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3 Celts & Company • "MACLAREN"

The older form MacLaurin is nearer to the Gaelic pronunciation. Whether originally called after the martyred St. Lawrence [ of 'Holy Grail' legend ], or from Loarn, son of the Erc who founded Scottish Dalriada about 503, and namer of the district of Lorn, the clan does claim descent from three brothers from the area now Argyllshire who served with Kenneth MacAlpin in his successful campaign of 843-50 to unite the Northern Picts into Scotland. A branch remained in their first home-country and were for long in possession of Tiree, but those three brothers' awards in Balquhidder and Strathearn became the clan's main territory. Here they enter records surviving from the 13th century, and at Balquhidder lies Rob Roy MacGregor in the MacLaurin burial-ground: not the only old encroachment between these two clans. In their long record of loyalty the MacLaurins frequently followed the Appin Stewarts, with whom they had blood ties, and it was a MacLaurin who escaped Cumberland's troops by flinging himself over the Moffat 'Beef-tub.'

Septs: FAED, LARNACH, LAURENCE, LAURENSON, LAW, LAWRENCE, LAWSON, LOW, LOWE, LOWSON, MACFADE, MACCLARENCE, MACCRORIE, MACFAIT, MACFATER, MACFEAD, MACFEAT, MACGRORY, MACLAURIN, MACPATRICK, MACPETRIE, MACPHAIT, MACPHATER, MACRORIE, MACRORY, PATERSON, PATRICK, PATTERSON, PETERKIN, PETERS, PETERSON, RORIE, RORISON

"MACLAREN." Scots Kith and Kin and Illustrated Map Revised Second Edition. Edinburgh, SCOT: Clan House, c.1970. p.72. Print.

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

3 Celts & Company • "MOFFAT"

The Clan Moffat are an ancient family from the Scottish Borders who were powerful and influential as far back as the time of William Wallace. It is likely that the ancestor of the Moffats gave their name to the town of Moffat in Dumfriesshire. The name Moffat may be of Norse origin.
William de Movat Alto, progenitor of the Movats, married the youngest daughter of Andlaw, who came from Norway to Scotland in the tenth century. Over the years the name became Montealt, then Movat, then Movest then eventually Moffat in its modern form. By the twelfth century the family were recorded as "de Moffet" which showed that they were considered to be principal lairds or land owners.
Nicholas de Moffat was Bishop of Glasgow in 1286 and the armorial bearings of each branch of the clan indicates a connection with the church.
In 1300 the Moffats were granted four charters of land in the barony of Westerkirk from Robert the Bruce who was then Lord of Annandale. One of these charters was granted to Adam Moffat of Knock. He and his brother both fought at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, along with many of the Moffat clansmen during the Wars of Scottish Independence. In 1336 the king of England granted safe conduct to William de Moffete and others, described as coming as ambassadors to David de Brus (David II of Scotland). Walter de Moffat who was Archdeacon of Lothian was appointed ambassador to France in 1337.
Although there were Moffats in Moffat before 1300, their names are not known. In 1342 they were granted the feu of Granton and Reddings by Sir John Douglas, Lord of Annandale. These lands remained the principal holdings of the clan until they were passed over to the Johnstones because of overwhelming debt in 1628.

Septs: Maffat, Maffatt, Maffet, Maffett, Maffit, Maffitt, Moffat, Moffatt, Moffet, Moffett, Moffit, Moffitt, Morfit, Morfitt, Morphat, Morphatt, Morphet, Morphett, Morphit, Morphitt, Muffat, Muffatt, Muffet, Muffett, Muffit, Muffitt

"Clan Moffat". Wikipedia. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Moffat]. November 2013. web.

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