Scottish Family Names Mac*
MacALISTER
NAME ON MAP: MacALASDAIR (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: the clan descends from Alasdair Mor, the great grandson of the Somerled (killed 1164), the half‑Viking king of the Hebrides and Argyll. Alasdair was killed in 1299 in a feud with his distant cousin Alasdair MacDougall, Lord of Lorne.
MacALPINE
NAME ON MAP: MacAILPEIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: the meaning is unknown. Tradition traces the clan's descent from King Alpin who was murdered after the defeat of the Scots by the Picts in 834. Its history is very uncertain, but they were probably located in northern Argyll.
MacANDREW, ANDERSON
NAME ON MAP: Mac GHILLE AINDRAIS OLD COUNTY: Argyll DATE: 14th century MEANING: `son of Andrew' or `son of St. Andrew'. The `Kinrara' manuscript of 1676 states that `sick‑like' Donald MacGillandrish came from Moidart to Badenoch with Moira MacDonald before 1400. The clan was therefore in Moidart at the date of this map. In Badenoch the MacAndrews soon became associated with, and effectively a sept of, the Clan Chattan. It is probable that many Andersons descend from the sept.
MacARTHUR
NAME ON MAP: MacARTUIR (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Arthur'. (Although the name Arthur has been derived from BRYTHONIC artos `a bear', its probable origin is LATIN Artorius.) The clan probably descended from the Campbells. The 14th century saw them at the height of their power as their support for, and the MacDougall's opposition to, Robert the Bruce led to their being awarded large areas of land in Lorne at the expense of the MacDougalls. Most of these were forfeited after the clan chief was executed by James I in 1427.
MacAULAY
NAME ON MAP: MacAMHLAIDH (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty (Lewis) MEANING: there were two clans, one in Lewis and one to the south west of Loch Lomond. Only the former is shown on the map. The Lewis clan name means `son of Amhlaidh', a name probably related to OLD NORSE áleifr and modern Olaf, a personal name deriving from ans `god' and leifr `relic'. The progenitor of the clan was Gunni Olafson who was given sanctuary in Lewis, a Viking island until 1266, by the MacLeods after he had been expelled from Orkney. The clan had an earlier base near Ullapool (see entry). The Dunbartonshire, or Ardincaple, clan name means `son of Amhalghaidh', an old GOIDELIC name. Their lands are covered by the place‑name Rosneth on the map.
MacBEAN, MacBAIN
NAME ON MAP: MacBHEATHAIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Inverness MEANING: `son of Beathan'; the name is a diminutive of GOIDELIC beath `life'. See the entry for Clan Chattan.
MacCOLL
NAME ON MAP: MacCOLL (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Coll'. (The name just possibly derives from GOIDELIC coileán `young dog, youth'.) Tradition has it that the clan was a branch of the MacDonalds who used the name Coll extensively.
MacDONALD
NAME ON MAP: CLAN DOMNALLACH (in GAELIC) OLD COUNTY: Hebrides, Inverness MEANING: until the 16th century the name was Clan Dhomhnuill or Domnallach `of the Donalds': only the chief was known as MacDhomnuill `son of Donald'. The personal name derives from GOIDELIC dubno `world' and val‑ `might, rule'. Grandson to Somerled (killed 1164), the half‑Viking king of the Hebrides and Argyll, Donald was the son of Ranald and his second wife, daughter of Olaf, King of Man. Donald, his son Angus and his grandson Angus Og were effectively independant princes and when Angus Og supported Robert the Bruce he considered himself an equal. Angus Og's son, John, was the first to assume the title `Lord of the Isles' and it was John's son Archibald or Ranald who was the founder of Clan Ranald (after the date of this map).
MacDONELL OF GLENGARRY this clan descended from Donald, son of Ranald and is therefore too late to appear on the map. See the previous entry. Glengarry is shown as Glen‑garech.
MacDOUGALL
NAME ON MAP: MacDHÚGHAILL (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Dubhghall'; the name derives from GOIDELIC bubh `dark' and ghall `foreigner'. Dougal, one of the three sons of Somerled (killed 1164), the half‑Viking king of the Hebrides and Argyll, received as a part of his portion the lands of Lorn and was styled Lord of Argyll. The family opposed Robert the Bruce and in one skirmish almost captured him; he only escaped by discarding his cloak and brooch. The Brooch of Lorn is still in the clan's hands today. After Bannockburn the family was deprived of their lands by the king. Although a portion of these lands was restored within a century, but the clan was never as powerful again as it had been in former times. See the entry for MacArthur.
