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Home | CLAN MOTTO : CONSTANT AND TRUE | The son of Hugh Rose of Geddes, whose
ancestors had come to England from Normandy with Bishop
Odo of Bayeux, acquired the lands of Kilravock by
marriage in the 12th century. The Rose clan remained
loyal to the Government during the Jacobite rebellions
but, even so, Prince Charles, the Young Pretender, was
entertained at their stronghold of Kilravock Castle in
Nairn, shortly before Culloden. Sir Hugh Rose was made
Baron Strathnairn in 1866 after successfully commanding a
force during the Indian Mutiny.
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| CLAN MOTTO : SUCCESS NOURISHES HOPE | Of a different ancestry to the Roses,
the Rosses, called in Gaeilic Clann Andrias,
take their name from the province from whence they come.
An important early chief, Fearchar Mac-an-t-Saigairt, the
'son of the priest', was a supporter of Alexander II, who
made him Earl of Ross in 1234. Another chief, William
Ross, fought at the Battle of Bannockburn, but the
earldom passed to the Lords of the Isles, and to the
Crown in 1476, on the death of a later William Ross. Dick
Ross is a well-known writer.
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| CLAN MOTTO : I HOPE | Powerful in the Borders and Fife, the
Scott clan take their name from the Scotti, who
came over from Ireland in the 6th century. Two important
branches, the Scotts of Buccleuch and the Scotts of
Balwearie, descend from Sir Richard and Sir Michael, two
sons of Uctredus filius Scoti, or 'son of the Scot', who
lived early in the 12th century. A later Sir Michael
Scott, who died around 1300, was known as the 'The Wizard'
for his interest in magic and alchemy, but the most
famous Scott was Sir Walter Scott, the writer, who helped
romanticize the image of Scotland.
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| CLAN MOTTO : DISSIPATE | The name Scrymgeour comes from the Old
French eskermisor, skirmisher or sword fencer,
and the Scrymgeours are of Norman origin. They had been
hereditary standard bearers to the king since Alexander
II's day and, in 1298, William Wallace and Robert the
Bruce granted Alexander Schrymeschur lands near Dundee
and made him Constable of Dundee Castle in two charters.
Alexander was hanged by Edward I in 1306. In 1370, a
later Alexander married Agnes, the heiress of Glassary in
Argyll, and the Scrymgeours gained those lands.
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| CLAN MOTTO : BY FIDELITY AND FORTITUDE | The Shaws were important members of
Clan Chattan who were descended from the Mackintosh
chiefs in the 14th century. Farquhart Shaw, great-grandson
of Angus, 6th Chief of Mackintosh, was given the lands of
Rothiermurchus after leading Clan Chattan at the great
clan battle that took place on the North Inch near Perth
in 1396. Farquhart's son, James, was killed at the Battle
of Harlaw and so his grandson, Alasdair Giar, succeeded
to his lands, which were sold in the 16h century.
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| CLAN MOTTO : COMMIT THEY WORK TO GOD | William de Sancto Claro, whose family
came from St Claire-sur-Elle in Normandy, was given the
barony of Roslin in Midlothian in the 12th century. Sir
Henry St. Clair supported Robert the Bruce and his son,
Sir William, joined Sir James Douglas in carrying Robert's
heart to the Holy Land. He was killed fighting the Moors
in Spain. In 1379, a later Sir Henry Sinclair became Earl
of Orkney by marrying Isabella, Countess of Orkney, and
earldom which James III bought from him in 1470. William,
the 3rd Earl, became Earl of Caithness in 1455.
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| CLAN MOTTO : COURAGE GROWS STRONG AT A WOUND | The ancestor of the Stewarts was Walter
Fitz-Allan, an Anglo-Norman knight who was given land and
made High Steward of Scotland by David I, a title which
Malcolm IV confirmed as hereditary. Many noble families
have come from the Stewarts and, as a result of the
marriage of Walter, 6th High Steward, to Marjory,
daughter of Robert the Bruce, there have been 14 Stewarts
on the throne from Robert II who began his reign in 1371
to Queen Anne, who died in 1714.
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| CLAN MOTTO : WITHOUT FEAR | The Sutherlands are Celts from the
region of Scotland known to the Vikings as Sudrland - the South land. William, Lord of Sutherland was given
the earldom of Sutherland in 1228. The 2nd Earl fought at
Bannockburn, and the 4th Earl married a daughter of
Robert the Bruce. The Sutherlands had many feuds,
particularly with the Mackays. Their chief lived at
Dunrobin Castle in Golspie. In the 16th century, the
earldom passed to Adam Gordon, who had married a daughter
of the old earl and disinherited the rightful heirs.
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| CLAN MOTTO : MEAN, SPEAK AND DO WELL |
The name Urquhart comes from Castle
Urquhart on the banks of Loch Ness. In 1358, William
Urquhart was made Sheriff of Cromarty by Robert the Bruce.
The most famous Urquhart was Sir Thomas Urquhart of
Cromarty, who translated Rabelais. He died of laughter in
1660, hearing news of the Restoration of the monarchy.
Although the clan were ancient, they were not as ancient
as Sir Thomas claimed when he decided that he was 143rd
in direct descent from the biblical Adam. Colonel James Urquhart died in 1741. The line to the current chief of Clan Urquhart continued on through his cousin.
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| CLAN MOTTO : FOR LIBERTY | Wallace comes from the Medieval Latin Wallensis,
which means Welsh, but which was used in Scotland to
describe the Welsh, or British, of the Strathclyde region.
A Richard Wallace, who lived in the 12th century,
obtained lands in Ayrshire. His great-great-grandson was
the famous Scottish hero William Wallace (1274-1305).
William led resistance against the English, his guerilla
tactics gaining more and more support from the Scottish
nobles as time went on. Eventually, William was betrayed
and taken to London where Edward(I) had him executed.
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