Scottish Clans

A guide to the surnames of Scotland with each entry covering the history, land areas, castles and tartans. Includes 240 tartans and maps.

Provides an account of some of the commonest Scottish names; it sheds light on their historical origins, gives indications of their geographical distribution and provides details of prominent family members. Includes clan tartans.

“A brisk and accessible guide to a thousand years of reiving and rivalry in the Highlands.” —The Scotsman The story of the Highland clans of Scotland is famous, the names celebrated, and the deeds heroic. Having clung to ancient traditions of family, loyalty, and valor for centuries, the clans met the beginning of their end at the fateful Battle of Culloden in 1746. Alistair Moffat traces the history of the clans from their Celtic origins to the coming of the Romans; from Somerled the Viking to Robert the Bruce; from the great battles of Bannockburn and Flodden to Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Risings; and from the Clearances to the present day. Moffat is an adept guide to the world of the clans, a world dominated by lineage, land, and community. These are stories of great leaders and famous battles, and of an extraordinary people, shaped by the unique traditions and landscape of the Scottish Highlands. It’s a story too about the pain of leaving, with the great emigrations to the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand that began after Culloden. Complete with a clan map and an alphabetical list of the clans of the Scottish Highlands, this is a must for anyone interested in the history of Scotland.

Get accurate information about Scottish clans, family associations, and societies in this updated edition of Scottish Clans and Their Associated Families. Robert J. Heston expands on his groundbreaking work to focus on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs’ (SCSC) list of 353 clans. In addition, the author has retained the details of thirty-three Scottish families who are active in the United States and not cited in the SCSC list. When using this book, it is important to note that most Scottish clan and family organizations have clauses in their family lists stating that “variations in spelling of these names are accepted.” Therefore, this book provides the researcher the ability to look beyond an exact spelling of a name. Other books on this subject focus on a small number of clans, ancient names, and the preferred spellings of these small number of families. Some associate an individual name to a tartan, which can be problematic. With more than 12,000 names with the sources where these names were found, this work is the best source focused on identifying family surnames associated with Scottish clans, houses, and families.

With the exception of the key royal sites, such as Stirling and Edinburgh, few Scottish castles were located at strategic points, or were intended to house garrisons required to defend or subjugate towns. Instead they were primarily fortified dwelling houses, erected in an environment of weak Royal authority and endemic feuding between rival clans and groups, in both Highland and Lowland areas. Although some enceinte castles were developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, most defensive construction focused on the tower house, a distinctive vernacular style of Scottish fortification. This book examines the design, development, and purpose of these quintessentially Scottish buildings, and also covers larger sites such as Urquhart and Blackness.