The name ‘Haig’ comes from the Norman name ‘de Haga’. There were theories that the Haigs were of Pictish descent but this has been discounted. A charter signed in 1162 to the Monastery of Dryburgh bears the name ‘Petrus de Haga, proprietor of the lands and barony of Bemersyde. He was later charged by Alexander […]
The origins of this name are found in the land of the same name in the parish of Innerleithen in Peeblesshire. The earliest of the name on record (during the reign of Alexander II) is that of Symon de Horsbroc who witnessed a charter by William Purveys of Mospennoc to the monks of Melrose. William […]
Ochterlony, can be found spelled in various different ways. These include Auchterlonie, Auchterlony, Ochterlonie, and Ouchterlony. The name is of local origin, coming from the lands of Auchterlonie, near Forfar in Angus. At some point during 1226 and 1239, John of Othirlony exchanged his lands of Othirlony for those of Kenny with Walter, son of […]
Coming Soon
It is not uncommon to find the surname Tennant also spelled as Tenant and Tennent. In 1296, there is record of a William tenant of Crestone of county Linlescu, and he pledged allegiance to Edward I of England by signing the Ragman Roll, along with many other Scottish nobles. His seal bears a large dog […]
The surname Tait was originally a nickname. According to Venerable Bede, in his book ‘The Ecclesiastical History of the English People’, Ethelberga, who was daughter of Ethelbert, king of Kent, she was also known as ‘Tate’ (feminie), and there are nine indivduals recorded as being called ‘Tata’ (masculine) in Walter de Gray Birch’s Cartularium Saxonicum. […]
Like the Lamont, MacLachlan and MacSween clans, the name MacNeill is said to descend from Niall of the Nine Hostages, the earliest historical high king of Ireland who reigned in the fifth century. In the eleventh century, Anrothan, son of Kin Aodh O’Neill married a princess of Dalriada and it was from this union that […]
One of the 7 ancient kingdoms of Scotland, the rulers of this kingdom were known as ‘Mormaer’ an ancient Pictish form of Earl. The Earldom of Mar lies in Aberdeenshire between Dee and Don among spectacular scenery. Donald Mormaer of Mar fought alongside the great Irish King Brian Boru against Norse invaders in 1014. ‘Rothri’ […]
The name Inglis is believed to have come from the old English for ‘Englishman’. An Early (12th century) mention of the name (Richard Anglicus) is found in the witnessing of a charter of David I to Melrose Abbey. In 1296, when Edward I invaded Scotland, the names of John de Inglis, Walter de Inglis and […]
Of great antiquity, and possibly descending through a female stem from the Celtic royal dynasty, the name Moncreiffe is derived from the feudal barony of Moncreiffe in Perthshire. The lands take their name from the gaelic ‘Monadh Croibhe’ meaning ‘hill of the sacred bough’. The clan badge features an oak tree, presumably the aforementioned sacred […]
