A Swan in Search of his "True" Clan

[BoldHighlander]

I understand that - I think the thing that is frustrating to me is that all I really have is my surname and the knowledge my ancestors came from Scotland.

I understand your dilemma. My Scobee's (Scobie/Scoby) are listed as septs to the Mackay's. The name actually originated further south (Perthshire), but a Reverend Scobie moved north to Mackay country & married into the chief's family, hence the connection.

Am I related to that line? Who knows? We can only trace our Scoby's to 1720 "Scotland"

On the other hand, my Macranald's we can trace with certainty to the Keppoch region at least as far back as the early 1500's, as well as their connection to the Keppoch branch of Clan Donald...

There can be many clans in one's family tree. I like to honor them all.

Indeed!

That's a beautiful sett and one that I am inclined toward myself.

As am I!
And there is also some historical connections between the Macdonalds of Glencoe & those of Keppoch too!

[Cygnus]

Some of my family members have Clan Gunn memorabilia because they walked into some touristy shop and were told by the person behind the counter that Swan is a sept of Clan Gunn so that is their clan. My personal feeling is that most little shops like that don't carry badges, ties, or kilts for less common clans, so it makes economic sense to tell potential customers that they're part of clan X when it really could be Y or Z as well.

In reading this again it occurred to me that, since I was replying to Matt, some might think I was referring to the Scottish Tartan Museum when I mention "touristy shops" - and I want to set the record straight. Such is the reputation of the STM that I never even considered the thought that anybody could categorize it as a "touristy" shop. From all I've seen and heard, it is a truly first-rate establishment and I apologize if I gave anyone the impression that it was anything but that.

[campbell]

If you cannot trace your ancestry, the custom is to pick one of the Clans that list your surname as a sept. Here is an article that explains the custom:

http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...lies_septs.htm

The Clan Muir/Moore is another Clan that has a lot of sept problems check out the wiki article here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Muir

Good luck.

[macwilkin]

If you cannot trace your ancestry, the custom is to pick one of the Clans that list your surname as a sept. Here is an article that explains the custom:

http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...lies_septs.htm

The Clan Muir/Moore is another Clan that has a lot of sept problems check out the wiki article here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Muir

Good luck.

Being an educator by trade, the very mention of Wikipedia has a tendency to make my eye twitch, but the article about Clan Muir does make the point that it's really more complicated than just "picking one of the clans that list your surname as a sept." Note that the article discusses a number of Clans that the surname Muir is associated with, and the geographic areas where those clans were dominant. Determining where your ancestors were from in Scotland really determines which clan to affiliate with.

T.

[Bugbear]

Being an educator by trade, the very mention of Wikipedia has a tendency to make my eye twitch, but the article about Clan Muir does make the point that it's really more complicated than just "picking one of the clans that list your surname as a sept." Note that the article discusses a number of Clans that the surname Muir is associated with, and the geographic areas where those clans were dominant. Determining where your ancestors were from in Scotland really determines which clan to affiliate with.

T.

That's assuming they really were from Scotland. Be prepared for anything if you open the can of ancestors.

[macwilkin]

That's assuming they really were from Scotland. Be prepared for anything if you open the can of ancestors.

Thanks, Ted. You're "preaching the choir".

T.

[Cygnus]

Being an educator by trade, the very mention of Wikipedia has a tendency to make my eye twitch...

I'm the same way. I work for a university and am often shocked by how often faculty supply me with Wikipedia references for university materials. (Naturally, I send the submission back and request a peer-reviewed source.)

...but the article about Clan Muir does make the point that it's really more complicated than just "picking one of the clans that list your surname as a sept." Note that the article discusses a number of Clans that the surname Muir is associated with, and the geographic areas where those clans were dominant. Determining where your ancestors were from in Scotland really determines which clan to affiliate with.

I actually hadn't ventured into the realms of the Wikipedia link before I read your evaluation of it (and apologize to Campbell for my elitism). I found the read very interesting. My Swan ancestors lived almost exclusively in Midlothian (the exception being a brief stint in Ireland from about 1798/9 to 1802 at the latest). Prior to this time in Ireland, the only location I have is "Scotland". I have a lead that shows that maybe the family lived in Edinburgh prior to their few years in Ireland, but Edinburgh was a big city that was already attracting people in search of a "better life" and, to my knowledge, neither the MacQueens nor Gunns held any territory nearby (though I will concede that the MacQueens were a good deal closer to Midlothian than the Gunns).

At very least, I've learned a bit of Scottish geography from this exercise and at this point am leaning strongly toward clan MacQueen; however, I will continue trying to locate the family prior to the Rebellion of 1798 until I find an answer or lose my sanity!

[macwilkin]

I'm the same way. I work for a university and am often shocked by how often faculty supply me with Wikipedia references for university materials. (Naturally, I send the submission back and request a peer-reviewed source.)



I actually hadn't ventured into the realms of the Wikipedia link before I read your evaluation of it (and apologize to Campbell for my elitism). I found the read very interesting. My Swan ancestors lived almost exclusively in Midlothian (the exception being a brief stint in Ireland from about 1798/9 to 1802 at the latest). Prior to this time in Ireland, the only location I have is "Scotland". I have a lead that shows that maybe the family lived in Edinburgh prior to their few years in Ireland, but Edinburgh was a big city that was already attracting people in search of a "better life" and, to my knowledge, neither the MacQueens nor Gunns held any territory nearby (though I will concede that the MacQueens were a good deal closer to Midlothian than the Gunns).

At very least, I've learned a bit of Scottish geography from this exercise and at this point am leaning strongly toward clan MacQueen; however, I will continue trying to locate the family prior to the Rebellion of 1798 until I find an answer or lose my sanity!

I was in a similar situation years ago while researching my Williamson ancestors; while listed as a sept of the Gunns, Mackays and Macfarlanes, my Williamsons were orginally from Dunfermline in the Kingdom of Fife.

T.

[Cygnus]

I was in a similar situation years ago while researching my Williamson ancestors; while listed as a sept of the Gunns, Mackays and Macfarlanes, my Williamsons were orginally from Dunfermline in the Kingdom of Fife.

Interesting. Did you ever find a connection to one of those clans?

[macwilkin]

Interesting. Did you ever find a connection to one of those clans?

Nope. The Gunns & Mackays are in the far north of Scotland, and the Macfarlane territory is over by Loch Lomond. The Williamsons in Eastern Scotland were somehow involved in cattle droving, and are briefly mentioned in The Drove Roads of Scotland by A.R.B. Haldane.

T.