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A Brief, Incomplete, and Rather Stopgap Article about European Household and Other Group Names Before 1600:
Scotland - Clans (in Scots)

See the Introduction for an explanation of what is contained in this article, and links to other sections.

(If you know of an article that A Brief, Incomplete, and Rather Stopgap Article about European Household and Other Group Names Before 1600 should link to instead of this section, or one covering a time, culture, language, and/or naming pattern not yet covered, please contact me and let me know!)

Scotland - Clans (in Scots)

True clans were a feature of Gaelic-speaking (Highland) culture. Scots-speaking, Lowland families were not true clans; however, in the 16th century, some Lowlanders began calling various Lowland families along the border with England (Border families) "clans" (not because these families had the same social structure as Gaelic clans, but because other Lowlanders considered them to be wild and lawless, just as they considered Highland clans to be). The naming patterns for Gaelic clans and for Lowland/Border families were different, whether in Gaelic or in Scots (a language closely related to contemporary English).

For information on how clans were named in Gaelic, see Medieval Gaelic Clan, Household, and Other Group Names by Sharon L. Krossa.

The Names of Gaelic/Highland Clans in Scots
Identification of Lowland Families in Scots

The Names of Gaelic/Highland Clans in Scots

In at least the 16th century, one pattern for the names of Gaelic/Highland clans used in Scotland (in Scots) was:

[the] <phonetic or semi-phonetic rendering into Scots of a Gaelic form of the clan name>

Historical examples include:

• 1506 (from Latin text): "Nec [sc. onerat se] de martis restantibus per le Clan Gune pro eorum compositione" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Le, Lie, art.) [Clan name in Gaelic, normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghuinn]
• a1508: "Off the Clan Quhettane twenti scoir He drave as oxin him befoir" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Scor(e, Scoir, Schor(e, Schoir, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Gillacatan (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann [Ghille] Chatain]
• 1520: "Ewin Allanson, chaptan of Clan Cameron" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Chaptan(e ) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Gillcamsroin (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann [Ghille] Chamshroin]
• 1520: "Alexander McAlan, chaptane off the Clanrannald" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Chaptan(e ) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Ragnall (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Raghnaill]
• 1530: "The Clan Gregour to keep gude rewle within thair boundis, siclike as uther pacifeit landis adjacent to them" (DSL-DOST, s.v. (Pacify-,) -fiit, -fied, -feit, ppl. a. ) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair]
• 1530: "That the Kingis liegis ma leif in rest and pece for ony scaith to be done be the said clan Gregour" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Pes(e ) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair]
• 1558: "To Rob … Robsone pleg of the Glengun [= Clan Gun]" (DSL-DOST, s.v. pleg(e ) [Clan name in Gaelic, normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghuinn]
• 1559: "Saing to hyme commond theff and murderissar of Clan Chattan and slachterrar of tham" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Murdriss-, Murdres(s)ar, Murthresar, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Gillacatan (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann [Ghille] Chatain]
• 1565: "To resset ony rebellis and surname of Clangregour" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Surname) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair]
• 1565: "The Clan Gregour hes bein awaitand on thair wp passyng for to persew thame" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Uppassing, Wppassing, -yng, vbl. n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair]
• 1572: "The slauchteris … betuix the Clan Chennycht … Clan Chattan and the Munrois within the space of tuay yeiris vnrecunsalit as yit" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Surname) [Clan names in Gaelic, 1467: clann Cainig, Clann Gillacatan (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spellings: Clann Chainnich, Clann [Ghille] Chatain] Note in particular that the Lowland family also mentioned, the Monroes, are not called "Clan X".
• 1577x1602: "The last Lord [Lovat] … was slayne … by the Clanrannald, a mischeuous surname, in the Isles" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Surname) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Ragnall (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Raghnaill]
• 1587: "Takand the burdyne upoun him of his haill kyn of Clanchattane" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Kin, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Gillacatan (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann [Ghille] Chatain]
• 1592: "With the Clane Gregor cumand and gaingand all the oulk, … with mony wtheris cumaris and gangaris" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Cumar, Cumer, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair]
• a1595: "The pairt of this Ile that is callit Lewis perteins to McCloyd Lewis. His kin are callit Clan Leod, alias callit Sheill Torquill, that is, the offspring of that man namet Torquill. … The uther pairt of this Ile callit Harrayis perteins to McCloyd Harreis. His kin and surname is callit Sheall Tormoyd;" (Descr. Isles, III, 429, via Google Books; DSL-DOST, s.v. Schiel, n.) [Clan names in Gaelic, normalized 16th century spellings: Clann Leoid, Síol Torcaill, Síol Tormoid]
• a1595: "The Ile of Sky … pertenis to Scheall Hutcheoun, that is to say, the offspring of that man callit Hutcheoun" (Descr. Isles, III, 429; DSL-DOST, s.v. Schiel, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Síol Uisdein]
• a1595: "In March, anno 1577, weiris and inmitie betwix the said Clan Renald and McCloyd Herreik" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Wer(e, Weir, War(e, n.1) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Ragnall (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Raghnaill]
• a1595: "The half pairt thairof pertenis to the said McClane, and the uther half to the Clan Donald." (Descr. Isles, III, 438, via Google Books) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Domnaill (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Domhnaill]
• 1600: "Thevis, broken men, and sornaris of the Clan Chamroun" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Sornar, -er, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Gillcamsroin (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann [Ghille] Chamshroin]
• 1604: "Thay convenit to thamselffis the Clancamrone, the Clananverich, and dyverse vtheris brokin men and soirneris" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Sornar, -er, n.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Gillcamsroin (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spellings: Clann [Ghille] Chamshroin, 2nd clan not identified]
• 1606: "For exterminioun of the wicked and thivische race of the Clan Gregour" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Thevishe, Thievishe, Thivische, adj.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair]
• 1615: "Accumpaneid with sevin or aucht of the clan Allaster" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Aucht, num.) [Clan name in Gaelic, normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Alaxandair. or Clann Alusdair]
• 1619: "I will not have you to put Mr. Donaldis name therin becaus he is under trubill withe the Claneandow, and it may be he may be put to the horne, and he being donator to your lyfrent, the samyn will fall as moweabill gudis, therfoir adwyse and adwerteis me that we may put a frie manis name therin." (Cawdor, 247) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Eondub (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Eoin Duibh]

