Are You A Clansman?

[Jack Daw]

I consider it by my DNA and surname. My clan assocations request a genealogy, but other clan associations do not.

[BoldHighlander]

This is probably going to be almost as contentious as the What Is A Scot wars of a few weks ago... I hope not, but ya never know....

Is it your name, your ancestry, or a membership card that gives you bragging rights as a Clan MacX clansman?

Let me step out of the line of fire and ask:

YOUR OPINIONS, PLEASE?

Well MacMillan, you've might've opened a real can of worms with this one

This is one of those subjects thats purely subjective. What maybe "correct" for one individual, or clan / clan society, maynot be for another.

Why even within my own Clan Mackay (USA / Canada / & Scotland) we have had one or two individuals voice the opinion that one must bear the surname to be a "true" clansman. An opinion thankfully not shared by the Chief or the rest of the membership.

I consider it by my DNA and surname. My clan assocations request a genealogy, but other clan associations do not.

I agree with what Jack wrote (for myself), though when you mention surname I do not know if you mean you bear the surname or you come from a linage connected to that surname?
In my case it is the later. My paternal grandmother was a Scobee, and we can trace our linage at least as far as my 6th great-grandfather, John Scoby b. 1720 in Scotland.

If someone today, as the afore mentioned Mackay, believes you must bear the surname to be a member, I say nonsense! After all many of our ancestors belonged to the clans either through marriage, swearing allegience to the chief, etc, without ever taking the chief's name, mine included.

Again, using Clan Mackay as an example, we also have members who have no relation at all to the Mackays or their septs. These are honorary members who have shown great interest & done service for the clan, its society, etc.
Really again no different than in ancient times.

As with Jack, in my associations some require genealogy, some do not.
Mackays do not, however we have been in the (long overdue) process of developing a genealogical data base. In everyone of my memberships I have provided a genealogy for each one going back to Scotland, or Ireland (required or not).

And while I honor my ancestors with memberships in their clans (the ones I can positively trace anyways), I feel most bound to the Mackays thru my pride in my Scobee kith & kin and their accomplishments (including my cousin Dick Scobee, late commander of the ill-fated space shuttle Challenger), thru my friendships & kinships with Clan Mackay worldwide, and by being a state commissioner for the society (a position which was approved by the Lord Reay, Chief of the Mackays himself.).

In the end, am I a clansman? Yes, like Jack so well said "its in my DNA".