Who Belongs to the Clan?

[Father Bill]

This topic is so very often discussed here that I thought I'd toss this in as an information and thought point:

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A quote from Malcolm Sinclair of Caithness, Hereditary Chief of Clan Sinclair:

"I have often been asked whether someone has to be of a particular bloodline to join the Clan. For hundreds of years, the answer has been and remains "no!" In the past the Chief had right to say who was part of the Clan and who was not. When surnames became the usual form of address people of many different bloodlines, who were often un-related took the same name. Even then, people with other surnames joined a different clan. It was not the hard and fast rule as some think it might have been. As far as I am concerned, if someone shares our aspirations and wants to join our clan why shouldn't they?"

Clan Sinclair Association of Canada. Roslin O' Roslin: Newsletter of Clan Sinclair and St. Clair, Vol IV, No. 45, Summer 2013.

[aonghas]

I was accepted by clan MacNicol with those very thoughts in my soul.

[ThistleDown]

Well, really the answer to Caithness' rhetorical question is: "If you wish them to be, my Lord, they will be." The decision of who is a member of clan Sinclair and who is not is his alone. The confusion is always around "clan" and "clan association". If your name is Sinoradski and you successfully apply for membership in Clan Sinclair Association USA, Inc., then you are a member of the Clan Sinclair Association USA, Inc. You are not automatically a member of the clan Sinclair.

Unless his lordship, as the Sinclair chief, chooses to accept all those who are members of Clan Sinclair Association USA, Inc. as members of Clan Sinclair. If he does not and requires some sort of proof of your ancestral Sinoradski connection with the ancient lands of the Sinclairs in Caithness, then you must provide that proof in order to be accepted in the clan Sinclair.

Caithness is one of those chiefs who accepts all comers. There are others chiefs who are much more cautious and old-school, and that is their right.

[Johnny Selkie]

Personally I have to say that I find Caithness's answer in the newsletter above to be the most historically correct answer apart from "anyone the Chief accepts". I can't think of a leader that would've said no to potential loyal followers several hundred even thousand years ago when the physical size of ones army was crucial in keeping/gaining power and control of a certain territory.

[ThistleDown]

Actually, Johnny, there may in the Highland clan period have been many who rejected potential followers. Remember that the 'follower' was a tenant, sub-tenant or cotter and that meant that there had to be land on which he could live and earn his living without harming the prosperity of the whole. There were some fairly fertile regions of the Highlands -- Highland Perthshire, Easter Ross, Cromarty and Petty, for example -- where folk might have liked to live, but where the native chiefs certainly controlled their numbers rather than over-populate.

You are correct, though, and there likely were some chiefs who gathered dozens of warrior clansmen in order to acquire territory. Whether or not those warriors were 'loyal followers' and the chief a 'loyal' leader is worth considering because warriors can't continue into second generations without mating and the mates for them could only be found in the newly-acquired territories.

[Ozark Ridge Rider]

As I heard a chief of one of the reiving border clans say, "If someone is willing to ride with me and help me steal English cattle, I'm going to give him a horse"!

[Thomas H]

When I first started this journey into all things Scottish , I had no idea I could had ties to any clan. As I am Norwegian on my Dads side. But after a little research I found that my
GrandFather on my Grandmothers side was Scottish ( Fergusson ) so I thought
would the clan let me in on just that , I was afraid to ask - But I did. and they said Yes.

Now this was an exciting day for me ,as I had been kilted and attending the games 5 plus a year for two years with out a clan.
But that was two years ago and I am now the Region 4 RVP of clan Fergusson , looking back I am glad they were nice and let me join the clan . I just started doing the tents and they made me RVP of Region 4 , I guess no one esle wanted to do it - Awesome for me.
But yes if most people digg far enough they will find a clan that will take them - We will and our surnames chart even say at the bottom - anyone who wants to join can - just pay the dues of $25.00 a year and done . we dont stop people from enjoying the games just try and help them . and it is fun.

[McElmurry]

After sending my application to Clan Morrison Society NA I received a phone call from the treasurer who was unfamiliar with my name. I had been communicating with the clan genealogist and forwarded the emails to the treasurer. My application was then accepted and the website has since been updated to include McElmurry as an anglicized form of Mac Ghille Mhoire found in the USA. I am not privy to the Chief's position on the matter but the society seems to prefer, if not require, some family connection.

[BCAC]

When I first started this journey into all things Scottish , I had no idea I could had ties to any clan. As I am Norwegian on my Dads side. But after a little research I found that my
GrandFather on my Grandmothers side was Scottish ( Fergusson ) so I thought
would the clan let me in on just that , I was afraid to ask - But I did. and they said Yes.

Now this was an exciting day for me ,as I had been kilted and attending the games 5 plus a year for two years with out a clan.
But that was two years ago and I am now the Region 4 RVP of clan Fergusson , looking back I am glad they were nice and let me join the clan . I just started doing the tents and they made me RVP of Region 4 , I guess no one esle wanted to do it - Awesome for me.
But yes if most people digg far enough they will find a clan that will take them - We will and our surnames chart even say at the bottom - anyone who wants to join can - just pay the dues of $25.00 a year and done . we dont stop people from enjoying the games just try and help them . and it is fun.

Does your last sentence "..... just pay the dues of $25 a year ....." apply to the clan Fergusson society and not the clan itself, Thomas? As far as I'm aware, no clan demands that its members pay a certain sum each year to be members of said clan.

[Thomas H]

Yes we have to pay dues each year of $25.00 , I thought everyone did ??????
this is the society , not the over all clan .