MacDOWALL
NAME ON MAP: MacDHÚGHAILL (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Wigtown MEANING: see the previous entry; the clans were not related. It is possible that in this case Dougal was one of the ancient Lords of Galloway. The modern form Dowall rather than Dougal is interesting in view of the clan's proximity to Ireland, where Dhúghaill has become Doyle.
MacDUFF
NAME ON MAP: MacDUF OLD COUNTY: Fife DATE: 12th century MEANING: `son of Dhubh'; the name meaning `dark' was probably a shortening of another name. The chiefs of the clan were earls of Fife from the late 11th century and it is thought they descend from Aedh, Abbot of Dunkeld, the elder brother of three kings: Edgar, Alexander I and David I. As a cleric, Aedh, was unable to assume the throne. Second in precedence in the kingdom, the family had the honour of enthroning the king at Scone. In 1306, the chief's elder sister Isabel gallantly deputised for her brother, who had been forced to become a ward of the English king, Edward I, and officiated at Robert the Bruce's coronation. Edward's revenge included displaying her in a lattice cage at Berwick Castle.
MacEWEN
NAME ON MAP: MacEóGHAINN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Eóghann'; the name probably meant `youth'. Eóghain na h‑Oitrich `Ewen of the Otter' was one of the early chiefs whose castle controlled traffic on Loch Fyne.
MacFARLANE
NAME ON MAP: MacPHARLAIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Parlan'; the name is a contraction of GOIDELIC Partholon, which possibly derives from bar `sea' and tola `waves'. It was later Anglicized as Bartholomew. The founder of the clan is believed to have lived during the reign of David II (1329‑71) and have descended from a younger son of an Earl of Lennox.
MacFIE
NAME ON MAP: MacDHUBH‑SHITHE (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Colonsay) MEANING: `son of Dhubhshith'; the name derives from GOIDELIC dubh `dark' and shith `peace'. The name appears in the 13th century as MacDufthi. The clan lived on Colonsay and provided the Hereditary Keeper the Records to the MacDonalds.
MacGILLIVRAY
NAME ON MAP: MacGHILLE‑BRATHE (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Inverness MEANING: `son of Ghille‑brathe'; the name means 'servant of judgement or doom'. The clan's original homeland was in Argyll, but a 16th century historian records that in c.1270 Gillevray pledged himself and his family to the Mackintoshes and Clan Chattan and settled in the area south east of Inverness. This was probably a response to the conquests of Alexanders II and III. See the entry for Clan Chattan.
MacGREGOR
NAME ON MAP: MacGRIOGHAIR (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Grioghair; the name Gregor(y) derives from GREEK `to be watchful'. The clan's motto `S'rioghal mo dhream' `Royal is my race' attests to the tradition that it descended from a brother or son of the 9th century King Kenneth MacAlpin. It is more probable that the name comes from Gregor `of the Golden Bridles' in the 14th century. The clan's turbulent history was dictated by the fact that their homeland was situated in the heartland of Campbell country.
MacINNES
NAME ON MAP: MacAONGHAIS (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Aonghais; the name means `unique choice'. The clan was closely allied to the MacGillivrays in Morven at an early date and remained there after their allies migrated east. See the entry for MacGillivray.
MacINTYRE
NAME ON MAP: Mac an TSAOIR (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: GAELIC `son of the carpenter'. The clan may possibly have originated in Kintyre or the Hebrides, but settled in Glenoe in the 14th century, where they became foresters to the Stewarts who had become Lords of Lorn.
MacKAY
NAME ON MAP: MacAOIDH, CLANN MHIC MORGAINN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Sutherland MEANING: `son of Aodh (or Aedh)'; the name means `fire'. The clan seems to descended from the old ruling house of Moray. Malcolm, chief in the 12th century, may have married Somerled's sister. (Somerled (killed 1164), was the half‑Viking king of the Hebrides and Argyll.) Malcolm's grandson Kenneth was killed in a rebellion against William the Lion (1165‑1214). It was under Kenneth's son and grandson that the clan moved to the Durness area, where they became bitter rivals of the Sutherlands. The early MacKays were also known as Clann mhic Morgainn.
