Allegiance and chief-less clans

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I've read several times -- a couple of times on XMTS -- that a person can write to a clan chief to offer his or her allegiance, typically in hopes that the chief would reply and accept their loyalty.

Right now, however, a number of clans are without chiefs. What would a person do in that case?

You are, I believe, a well tanned member of clan MacDuff? Then you should join the Clan MacDuff society (5 Sidlaw Road, Glasgow) and follow the practice of other MacDuff society members.

You are not alone in this. Clan Buchanan has been chiefless for well over--what?-- two centuries, yet has a thriving clan society whose members wear the appropriate tartan and cap badge.

[Jock Scot]

Jock? What say you?

Do you know CC, that it is quite possible to go off some one. ------------But not on this occasion!

[BEEDEE]

You are, I believe, a well tanned member of clan MacDuff? Then you should join the Clan MacDuff society (5 Sidlaw Road, Glasgow) and follow the practice of other MacDuff society members.

You are not alone in this. Clan Buchanan has been chiefless for well over--what?-- two centuries, yet has a thriving clan society whose members wear the appropriate tartan and cap badge.

As does Clan MacRae.

Brian

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Aye, as did my own clan from about 1779 until 1953 when General Sir Gordon MacMillan (father of our present chief) proved up his claim to be MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap.

In those clans where the chiefship has become "lost" (in other words where there was a known chief at sometime in the past, but the present claimant is unknown) then it is perfectly correct for a clansman to wear the badge of the last known chief.

[The Barry]

Why do these clans not have cheifs?

My clan, Douglas, is chief-less due to the hyphenated last name of our would-be chief.

Is this the same for many of these other clans as well?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Why do these clans not have cheifs?

My clan, Douglas, is chief-less due to the hyphenated last name of our would-be chief.

Is this the same for many of these other clans as well?

Well, a double-barreled name (Smyth-Udny, for example) would definitely be one reason. A chief is legally the "Chief of the Name and Arms of X" and as such can only have one surname, not two. Two other reasons a clan may be chiefless are migration and extinction.

In the case of migration the chief has left Scotland at sometime in the past and with the passage of time his descendants are unaware of their chiefly status. Sometimes, as in the case of McBain of McBain in the United States, genealogical research uncovers the entitlement to the undifferenced arms of the chief. When this happens the genealogical "proofs" are laid before the Lord Lyon who carefully studies them, and then decides if the proofs are sufficient in the law to recognize the individual concerned as "Chief of the Name and Arms of X".

Extinction is just that. The last known chief died at some time in the past, and left no immediate heir. In some instances it could be necessary to go back through numerous "chiefly" generations before the last known chief to find "survivors" who would be entitled to lay claim to the chiefship. If this could be done (and it is really, really, difficult owing to the scarcity of early highland records) than the senior most descendant of that chief could approach Lyon Court with his genealogical proofs, and ask for recognition as "Chief of the Name and Arms of X". Now as daunting as this process may sound, it does happen. I believe it was MacDonnell of Keppoch who recovered the chiefship of his clan a few years ago. The previous chief had died without heirs in 1889, but the claimant was able to establish senior lineal descent from a Keppoch chief in the 17th century. The process took nearly thirty years, and several appearances before the Lord Lyon, but ultimately he prevailed.

A similar process is now taking place with the Bells of Blackethouse, a border "clan".

If all else fails and there is sufficient interest on the part of a "clan society", the Lyon may allow the election of a new chief, but under the strictest control of his absolute authority. Details of this process are outlined in Way & Squire's book, The Collins Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia where an entire chapter is devoted to the law of the clan. I would suggest it would make for further reading if you are interested.

[Sketraw]

Hi Scott, Romilly's & George's account of what is required to establish a New Chief in their book was updated in Feb 2002 by then Lyon Blair. The new updated requirements as Todd pointed out can be found here http://www.clan-duncan.co.uk/clan-re...derbhfine.html

However the one thing that does not appear in the ruling is that any new Commander/Chief must be a resident in Scotland for over 3 years.

[The Barry]

Wow! Thanks for the info and the suggested readings.

[McClef]

One would have thought that if the candidate had a double barrelled name but was otherwise in possession of the correct genealogical proofs that he could elect to change his name by deed poll in order to then bear the correct name.

But what do I know?

[piperdbh]

What exactly does a clan chief do? I know he presides over meetings or clan gatherings, but apart from that (and his day job), what is his role in the life and function of his clan?