usually brimless Only a few kinds of bonnets are still worn today most commonly by babies The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar ^[14] The original clan badges were merely plants worn in bonnets or hung from a pole or spear. ^[15]

Clan lists and maps

The revival of interest, and demand for clan ancestry, has led to the production of lists and maps covering the whole of Scotland giving clan names and showing territories, sometimes with the appropriate tartans. Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours While some lists and clan maps confine their area to the Highlands, others also show Lowland clans or families. Territorial areas and allegiances changed over time, and there are also differing decisions on which (smaller) clans and families should be omitted. Some alternative online sources are listed in the External links section below.

This list of Clans contains clans registered with the Lord Lyon Court. The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing Court of law which regulates Heraldry in Scotland. The Lord Lyon Court defines a clan or family as a legally recognised group, but does not differentiate between Families and Clans. Clans or families thought to have had a Chief in the past but not currently recognised by the Lord Lyon are listed at Armigerous clans. An armigerous clan refers to a Scottish clan, family or name which is registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon and once had a chief who bore Undifferenced arms

See also

• Highland Clearances
• Border country
• History of Scotland
• Category:Scottish families
• Clan warfare
• Blood Feuds

Notes

Sources

• Clans and Tartans - Collins Pocket Reference, George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire, Harper Collins, Glasgow 1995 ISBN 0-00-470810-5
• MacBeth, High King of Scotland 1040 - 1057, Peter Beresford Ellis, Blackstaff Press Ltd. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio 3 Galway Park, Dundonald, Belfast BT16 0AN. 1990, ISBN 0-85640-448-9
• Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia, George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire, Barnes & Noble Books, New York 1998 ISBN 0-7607-1120-8
• The Official Website of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (replaced myclan.com in 2006)

External links

• Clan Duncan Society
• Scotland Clans Directory:Scottish and Irish Clans and family history sites directory
• Scottish Clans, Names and Septs
• Clans, Families and Septs
• Balnagowan Castle: Use of the Ross badge without permission
• One view of the connections between surnames and kinship - does not take into account recent results from DNA testing
• A History of the links between clans and tartans

Links to alternative lists and maps

• Burke's Scotland — Scottish Clan Map gives a key map linking to maps of areas of Scotland indicating many clans and their areas around the late 16th century, with links to information on the clans listed and a search field for other clans and families. Burke's Peerage & Gentry claims to be The authentic guide to the UK and Ireland's titled and untitled families.

• ScottishRadiance — A Map of the original Location of Scottish Clans provides an overview, including some Lowland clans/families.
• Scottish Clans
• Electric Scotland guide to Scottish and Irish clans, families, tartans and history of the Gaels links to a Map showing the districts of the highland clans of Scotland (confined to the Highland area) and to their list of Official Scottish Clans and Families (with a comment from the Court of the Lord Lyon that "we would not normally use the word "official". ).