The lands of the clan Munro lie on the north side of the Cromarty Firth. Known as Ferindonald from the gaelic ‘Fearainn Domhnuill’ or Donald’s Land, this is probably a reference to the traditional founder of the clan. The Munro clan were never known as an unduly combative family, but rather made their mark in […]
The name of Napier has a long and ancient history, being descended from the Celtic royal families of Scotland and Ireland. It has been suggested that the name derives from the “naperer” the officer of the royal household in charge of linen. However, another, and more romantic, origin suggests that a young knight of the […]
The clan is named after the river and lands of Blackadder in Berwickshire. Adam of Blackathir was one of those sent to conduct the envoys with Princess Cecilia’s dower to Edinburgh in 1477, and in 1486 Charles Blackater had protection and safe conduct to travel in England. Robert Blackadder was bishop of Glasgow at the […]
The surname Rutherford comes from territorial origins, taken from the lands of Rutherford in the parish of Maxton in Roxburghshire. The name is of an ancient and once powerful Border family. The meaning and origin of the place name is simply from the old English hrythera ford, which means a ford for cattle. The names […]
The name of the clan MacLaren is known in Gaelic as “Clann mhic Labhrainn”. The origins of the clan are shadowy and remain speculative, although one traditional account claims descent from Lorn, son of Erc, who landed in Argyll in A.D. 503. However, there is no concrete evidence of Lorn being the progenitor of the […]
The surname Taylor, also seen as Tayler and Tayleur, is of an occupational origin, coming from the word ‘tailor’, meaning a cutter of cloth. The word ‘tailor’ has roots in old French, from the word tailler meaning ‘to cut’. In Latin documents the surname is often recorded as cissor. It is a very common name, […]
St. Clare in Pont d’Eveque in Normandy is generally thought to be the birthplace of this great northern clan. The family received a grant of the Barony of Roslin in Midlothian during the twelfth century. Through marriage, the family obtained the Earldom of Orkney, and in the next century received land in Caithness. The earldom […]
The Scottish surname Cooper comes from the occupation of ‘cooper’, someone who made kegs and barrels, but also from Cupar, the burgh in Fife. The professional word was taken from Anglo Saxon origins – couper, cowper – and was for someone whose job it was to repair barrels, buckets and casks. In the Middle Ages […]
Abernethy is a sept of Clan Fraser and Clan Leslie, so can wear either the Fraser or Leslie tartans. Clan Fraser Tartans Fraser Modern ————————————————– Fraser Weathered ————————————————– Fraser Hunting Clan Leslie Tartans Leslie Modern ————————————————– Leslie Huntung
The Clan Rollo are of Norman origin. However they can trace their roots to the feared Norsemen who raided the coast of England and Scotland in the seventh and eighth centuries. Sigurd Rollo was Jarl of Shetland and Orkney, and his son, Einar, was a renowned Viking who not only raided Scotland, but parts of […]
