Macduff, see MacIntosh and Clan Chattan

3 Celts & Company • "MACDUFF"

Like the clan's claim of descent from Clan Alpin, the real story of Shakespeare's Macduff overthrowing Macbeth in 1056 remains uncertain, but the hereditary special privileges and dispensations once known as 'Law Clan Macduff' must have originated from some other notable service. Thus, it was accepted even by Edward I, "Hammer of the Scots," that a Scottish king could be properly crowned only by a Macduff. Edward retained that young chief at the English court and gave him his grand-daughter's hand, but Macduff's sister Isabel countess of Buchan crowned King Robert Bruce in 1306. Captured later by Edward, she was punished by confinement in a cage at Berwick.
Until among the first Earls created by David I, the Macduff Thanes of Fife held their territory in the old Celtic manner 'by grace of God,' not from King--hence occasional mentions of the county as though of itself a 'kingdom.' Their direct line failed with another 14th-century Isabel, but the Duff families then first heard of in Aberdeenshire claim to carry on the clan. They reacquired the title Earl, then Duke of Fife, but their territory remained around where they founded the fishing town Macduff.

"Law of Clan MacDuff." In 1425, the last Earl of Fife, Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, was beheaded. The Clan MacDuff's hereditary right of bearing the Crown of Scotland then passed to the Lord Abernethy. The current Lord Abernethy, who is consequently bearer of the Scottish Crown, is Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton, Hereditary Keeper of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Septs: DUFF, FIFE, FYFE, FYFFE, HUME, KILGOUR, SPENCE, SPENS, WEEMS, WEMYSS

"MACDUFF." Scots Kith and Kin and Illustrated Map Revised Second Edition. Edinburgh, SCOT: Clan House, c.1970. p.66,67. Print.

"Law of Clan MacDuff." Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_MacDuff]. 12 September 2017. web.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, MacDuff, MacIntosh, clan, Chattan, septs

MacFarlane

3 Celts & Company • "MacFarlane"

Clan MacFarlane claims descent from the original Earls of Lennox, though the ultimate origin of these earls is murky and has been debated. The original Earls of Lennox descended from an Anglo-Saxon – Arkil, son of Egfrith. This Arkil, a Northumbrian chief, was said to have fled to Scotland from the devastation caused by the Harrying of the North by William the Conqueror, and later received control of the Lennox district from Malcolm III of Scotland, though alternative theories state that the original Earls of Lennox may have been of Gaelic descent. These two views are not mutually exclusive, as what is now southern Scotland had been a flux of Gaelic, Brittonic, Scandinavian and Germanic ethnicities.

The original line of the Earls of Lennox, through Gille Chriosd, brother of Maol Domhnaich, Earl of Lennox. Gille Chriosd's son, Donnchadh, appears in the Ragman Rolls as "Dunkan Makilcrift de Leuenaghes" (Duncan son of Gilchrist of Lennox). Donnchadh's grandson was Parlan (or Bartholomew), from whom the clan takes its name. It should be noted that there is no contemporary evidence of this Parlan or his elided father, only centuries-retrospective assertions that private documentation existed at the time of the Macfarlane attempt to claim the defunct earldom of Lennox. Maolchaluim Mac Pharlain, the son of Parlan, was confirmed the lands of Arrochar and others, and "hence Maolchaluim may be considered as the real founder of the clan". Maolchaluim, in turn, was succeeded by his son, Donnchadh, who obtained by charter the lands of Arrochar, dated in 1395 at Inchmurrin. Donnchadh seems to have married Christian, daughter of Sir Colin Campbell of Loch Awe, as stated in a charter of confirmation by Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox, also dated in 1395.

Not long after, the ancient line of the Earls of Lennox died with the execution of Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox, by James I of Scotland in 1425. After the earl's death it seems that the MacFarlanes claimed the earldom as heirs male. This claim, though, proved disastrous and the family of the chief were murdered, with the clan's fortunes reduced severely. The destruction of the MacFarlanes would have been inevitable but for an Anndra MacFarlane, who married Barbara, daughter of John Stewart, Lord Darnley, who had been created Earl of Lennox in 1488. From this period on the clan appears to have loyally supported the Stewart Earls of Lennox, and for several generations there is little history attributed to the clan.

