Origins of septs.....

[MacSpadger]

I must say though that looking through family history is fascinating and worth every effort.

Yes, I agree. I have been doing the family tree for around 20 years now. I have found a few "Clan" type names, MacMillan, MacCauley, MacGrigor, Robertson, Morrison, Fraser, etc. But, in all these cases these ancestors came from areas associated with the name. My own surname seems pretty much rooted in the centre of Scotland, no Hielan' bluid, despite a plethora of books and websites saying otherwise.

I have found no geographical or family connection with the MacDonnell of Glengarry clan. At the time of Skene's book, (The Highlanders of Scotland, their Origin, History, and Antiquities; with a sketch of their manners and customs, and an account of the clans in which they were divided, and of the state of society which existed among them, published 1837), the MacDonnell chief was called Alasdair. Perhaps the sept name was appropriated to go with the chief's forename? In Innes and Adam's Clans, Septs & Regiments of the Scottish Highlands there is an accusation to some clan historians of "sept snatching".

Obviously someone sat down at some point and made these sept lists up, as seems to be happening in the recent but burgeoning Irish tartan market today. There must be many other people who have surnames appropriated as septs without knowing why. I was just wondering if anyone had any further insight into the matter.