Scottish Clan Heritage

A couple of days ago I saw notifications that it was Tartan Day and thought that would be a good opportunity to post some information on what I know about our Scottish heritage and what a tartan is. It’s basically a plaid pattern, and a very important part of the Scottish culture. According to the linked article above, specific patterns weren’t always linked to specific clans, but that became important as people tried to preserve Scottish culture. Today, any clan organization will have a tartan pattern that they claim.

The history of the clans, list of clans, and Scottish history is really interesting and likely a very consuming search if you really got started.

All of my Outlander friends, so far I can’t find any connection to Clan Fraser or Clan MacKenzie, but you just never know 🙂

American Clan Gregor

There are a couple of clans that I know I can associate with. One is the American Clan Gregor Society. I am a member of this clan with prove lineage to a Magruder connection. My first Magruder is my 7X Great Grandmother is is connected through my Great Grandma Gladys Hagerdon Anderson and through her Livermore, Hazelrigg, and Harvey lines. However, there is some thought that the first immigrant from Scotland, Alexander Magruder, isn’t actually affiliated with the Clan Gregor. We do know that he was Scottish, and likely was affiliated with one clan or another, even if it looks like it may be a bit different than originally thought. Regardless, the American Clan Gregor is all related through Alexander the immigrant.

Clan Finley/Farquharson

This is one I stumbled on when researching the Findley family. My immigrant ancestor William Findley (who will eventually get a full post of his own as a Revolutionary War Veteran and active politician) came from Ireland to the US, but the family connection goes way back into Scotland. Research shows that the Clan Finley is actually a sept of the Clan Farquharson and much research has been done on the family. This was also really interesting as the research done believes that it ties the family back to Macbeth (yes, the Shakespeare Macbeth) and a couple of people believe that they have proof tying the family all the way back to Adam and Eve. Critics doubt some of the lineage that goes too far back, but it’s fun to think about! This connection is through my Great Grandmother Blanche Pocock Mauser and goes through her Pocock and Patterson lines. William is my 6X Great Grandfather.

Clan Bell

I haven’t really looked into this one as much, but there was a lot of intermarriage between the Magruder folks and the Beall family, which is a surname included in Clan Bell. Clan Bell North America has some good information. My nearest Beall ancestor is my 6X Great Grandmother Eleanor Beall. The connection here is also through my Great Grandmother Gladys Hagerdon Anderson and is through her Livermore, Hazelrigg, Beall lines.