Need Help with a last Name

**WVHighlander** · 30th August 12, 06:04 PM

One of my mates has an interesting Scottish Surname...Wylie. Can someone tell me the Clan that family is associated with? I've found two so far...but it is the internet...

**creagdhubh** · 30th August 12, 06:17 PM

Based on the Wylie surname, I'd go with Clan Gunn, but perhaps your mate can do a wee bit more "digging" in regards to his Scottish ancestry and possibly pinpoint a location in Scotland from whence his ancestors immigrated from? This may lead him to some rather interesting discoveries and potential clan ties.

"The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History," by George F. Black, is a fantastic resource for a vast number of Scottish surnames.

Best of luck to your mate!

**gilmore** · 31st August 12, 08:28 AM

The only way to ascertain which, if any clan one's ancestors' were associated with is through genealogical research, either through the paper trail or perhaps Y DNA testing.

Many of the clan associations as well a tartan merchants have all sorts of bogus lists of alleged septs. Most are Victorian era inventions. The Gunn clan is probably one of the worst offenders. They list surname as septs many of which are not even of Scottish families. If you are interested, there are a couple of threads here on X Marks presenting both genetic as well as demographic evidence of this clan association's misleading claims about its septs.

**Chas** · 31st August 12, 01:11 PM

I have a database of some 30,000 surnames.

Wylie, and all the dozens of other spellings, is associated with either Clan Gunn or Clan Innes.

Clan Gunn is a Highland and Island clan, whereas Clan Innes is Lowland and Border clan. Both are Armigerous clans, that is to say they both once had a chief but not at present.

If your friend can work out where his family came from, it should be quite easy to narrow down to one or other.

Regards

Chas

**creagdhubh** · 31st August 12, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Chas

If your friend can work out where his family came from, it should be quite easy to narrow down to one or other.

Regards

Chas

***

**ctbuchanan** · 31st August 12, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Chas

If your friend can work out where his family came from, it should be quite easy to narrow down to one or other.

Regards

Chas

***
A quick check of the National Trust names distribution data base for 1881 shows two areas of heavy concentration for the name Wylie one in Kirkwall in the northeast and the other in Dumfries. If he can determine which area they came from it would give him a clear indication of which clan most appropriate.
http://gbnames.publicprofiler.org/Ma...y=GB&type=name

**McElmurry** · 31st August 12, 09:02 PM

Does half Gunn and half Innes equal Guinness?

**MacGumerait** · 31st August 12, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by McElmurry

Does half Gunn and half Innes equal Guinness?

Ha ! Probably not ... but it should !!

**Chas** · 1st September 12, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by McElmurry

Does half Gunn and half Innes equal Guinness?

Well Played, McElmurry! Well played indeed.

Regards

Chas

**WVHighlander** · 2nd September 12, 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by McElmurry

Does half Gunn and half Innes equal Guinness?

Ha! If I told him that I would never hear the end of it. And he would go with me to the HG games saying he was from clan Guinness. He is from Mass and his family has been there for a bit. I will ask him this week on our trip if he has done any work on his ancestry.