Also, in at least the late 16th century, another pattern for the names --or, more accurately, the names and descriptions-- of Gaelic/Highland clans used in Scotland (in Scots) was:

<phonetic or semi-phonetic rendering into Scots of a Gaelic form of the clan name> of/in <placename>

Historical examples include:

• 1587: "Clandowill of Lorne" (RPS, 1587/7/70.)
• 1587: "Clandonoquhy in Athoill and partis adjacent" (RPS, 1587/7/70.)
• 1587: "Clanrannald in Loquhaber" (RPS, 1587/7/70.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Ragnall (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Raghnaill]
• 1587: "Clanrannald of Knoydert, Modert and Glen Gardy" (RPS, 1587/7/70.) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Ragnall (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Raghnaill]
• 1587: "Clanlewyd of Harray" (RPS, 1587/7/70.) [Clan names in Gaelic, normalized 16th century spellings: Clann Leoid, Síol Tormoid]

Another pattern was (though note that with only one example, it is difficult to be certain of the construction details):

the [...] Clan of <Scots language form of the relevant Gaelic chiefly title>

Historical examples include:

• 1596: "The bankis of Rosse and Kintaill, quhair mony tha fund of the ald klan of Makdonel" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Clan) [Chiefly title in Gaelic, 1408 and normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Mac Domhnaill (Mackechnie). Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: clann Domnaill (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Domhnaill.]

Another pattern was (though note that with only one example, it is difficult to be certain of the construction details):

the Clan of the <Scots language inherited family surname of the clan chief>s
that is,
the Clan of the <plural form of the Scots language inherited family surname of the clan chief>

Historical examples include:

• a1617: "In the monenth of Januar the nixt year, 1602, the clan of the Makgrigors committed great oppressioun and violent slaughter over dyverse peceable people in the provence and erledome of Lennox" (Thomson, 377) [Clan name in Gaelic, 1467: Clann Grigair (1467 MS); normalized Early Modern/Common Gaelic spelling: Clann Ghriogair; Scots language inherited family surname of the clan chief, c.1598-?: "Alexander McGregor of Glenstra our scheyff was bot one barne" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Chefe, Cheif, n.) ]

Identification of Lowland Families in Scots

In at least the 16th century, one pattern for identifying Scots-speaking, Lowland (especially Border) families used in Scotland (in Scots) was:

the Clan of [the] <surname of a Lowland [Border] family>s
that is,
the Clan of [the] <plural form of the surname of a Lowland [Border] family>

Historical examples include:

• a1597 or a1617: "And the regents horsemen espying sum strayngeris to cum in amang the clan of the Ellots, they layd about the hous" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Stranger, n.; Thomson, 44-45)
• a1597 or a1617: "and becaus Duc Hamiltoun was then growin auld, seiklie, waik and impotent to travell, he directit furth his sone, Lord Johne Hammiltoun, then Abbot of Arbrothe, with sum uther wyse men of the clan of Hammiltons of his famelie, to consult with the rest of the Lords upon the articlis of peax." (Thomson, 128)
• a1597 or a1617: "... till he came to ane eminent part in Ingland upon the watter of Esk, nar unto Scotland, whare a nomber of the clan of Graymes have thair habitations, ..." (Thomson, 370)

Another pattern, so far found only once in an allegorical, metrical play (and so the use of this particular pattern may have been for the purposes of meter, rather than representative of "real world" usage), was:

the [...] Clan <inherited patronymic surname of a Lowland family>

Historical examples include:

• 1540: "The grit clan Jamesoun The blude rowyall of Cowpar toun" (DSL-DOST, s.v. Royal(l, adj. and n.)

Glossary

Scots

Scots is a language closely related to English. There are many terms, some more respected than others, used for the modern Scots language and/or specific dialects of Modern Scots, including <Broad Scots>, <Lallans>, <Lowland Scots>, <Aberdonian>, <Doric>, <Glaswegian>, and many others. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Scots speakers themselves called their language <Inglis>, while in the 16th century they took to calling it <Scottis>.

Some linguists consider Scots to be a separate language from English, others consider it a dialect of English. Since the categorization of independent language vs. dialect is a subjective one (and often based on non-linguistic considerations), there is no "one true answer". I choose to refer to Scots as a language for several reasons, including that I simply find it makes it easier to talk about and explain the linguistic situation in both modern and medieval Scotland.

Note that the word <Scots> has several other, more common, meanings in addition to referring to the Scots language, including, as an adjective, the meaning "Scottish" and, as a noun, the meaning "more than one Scottish person".

Bibliography

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