Septs: Condey, Condie, Condy, Gruamach, MacCondey, MacCondie, MacCondy, MacIock, MacJock, MacInally, MacNide, MacNite, MacNoyer, MacNuyer, MacWalter, Monach, Monnock, Parlane, Parlin, Weaver, Webster, Weir.

Shared / Associated Septs: Allan, Allen, Allanach, Allanson, Allison, Arrell, Arroll, Barclay, Bart, Bartholomew, Bartie, Barty, Bartson, Brice, Bryce, Caa, Caw, Callar, Callendear, Cunnison, Kennison, Galbraith, Galloway, Grassick, Griesk, Greusaich, Knox, Leaper, Liper, Lenox, Lennox, MacAllan, MacAllen, MacAndrew, MacAndro, MacCaa, MacCaw, MacCause, MacEoch, MacEach, MacEachern, MacEoin, MacErrachar, MacFarquhar, MacGaw, MacGreusich, MacGreusick, MacInstalker, MacJames, MacKinlay, MacKinley, MacKindley, MacNair, MacNayer, MacRob, MacRobb, MacWilliam, Michie, Millar, Miller, Rob, Robb, Spruell (and assoc. spellings), Stalker, Williamson, Wilson, Wylie, Wyllie.

"Clan MacFarlane." Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_MacFarlane]. 18 December 2018. web.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, Black Watch, MacFarlane, clan, sept

MacGregor

3 Celts & Company • "MACGREGOR"

Recorded in Glen Orchy from about the 12th century, and spreading to Glenstrae and several Perthshire glens, the MacGregors take their motto (Is Rioghal mo dhream), 'My race is Royal,' from a traditional ancestor Gregor or Girig of the ancient Clan Alpin dynasty. They held doggedly to the old Celtic clan rule of defending possession by the sword, in defiance of 'sheepskin' feudal charters obtained through marriage or more dubious means by powerful neighbors having a closer approach to the government's ear--notably the Campbells, Grahams and Colquhouns. After a defeat of these last at Glen Fruin in 1603, there came a long succession of vindictive edicts, formenting and taking full excuse from the MacGregors' spirit of untamed resentment. The clan was outlawed, and a ban on using their surname not lifted until 1784: except in the time of the Stewart Restoration, in recognition of their loyal services with Montrose. From these prescriptions arose the many 'septs' names then adopted by scattered groups of MacGregors--also the remarkable career of Rob Roy, and Scott's stirring song 'The MacGregors' Gathering.'

Septs: ARROWSMITH, BLACK, BOWER, BOWMAKER, CAIRD, COMRIE, DENNISON, DENSON, DOCHART, DOCHERTY, DOWIE, FLETCHER, GAIR, GREGOR, GREGORSON, GREGORY, GREIG, GREWAR, GREYSON, GRIER, GRIERSON, GRIGOR, GRUER, KING, LAIKIE, LECKIE, LECKY, MACADAM, MACAINSH, MACALDOWIE, MACALESTER, MACANGUS, MACANISH, MACARA, MACAREE, MACCAINSH, MACCANCE, MACCANSH, MACCONACHIE, MACCONDACH, MACCONDOCHIE, MACCROUTHER, MACGREWAR, MACGRIGOR, MACGROUTHER, MACGREWAR, MACGRIGOR, MACGROUTHER, MACGREWAR, MACGRIGOR, MACGROUTHER, MACGRUDER, MACGRUTHER, MACGRUER, MACGRUTHER, MACILDOWIE, MACILDUFF, MACILDUY, MACINNES, MACINSTALKER, MACLEISTER, MACLIVER, MACNAY, MACNEA, MACNEE, MACNEICE, MACNEISH, MACNESS, MACNEY, MACNIE, MACNIESH, MACNISH, MACNOCAIRD, MACNUCATOR, MACONACHIE, MACPETER, MACPETRIE, MALLOCH, NEISH, NICE, NISH, NUCATOR, ORR, PATTULLO, PEAT, PETER, PETERS, PETERSON, PETRIE, SKINNER, STALKER, STRINGER, WALKER, WHITE, WHYTE

"MACGREGOR." Scots Kith and Kin and Illustrated Map Revised Second Edition. Edinburgh, SCOT: Clan House, c.1970. p.68,69. Print.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, MacGregor, clan, septs