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