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Scottish Clans
Welcome to the Scottish Clans and family history section of Scottishweb. Scotland is famous for its clans and tartans but they actually belong to the highland Gaelic culture - not the whole of Scotland. Many things now associated with Scotland in general stem from the highland culture, such as clans, tartans, bagpipes, kilts and Gaelic.
This clan and Scottish family history section is large so if you are looking for a particular Scottish clan name we HIGHLY RECOMMEND using our site search facility at the top of the page. Type in clan followed by the name.. eg: clan Macdonald, clan McGregor, etc. This will help you find your Scottish clan quickly.
Click here to search for your Scottish Clan name using our site search facility.
This clan and Scottish family history section is large so if you are looking for a particular Scottish clan name we HIGHLY RECOMMEND using our site search facility at the top of the page. Type in clan followed by the name.. eg: clan Macdonald, clan McGregor, etc. This will help you find your Scottish clan quickly.
Click here to search for your Scottish Clan name using our site search facility.
The name Macquarrie is said to be derived from the Gaelic word Guaire meaning “ noble.” The clan are one of the branches of the great Clan Alpine. When Alexander II. invaded the Western Highlands in 1249 he was joined by Cormac Mor, chief of the Macquarries, but the king’s death in Kerrera brought trouble to the clan.
MACPHERSON, son of the parson, is a name of ecclesiastical origin, and the clan formed a branch of the Clan Chattan Confederation, and disputed with the Macintoshs the leadership of the great confederation.
In the old Statisical Account, the Rev. William MacKenzie, in his description of the parish of Assynt, writes that “ Tradition and even documents declare that it was a forest of the ancient Thanes of Sutherland. One of these Prince Thanes gave it in vassalage to one Mackrycul, who in ancient times held the coast of Coygach, that part of it at the place presently called Ullapool.”
The early history of the Clan MacNeill is uncertain. There were two main branches, the MacNeills of Barra and the MacNeills of Gigha, but the former is now generally recognised as the chief. Neil Og is recorded to have received lands in Kintyre from Robert the Bruce.
The progenitor of this ancient clan is alleged to be Natchtan Mor who lived about the tenth century. The clan is supposed to be one of thosetransferred from the province of Moray to the crown lands in Strathtay by Malcolm IV.
The Clan Macnab, a branch of the great Siol Alpine, are of ecclesiastical origin, being termed in Gaelic Clann-an-aba (children of the Abbot), and claim descent from the abbots of Glendochart, where the clan lands were for several centuries.
