Clan Wilson

[Avonlea22]

Does anyone know if there is a Clan Wilson Society? I did a Google search, but nothing came up.

I know Wilson is a sept of Gunn, but I would have thought they'd have their own society.

[cajunscot]

Does anyone know if there is a Clan Wilson Society? I did a Google search, but nothing came up.

I know Wilson is a sept of Gunn, but I would have thought they'd have their own society.

A point to remember: not every Scottish surname is a "clan". Many "clan" societies today are modern organizations, and many are Lowland and/or Borderers families, which traditionally would have nothing to do with the old Highland clan system (including kilts & tartan) until fairly recent times. If I remember correctly, Black's Surnames of Scotland states that only 25-30% of Scottish surnames have some connection to a clan:

http://www.district-tartans.com/intro.htm

According to the General Register Office, Wilson is the third most common surname in Scotland (ca. 1995):

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/stati.../surnames.html

Not to mention all of the other Wilson's in the British Isles.

Regards,

Todd

[MacWage]

From what I have been able to glean:
The Wilson is one of those names that COULD come from ANYWHERE.
It means, basically, "Son of Will" (duh!)

The REASON for the Gunn association is one of the more legit of many septs, actually. When the Gunn name was proscribed (I have heard it was legally done so, other times that it was effectively done, but NOT officially-> not seen definative info either way, like MacGregor (DEFINATELY legally proscribed), many Gunns adopted "Son of Will" varients. I have heard various reasons why (from "Son of Wolf" to reference to a prominant chief or a progenator), but it seems MANY adopted MacWilliam and WILSON during this period and many KEPT the name.
While many Wilsons are not Gunns, many Gunns ARE Wilsons (IF that makes ANY sense).
Personally, I'd say that IF you can link Wilsons to the Caithness area, it likely is a renaming of a Gunn (and, therefore, a LEGIT sept/link). IF, however, one goes WAY back in the lowlands or the western part of Scotland, the link is more and more doubtful.
My OWN Wilson links we have only traced to Ireland and are NOT sure where that particular James Wilson even came from in Scotland, much less HIS forebearers. (Some of my cousins MAY have taken it further, but I am not aware if they have-> I need to locate and get in touch with the Newberry Wilsons and ASK!!) They WERE Scots due to the other families and associations and a few other factors (which I will not get into), BUT not sure where from IN Scotland.

My attitude toward septs:
Some are VERY legit (a particular name that is unique and historically connected to a particular clan, such as several hereditary offices and places in the Western Isles), while others are questionable (no PROOF that THAT NAME is associated with THAT PARTICULAR clan).
IF the name is the former (rare), then the tie is ABSOLUTE.
If it is the latter (like Wilson), then I take it lightly, until proven that MY ancestors came from a PARTICULAR village/area for a LONG period when Clans were alive and effective governances.
Many "clans" actually fall into the later, esp ANY that have Mac(common first name). In reality, it COULD be from an ENTIRELY different area/clan, like a Gordon, who was son of a Donald "Gordon," but whose children moved south and called themselves "Sons of Donald" (intended as illustration of typical scenerio, not an "attack" on any MacDonalds).
One name that has a COMMON association is Todd (from the Gaelic for "Fox") with Gordon. I can, therefore, "claim" Gordon (Paternal grandmother), but do so with a touch of hestiation, until I KNOW WHY the Todds are seen as Gordons (rather than a nickname for someone of cunning or red-headed).

(I'll stop before I get on to much of a tangent.)

THAT said, go to ANY Gunn tent in the US and I will PROMISE that if 3 are there, 1 or 2 WILL be Wilsons. FEW (if ANY) will be in Wilson tartans and most prefer the Gunn and will excitedly "draw" you into the clan. One tent had 6 Wilsons (and NO other sept) and I made the 7th.

Gunn is on my "to get" list, as is Wilson and Gordon (Todd).

[Avonlea22]

Wow! Thanks for the information.

My family has yet to trace our roots back to Scotland, but those that are doing the legwork are fairly certain (still no proof yet) that my Wilson family originated there. I surely wish I could find out whether this is true or not.

[haukehaien]

Keep checking, but don't be too shocked or unhappy if it turns out that the Wilsons in your ancestry aren't from Scotland. It's a very common name in the British Isles in general. My wife's family are Gunns; her aunt and uncle recently took a trip to Scotland to visit the ancestral haunts and came back all excited to tell me that we Wilsons were a sept of theirs. I broke it to them as gently as I could that the Wilsons I'm descended from came from Wales ... one of the easier bits to trace, as my great-grandfather was the first to emigrate to America.

[furrycelt]

Clan Innes also claims Wilson as a sept.


so if Wilson was the 3rd most common last name in Scotland around 1995, then the population has definitely changed. i was thumbing thru a history book at a recent highland games (published in 2006), and it said that Wilson is the 6th most common name in Scotland

[cajunscot]

Clan Innes also claims Wilson as a sept.


so if Wilson was the 3rd most common last name in Scotland around 1995, then the population has definitely changed. i was thumbing thru a history book at a recent highland games (published in 2006), and it said that Wilson is the 6th most common name in Scotland

Do you remember the title by chance? I'd love to add that book to the library.

T.

[furrycelt]

Do you remember the title by chance? I'd love to add that book to the library.

sadly i do not remember the title. my mind is like swiss cheese, holes in some parts, dense in others... but over all full of rich flavor... and will smell bad if left in a hot car for too long.

[Splash_4]

my mind is like swiss cheese, holes in some parts, dense in others... but over all full of rich flavor... and will smell bad if left in a hot car for too long.

ROTFLMAO! That was a great comeback, I might have to steal that one!

[gilmore]

Wow! Thanks for the information.

My family has yet to trace our roots back to Scotland, but those that are doing the legwork are fairly certain (still no proof yet) that my Wilson family originated there. I surely wish I could find out whether this is true or not.

Without proof there is no certainty at all.

There are many modern clan associations who claim all sorts of very common names---many of which are rarely Scots in origin----to increase their membership and revenue. Unfortunately, the Gunn associations are some of the worst, in my experience.

I am sure you would like to have and to recognize a Scottish heritage, but I would STRONGLY recommend patience, and waiting until you have more to go on before putting hundreds or thousands of dollars and hours of time into something that may prove to be based on false assumptions. Imagine having a collection of kilts in modern, ancient, weathered and hunting tartans, clan crest kilt pins and bonnet pins, perhaps a clan tattoo or two, maybe a futile trip or two or three to the "ancestral" area in Scotland, only to find out that it is all irrelevant to your actual ancestry. It happens. And too often these days.

I doubt that kilt merchants and other marketers of Scots paraphenalia, or the Scottish tourism industry would ever discourage you from believing whatever you choose to believe about your ancestry, especially if it involves the spending of American dollars; however, if your assumptions prove to be false, I am sure that few of your actual relatives who have relied upon them to their detriment will be amused.