Who are Scotland's Clan Chiefs?

**cessna152towser** · 27th December 16, 01:15 PM

An interesting piece from the Edinburgh Evening News - although I have no idea how they selected the few clan chiefs whom they featured in the article.
http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.co...iefs-1-4326615

**O'Callaghan** · 3rd January 17, 10:22 PM

Likely to be a case of who was available. Many chiefs no longer live in Scotland, and if they still live in the Highlands, well, that is nowhere near Edinburgh, where this piece was written.

**Bluescelt** · 4th January 17, 10:23 AM

I heard that they have invited some chiefs to participate in the Tattoo at Edinburgh castle this year.

**Damion** · 4th January 17, 11:42 AM

How do brothers end up chiefs of different clans?

**davidlpope** · 4th January 17, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Damion

How do brothers end up chiefs of different clans?

Both their mother and their father were clan chiefs in their own right. The elder brother takes the more prestigious title (and his mother's surname), the younger takes the less prestigious title.

The chief of the Hamiltons is also the heir to the chieftainship of the Douglases, but as he has not taken that surname Lyon will not recognize him as such.

The chief of the Campbells is the nephew of the chief of the Colquhouns. The Scottish peerage are much connected by ties of descent and marriage.

**Stoff** · 5th January 17, 08:30 AM

Seems that it can be as confusing as family trees here in the southeastern USA.

Christoph

**Nathan** · 5th January 17, 02:30 PM

The article names restauranteur Ranald Macdonald as Chief of the Macdonalds of Clanranald. This, however, is not the case as his father, the 24th of Clanranald is very much alive.

**Damion** · 5th January 17, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

Both their mother and their father were clan chiefs in their own right.

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

**Nathan** · 5th January 17, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Damion

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

That's no longer the strict practice of succession. the Chief of Clan Elliott is female.