Ranald, younger son of the 1st Lord of the Isles was the progenitor of Clanranald and from him are descended the families of Moidart, Morar, Knoidart and Glengarry. From Ranald’s son Donald the MacDonells of Glengarry trace their descent. Donald and his brothers had been dispossessed of their lands by their uncle, Godfrey, and on the execution of Godfrey’s son Alexander, in 1427, the lands of Glengarry reverted to the Crown, and thereafter the MacDonells became Crown tenants.

From Alistair, 4th of Glengarry, the family take their Gaelic patronymic of “ Mac’ic Alistair.” During the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth centuries there was a bitter fued between Glengarry, who had obtained a portion of the lands of Lochalsh, and the MacKenzies, during which both clans suffered severely. Eneas, 9th of Glengarry, was amongst the first to join Montrose and the Royalist army in 1644, and gave devoted service to Montrose and King Charles II. He was forfeited by Cromwell in 1651, but at the Restoration he was created, in 1660, Lord MacDonell and Aros, but the title became extinct on the death of Glengarry in 1680 without male issue.

The estate passed to Ranald MacDonell of Scotus. Alexander, 11th of Glengarry, distinguished himself at Killiecrankie in 1689, where he bore the Royal Standard of James VII., and at Sheriffmuir in 1715. In the Rising of 1745, 600 of the Glengarry MacDonells joined Price Charles under the chief’s second son Angus. Glengarry and his son were imprisoned in the tower of London.

Crest: A raven, proper, perched on a rock, azure. Badge: Heath. War Cry: Creagan an Fhithich ( The raven’s rock). Pipe music: Glengarry’s March.