MacKENDRICK, see HENDERSON
MacKENZIE
NAME ON MAP: MacCOINNICH (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Ross and Cromarty MEANING: `son of Coinneach'; the name derived from GOIDELIC cann `fair'. The clan probably descends from Gilleoin of the Aird and was thus connected to the old ruling house of Ross. Most of the family's vast territory was barren and its political influence, therefore, was less than it would appear from the map.
MacKINNON
NAME ON MAP: MacFHIONGHUIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Mull, Skye MEANING: `son of Fhionnghan'; the name Fingon probably means `fair‑born'. The family probably originally controlled most of Mull and Iona, but lost out to the MacLeans in the 14th century. They still, however, provided many abbots of Iona.
MacKINTOSH
NAME ON MAP: Mac an TOISICH (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Inverness MEANING: `son of the chief'. The clan is believed to have descended from the early MacDuffs. The marriage of the 6th chief to Eva the heiress to Clan Chattan in c.1291 brought the clan to a dominant position within Clan Chattan for many generations. See the entries for Clan Chattan and Shaw (Highland).
MacLACHLAN
NAME ON MAP: MacLACHLAINN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Lachlan'; the name possibly derived from GOIDELIC laochail `warlike'. There is a tradition that the clan descends from the O'Neill kings of Ulster. Lachlan Mor (`the Great') is recorded in the 13th century and Gileskel McLachlan in 1292.
MacLAINE of LOCHBUIE
OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Mull) DATE: too late to be shown on this map MEANING: see the entry for MacLean. The progenitor of this now separate branch of the MacLean clan was Eachan Reaganach `Hector the stubborn' who resented his younger brother Lachlan Lùbanach `Lachlan the astute' being chosen as clan chief, although this was perfectly legal under a system known as `tanistry'. He was granted the lands of Loch Buie by John, 1st Lord of the Isles in the second half of the 14th century, just after the date of this map. Lochbuie (Lochbowe) is shown.
MacLAREN
NAME ON MAP: MacLABHRUINN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Perth MEANING: `son of Labhran; the name, the GOIDELIC form of Lawrence, probably derives ultimately from LATIN `bay tree'. He seems to have been a medieval abbot of Achtow. Traditionly the clan trace their ancestry to Loarn, one of the three sons of Erc, who with his brothers Fergus and Angus came from Ireland (which had been called Scotia by the Romans) in the 5th or 6th centuries to found the a new Scots kingdom across the sea.
MacLEAN
NAME ON MAP: MacGHILLE EOIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Mull) MEANING: `son of the servant of (St.) John'. The earliest GOIDELIC form of John was Eathain; Eoin, the later form, has now become Iain. The clan descended from Old Dugald of Scone, and may have been moved west by Malcolm IV. Seven generations later Gilleathain na Tuaighe `Gillean of the battleaxe' fought against the Vikings at the Battle of Largs; the clan adopted his name. His grandson, Malcolm, fought for Bruce at Bannockburn and his great‑grandson, Iain Dubh `the Black', was chief when the clan was granted the lands of Duart. See the entry for MacLaine.
MacLENNAN, LOGAN
NAME ON MAP: MacGILL'INNEIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Ross and Cromarty MEANING: `son of (St.) Fillan's servant'. The Lowland Logans (not shown) derived their name from Logan in Ayrshire. For the Highland Logans it is necessary to have recourse to a clan legend; apparently the Frasers killed Gilligorm the chief of a small clan in Easter Ross and broke the bones of his young son. Crotair `hunchback' MacGilligorm grew up and was nicknamed Lobhaireacan `stunted', thus Logan. He migrated west to Kintail and became a priest, dedicating his son to St. Fillan. CELTIC priests were allowed to marry and the story might just be true.
