tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649373752017919445.post3747395332321277240..comments2023-03-29T12:49:14.244+01:00Comments on The Professional Descendant: Do clans have anything to do with researching Scottish genealogy?Kirsty F Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05558508787388848119noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649373752017919445.post-62631612931536092582009-08-23T13:17:47.293+01:002009-08-23T13:17:47.293+01:00To: Alan Stewart
Many thanks for your most intere...To: Alan Stewart<br /><br />Many thanks for your most interesting comment and please accept my apologies if you feel I misrepresented the information provided in your book.<br /><br />My intention in this short blog post was simply to show that the subject of clans is a more complex one than many people may realise and that it can be difficult to find clear information on the topic.Kirsty F Wilkinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05558508787388848119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649373752017919445.post-52966046541412331242009-08-21T17:41:24.181+01:002009-08-21T17:41:24.181+01:00Hi Kirsty
In 1746, Duncan Forbes of Culloden, Lor...Hi Kirsty<br /><br />In 1746, Duncan Forbes of Culloden, Lord President of the Court of Session (and a noted anti-Jacobite), wrote that "a Highland clan is a set of men all bearing the same surname, and believing themselves to be related the one to the other, and to be descended from the same common stock. In each clan, there are several subaltern tribes, who own allegiance to the supreme chief of the clan or kindred, and look upon it to be their duty to support him at all adventures."<br /><br />Forbes is talking about Highland clans, and you'll notice he says "believing themselves" to be related. You mentioned that I wrote in my book about families changing their names, but you didn't mention that I quoted Sir Iain Moncreiffe (in my chapter on DNA) suggesting that, because of the intermarriage of the descendants of a clan chief with lesser mortals over the generations, by the 19th century, an 'ordinary' clansman or -woman was "highly likely" to descend from the clan chief of 500 years earlier.<br /><br />Many of the chiefs were descended in the female line from Robert the Bruce and the earlier Kings of Scots. The MacDonalds of MacDonald, Mackenzies of Gairloch, Campbells of Argyll, Stewarts of Appin, Mackays and Robertsons are some of those who were descended from Robert II, and therefore Robert the Bruce (his grandfather) and his ancestor Alfred the Great (through Saint Margaret).<br /><br />So it can be worth knowing what clan you're descended from after all.<br /><br />Best wishes<br /><br />Alan StewartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649373752017919445.post-43281747823714342702009-08-03T06:03:29.135+01:002009-08-03T06:03:29.135+01:00Wow!
And I thought tracing 'slave ancestry...Wow!<br /><br />And I thought tracing 'slave ancestry' was difficult! LOL<br /><br />I can't really add to this conversation, but it is fascinating to listen in.<br /><br />Peace,<br />"Guided by the Ancestors"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649373752017919445.post-37252478096034893312009-08-02T14:57:23.096+01:002009-08-02T14:57:23.096+01:00I have no particular knowledge of the Fairbairns b...I have no particular knowledge of the Fairbairns but have found no suggestion that there was ever a 'Clan Fairbairn'. I see there is some suggestion that members of the Fairbairn family were a sept of Clan Armstrong, a clan which has effectively not existed since the seventeenth century, although there are obviously many people who bear the name Armstrong. Sadly, few of us are able to accurately trace our family lines back this far!<br />Knowing the origins of your surname and the areas where it is most concentrated can certainly be helpful to genealogical research and DNA is an exciting new tool for family historians, but this is true of any surname not just those which originated in Scotland and appears to have little to do with the existence, or otherwise, of clans.<br />KirstyKirsty F Wilkinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05558508787388848119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649373752017919445.post-69423013076775371662009-08-02T13:38:51.852+01:002009-08-02T13:38:51.852+01:00Kristie, I have found that knowing the clan your f...Kristie, I have found that knowing the clan your family came from gives you an idea of where to look in Scotland for your family. Fairbairns have a worldwide DNA project to see how many are related. The Fairbairn name was mostly found in the Scottish borders. The surnames are Fairbairn, Fairburn, Freeborn, Fairchild. (http://fairbairndna.blogspot.com/)Earline Hines Bradthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17099623350212034924noreply@blogger.com