About the Hunter clan

[Sir Didymous]

I got into a discussion with someone about my Ferguson clan badge on my balmoral. They wanted to know why a guy with the last name Hunt, was wearing a Ferguson badge. I told him that the Fergusons are on my mother's side, and that I have found no Scottish roots on my father's side. He told me that he thought the name Hunt was a sept of Hunter. Aside from the fact that I know the Hunts from which I hail are English, I don't think the Hunters have any septs. Do they?

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, technically as the Hunter family is associated with an area west of Glasgow, on the south side of the Firth of Clyde, it is a Scottish lowland family and not a Highland Clan.

So no, as it is not a Clan it would not have any Septs.

[Domehead]

With all respects to everyone involved, Hunter is a "Clan" as recognized by the Standing Council. Current Chief is Madame Pauline, styled Hunter of Hunterston. The Family is specifically recognized as signers in 1296 and hereditary forestry keepers to Arran and Cumbrae, although that responsibility has long passed. However, Hunterston Estate and Castle was rehabilitated in the mid-C20th and issue was transferred to Madame Pauline in the early 1980's.

Re: alternate spellings, Cadets, and "septs" in the Scoto-commercial sense, this is something I've yet to do any etymological development of. There is an early Latin pseudonym and my Uncles, John and Alexander, were named Hunter, from Fife - no confusion, therefore no reason to dig.

Tartanry can be discussed in another more appropriate thread.

Ryan M. Liddell

[The Wizard of BC]

My apologies if I offended sir.

[Domehead]

No offense at all. In fact, I hold you in regard, Mr. Ashton - not only as a Forum Mod, but the purveyor of this wonderful opportunity and an artisan among the community. Hence why I began "With all respects..." That was literally intended, not a throw-away-line.

Ryan M. Liddell

[Bruce Scott]

​
Clan Hunter USA (a clan society) membership is open to ". . . those with the surname of Hunter, Hunt, Huntar, Huntress, and Hunta,
descendants someone with one of those surnames, and anyone in agreement with the purpose of the association."

You can join by filling out their membership and application and sending them $35. No proof of Scots descent is required, although the application form does ask you to provide genealogical information linking you with the surname Hunter, Huntar, Hunta, Huntress, Hunt, or other spelling.

As long as you are a Hunter, Hunt, etc, or can find one such lurking in the family tree, the clan society will take you in.
http://www.clanhunterusa.org/#!donate/c1ghi

[Domehead]

Bruce Scott,

No need to be confused (emoticon). Virually every Clan / Family Association welcomes anyone who willingly abides the Goals of the Association, regardless of familial pedigree. In fact, I can recall only the Scottish Buchanan Society whom is respectfully ardent about four specific surnames (up the Paternal side). This, while their USA / International Branches welcome those whom "willingly abide" - with the blessing of its BODs.

Ryan M. Liddell

[figheadair]

An interesting discussion. Granted, the Hunters have now been recognised as a Clan but they were not one in the 18th century sense of the word and therefore don't/didn't have septs.

[ctbuchanan]

No need to be confused (emoticon). Virually every Clan / Family Association welcomes anyone who willingly abides the Goals of the Association, regardless of familial pedigree. In fact, I can recall only the Scottish Buchanan Society whom is respectfully ardent about four specific surnames (up the Paternal side). This, while their USA / International Branches welcome those whom "willingly abide" - with the blessing of its BODs.
Ryan M. Liddell

Just to make a slight correction. The Buchanan Society in Scotland is a philanthropic society and in no way connected to, or affiliated with, the Clan Buchanan Society International Inc.. The Buchanan Society does have a very restricted list of names it will accept into membership but it really isn't putting itself out there as representative of the Clan. The CBSI, however, is made up of a far larger list of Sept names and is the type of society someone in the USA, Canada, Australia etc would be more familiar with.

[Domehead]

Mr. Buchanan,
Thank you for that distinction. I've been to both sites before and not parsed it quite correctly. Thanks again.

Mr. MacDonald,
Understood. Particularly as understood through the English-to-Irish-to-Scottish development & usage of the term "Sept" (England: Denotatively; Scotland: Connotatively).
Thank you.

Ryan M. Liddell