Clan MACLAREN

ARMS Or, two chevronels Gules, accompanied by a sails furled and oars in actin Sable in base CREST A lion’s erased Sable crowned with an antique crown of six (four visible) points Or, between two branches of laurel issuing from the Wreath at either side of the head both Proper MOTTO Creag an Tuirc (The boar’s rock) On Compartment Ab origine fidus (Faithful from the first) SUPPORTERS (on a compartment semée of laurel leaves) Two mermaids Proper, their tail- parts Argent, each holding in her exterior hand a laurel branch paleways Vert STANDARD In the hoist, Azure, a saltire Argent, impaled with the Arms of MaclLaren, of this Livery Gules upon which is depicted the Badge along with the Slughorn ‘Creag an Tuirc’ extended in the fly in letters Or BADGE A mermaid Proper, her tail part upended Argent, holding in her dexter hand a spray of Laurel paleways Vert, and in her dexter hand a looking-glass Proper, mounted Gules

I t is possible that there are tow quite separate origins of this name, one arising in around , and the other in in . In Argyll, the family are said to descend from Lorn, son of Fergus MacErc, founder of the kingdom of Dalriada in the sixth century. In Gaelic, they are Clann Labhruinn. However, the eponymous ancestor is generally given as Laurence, Abbot of Achtow in Balquhidder, who lived in the thirteenth century. The lands of the Church were often held by hereditary lay noblemen who had the courtesy title of abbot. Balquhidder was part of the ancient princedom of and the heraldic device associated with the district associated with the district is the mermaid. The Maclaren supporters are thus related to the mermaid crest of the Murrays. In the Ragman Roll of 1296, which lists the Scots nobles who gave allegiance to , are three names identified as belonging to the clan; Maurice of Tiree; Conan of Balquhidder; and Leurin of Ardveche. The Maclarens probably fought at Bannochburn under the standard of Malise, Earl of Strathearn. In 1344, the last Celtic Earl of Strathearn was deprived of his title when the Maclarens came under pressure from their more powerful neighbors. Balquhidder passed into the hands of the Crown, and in 1490, a Stewart was appointed the royal Baillie. In 1500 James IV granted the lordship to his mistress, Janet Kennedy, and the Maclaren chief found that his land had become part of another barony. Balquhidder later passed to the Murrays of Atholl. When the Campbell persecution of the Macgregors drove them from their own lands into Balquhidder, the Maclarens lacked the power to stop them. The Macgregors plundered the Maclaren lands, bringing fire and death in their wake. The chiefs appealed to the Campbells who demanded, as the price of their protection, that the Maclarens acknowledge them as feudal superiors. The Crown, however, continued to regard the Maclarens as an independent clan, and they are listed in the Acts of Parliament for the suppression of unruly clans in 1587 and 1594. The Maclarens fought for Montrose, in the cause of Charles I, at Inverlochy, Auldearn, Alford and Kilsyth. At the end of the century, when the Stuarts again called for aid, the Maclarens joined James Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, who was mustering resistance for James VII following him to fight at Kiilliecrankie in 1689. The Maclarens were ‘out’ in the Fifteen, taking part in the . They also flocked to the standard of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the ‘Young Pretender’, in 1745. The clan followed the prince from his victories at Prestonpans and Falkirk to the ill-fated in 1746. At the battle they were on the right of the line with the Appin regiments under Lord George Murray, brother of the Duke of Atholl. A Gaelic-speaking chieftain, the dashing and romantic Lord George led the Highlanders in one last great charge, this was not enough to win the day. Donald Maclaren was captured and carried off to Edinburgh. Balquhidder was ravaged by Hanoverian troops. Donald escaped while being taken to for trial by hurling himself down a track which none of the redcoats dared to follow. He remained a fugitive in Balquhidder until the amnesty of 1757. The Maclarens continued to farm at Achtow until 1892. The father of the present chief was recognized by the Lord Lyon as Maclaren of Achleskine and chief of the Maclarens. He acquired part of the ancient clan territory, including the clan heartland, Great an Turc, the Boar’s Rock, which is also the clan’s war cry. He died in 1966, when he was buried with his ancestors in the Old Kirk of Balquhidder.

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Taken from “Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia”, by Collins, HarperCollins Publishers 1994

Clan genealogists: Robert D. McLaren Chairman, Genealogy Committee Clan MacLaren Society of North America 7810 Kincardine Court Alexandria, VA 22315-4025 (703) 971-6924 email: [email protected] Home Page: http://www.ClanMacLarenNA.org

Banks McLaurin, Jr. Genealogist Clan MacLaren Society of North America 5842 Royalcrest Drive Dallas, TX 75230

John McLaren Archivist Clan MacLaren Society 2 Woodlands Drive, Brightons Falkirk FK2 0TF 01324 715586 Home Page: http://www.clanmaclarensociety.com/cmss.html

James W. H. MacLaren Co-Archivist, Treasurer Clan MacLaren Society Struthill, Prieston Road Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, PA11 3AN Scotland 0150 561 4076 email: [email protected]

Bruce D. McLaren Secretary Clan MacLaren Society of Australia 152 Ramsgate Road Ramsgate Beach, NSW Australia 2217 (02) 9529 7784 email: [email protected] Home Page: http://www.clanmaclarensociety.com/smsa.html

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BALQUHIDDER MAC ACLLION MAC FATE MAC LERRON BORISON MAC CLAIREN, -ON MAC FEAD MAC LORAINE FAD MAC CLARAEN MAC FEAT MAC PATRICK FAED MAC CLAREN,-IN MAC FEET MAC PATER LAIR MAC CLARENCE MAC GORY MAC PEETERS LARNACH MAC CLARIN MAC GRORIE, - Y MAC PETRIE, - Y LAURENCE MAC CLARNEN MAC KRORY,-IE MAC PHAIT LAURENSON MAC CLARON MA C LARAN MAC PHAT (T) ER LAURIE MAC CLERAN,-EN MAC LAREN MAC RORY, -IE LAW (S) MAC CLERN MAC KRORY,-IE MAC RUARI LAWRENCE MAC CLORAN, -EN MAC LARAN MAC RURIE, -Y LAWSON MAC CLURAN MAC LAREN,-IN PAT(T)ERSON LAWRIE MAC CLUREN MAC LARON PATRICK LAWTON MAC CLURIN MAC LAUREN, -IN PEATRIE,-Y LORNE MAC CLURN MAC LAURIE PETERKIN LOTON MAC CLURON MAC LAWRENIE PETERSON LOW(S) MAC CRORIE, -Y MAC LAWRIN PETRIE,-RY LOWE (S) MAC FADE MAC LEARAN RORI(E)SON LOWERY,-Y MAC FAIT MAC LEARIN(S) RORIE,-Y LOWSON MAC FAT(T)ER MAC LERAN WRIGHT

This clan information sheet has been prepared by The Scottish Society of Louisville, Inc. PO Box 32248 Louisville, KY 40232-2248

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