MacLEOD
NAME ON MAP: MacLEÓID (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Skye, Lewis, Ross & Cromarty MEANING: `son of Leòd'. The name is OLD NORSE Ljotr `ugly'; he was one of the sons of Olav the Black, who was King of Man and the Isles (1225‑37), and was brought up by Paal Baalkeson, Olav's sheriff in Skye. On his foster father's death in 1231 and Olav's in 1237, he inherited extensive lands in Skye, Lewis and the mainland. He obtained Dunvegan Castle by marriage. The MacLeods are really two separate clans, named after Leòd's two eldest sons, Tormod and Torquil.
MacMILLAN
NAME ON MAP: MacGHILLE‑MHAOLAIN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Perth MEANING: `son of the bald or tonsured servant', ie. the cleric or the abbot. It seems to have been a Celtic family in the Moray area; An Gillemaol living near Elgin appears in The Book of Deer at 1132; his son Malcolm is recorded in 1150. The clan was moved by David I to Lochaber at this time and then in c.1160 was moved to Loch Tay (as shown on the map) where they remained for two centuries before being driven out once more to settle in the Kintail area.
MacNAB
NAME ON MAP: Mac an ABA (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Perth MEANING: `son of the abbot'. The clan descended from the abbots of Glendochart who had considerable local status and power. The MacNabs supported the MacDougalls (see entry) against Robert the Bruce and like them suffered after Bannockburn; possibly because of their connection with the church, however, they were not deprived of all their lands, being allowed to retain Bovain in Glendochart.
MacNAUGHTON
NAME ON MAP: MacNEACHDAINN (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Neachdainn'; the name BRYTHONIC Nechtan derives from nech `pure, washed'. The family originated in Lorn and in 1247 Gillecrist Mac Nachtan, son of Malcolm, the first recorded chief, was granted the church of Kilmorich; in 1267 he gained possession of Fraoch Eilean Castle in Loch Awe. At 1300 the clan's lands lay between Loch Awe and Loch Fyne. Like the MacNabs (see above) they opposed Bruce and lost much land; they recovered most of it, however, under Bruce's successor.
MacNEIL
NAME ON MAP: MacNÉILL (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Hebrides, Outer Hebrides MEANING: `son of Nèill'; the name may have meant `champion'. There are two separate branches of the clan: the MacNeils of Barra and the MacNeils of Gigha. Tradition traces their descent from the 5th century Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages, but there is no proof other than a story which claims such antiquity for the clan that one of the early chiefs refused space on the Ark on the grounds that, `the MacNeil had his own boat'. Neil Og MacNeil of Barra supported Robert the Bruce and was granted land by him in Kintyre. The MacNeils of Gigha, the minor branch of the clan, are best remembered as pirates.
MacNICOL, NICHOLSON
NAME ON MAP: MacNEACAIL (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty, Skye MEANING: `son of Nicol'; the name derives from LATIN Nicolaus, itself derived from the GREEK, `victory of the people'. The MacNicols shown are of the West Highland clan; many of have become Nicholsons, but they are totally unrelated to the more numerous Lowland Nicholsons.
MacPHERSON
NAME ON MAP: MacMHUIRICH (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Inverness MEANING: `son of the parson'. The clan descended from Ewen Ban, son of Muirach, an early chief of Clan Chattan, and the daughter of the Thane of Cawdor. Ewen Ban had been parson of Kingussie before becoming chief and the clan became known as MacMhuirich `son of Muirach' or Mac a'Phearsoin `son of the parson'. The name shown on the map is MacMhuirich as it was not until the 15th century that Donald Mhor adopted the modern form.
MacQUARRIE
NAME ON MAP: MacGUADHRE (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Island of Ulva) MEANING: `son of Guaire'; the name means `proud, noble'. Traditionally the clan descends from Cormac Mor who fought alongside Alexander II during his invasion of the Western Highlands in 1249.
MacQUEEN, MacSWAN, MacSWEEN
NAME ON MAP: MacSHUIBHNE (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Argyll MEANING: `son of Shuibhne'; the name means `good going'. The clan was associated with the MacDonalds at an early date and gave its name to Castle Sween in Argyll.
MacRAE
NAME ON MAP: MacRATH (in GAELIC ) OLD COUNTY: Inverness MEANING: `son of grace'. The clan lived in the Beauly district until the mid‑14th century, then migrated west to Kintail where they became closely associated with the MacKenzies.