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Clan Hamilton

3 Celts & Company • "HAMILTON"

Taking the name of a town in England, a Norman named Walter FitzGilbert de Hambeldon (wardship of Gilbert de Umfraville, Earl of Angus c.1245, some places spelled de Hamildon and others de Homildon), descentant of Odinel I d’Umfraville (c.1090), baron of castle Prudhoe in Northumberland, moved to Renfrewshire. Governor of Bothwell Castle for the English during the early part of the Scottish War of Independence, but later joined Robert the Bruce and fought at his side at Bannockburn. For his support he was awarded forfeited Comyn lands by Bruce, including the properties of Cadzow in the Lothians that were in due course renamed Hamilton. It was Walter's son David, by some accounts, that first spelled his name in the modern form. Other accounts credit his grandsons as the first to adopt the modern spelling. In any case, the spelling of names has taken many different forms over the ages, even into more modern times.
In 1503, the 2nd Lord Hamilton was created Earl of Arran, the Gaelic-speaking island in the Forth of Clyde on which the family then made their home at Brodick Castle. Their son, the 2nd Earl, also called James, was the heir to the Scottish throne after King James IV and was named Regent, acting for Mary, Queen of Scots, during her minority.
As primarily a lowland family, the Hamiltons do not have associated family names, or 'septs' as they are called by some, as a number of the Highland Clans do. Therefore, only persons named Hamilton, or descendents thereof, are considered to be a part of the Hamilton clan family. However, there are a number of common spelling derivations of the name Hamilton that are accepted. These include:

Hameldon, Hamildune, Hamildone, Hameldone, Hamiltun, Hamiltune, Hamildone, Hambledon, Hamblenden, Hambeden, Hambeldene, Hameledene, Hamelden, Hamilden, Hameldon, Hamelton, Hambleton, Hamilton

The Clan Hamilton Society recognizes three families at the present time that we know were closely associated with the Hamiltons:

The Cadzows
The Brownlees
The Leepers/Leipers

Hamilton, John R. "HAMILTON NAME." clanhamilton.org . 2009. web.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, Hamilton, clan

Black Watch "Independent Highland Companies"

3 Celts & Company • BLACK WATCH "Independent Highland Companies"

The first Independent Companies (then known as the 'Kings Guard') are generally regarded to have been formed after the Union of the Crowns in 1603 when James VI of Scotland became James I of England. Following events of 1688, King James II of England (VII of Scotland) made a decision to secure peace throughout both the Scottish Highlands and Scottish Lowlands. The main chiefs were asked to supply a certain number of men each. By 1738 the Independent Highland Companies were known officially as 'Am Freiceadan Dubh' or Black Watch. The Independent Highland Companies took a very active part in the Jacobite rising of 1745. One of their first actions was when 600 men of the Grant, two Sutherland, Munro and Mackay companies fought in the Siege of Fort Augustus (December 1745). The fort was liberated from the Clan Fraser of Lovat, largely Jacobites.
During the Seven Years’ War a number of unidentified Independent Highland Companies were raised but were almost immediately sent south to the Scottish Lowlands or to England as new recruits and could scarcely be regarded as true Independent Companies but were more like a recruitment agency for the British Army. There were no more Independent Highland Companies formed after 1763 but from those that had been before emerged the world-famous Highland regiments during the remainder of the 18th century.

Clans: MURRAY, MENZIES, STUART, CAMPBELL, ROBERTSON, MACFARLANE, GRAHAM, GORDON, MONRO, SUTHERLAND (under GUNN), GRANT, MACKAY, MACLEOD, MACINTOSH (town of INVERNESS), MACKENZIE, MACDONALD of SLEAT, ROSS

"Independent Highland Companies." Wikipedia. wiki Independent Highland Companies . 3 November 2013. web.

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Clan Johnston

3 Celts & Company • "JOHNSTON"

John, a 12th-century holder of Annandale lands under the Bruces,gave name to his citadel or 'toun,' from which his son took the surname de JOHNSTON or JOHNSTONE: the spelling indicating no real difference, though the "e" is less frequent in North than South. A turbulent Border clan--hardly "the Gentle Johnstones" to their MAXWELL and DOUGLAS rivals--they were frequently appointed Wardens of the West March, hence their motto, "Aye Ready." The Aberdeenshire branch was founded by a 14th-century Steven de JOHNSTON, from the Annandale family, marrying a GARRIOCH heiress. JOHNSTONES of Coll are properly MacIANS from Ardnamurchan; whilst occasional others have had the name as hailing from Perth, otherwise St. John's-toun.

Septs: JOHNSTONE, MARCHBANKS, MARJORIBANKS, ROME

"JOHNSTON." Scots Kith and Kin and Illustrated Map Revised Second Edition. Edinburgh, SCOT: Clan House, c.1970. p.59. Print.

keywords[x] tartan, wool, kilts, Johnston, Johnstone, clan, septs