After receiving numerous emails
and other communications regarding the Clan
Duncan Society, its aims, objectives, purpose
and other queries, I thought it was time to give
a brief outline of why the Society was formed in
March 2005, after nearly twenty years of
research into the name Duncan. The research
included various prominent Duncan families,
Duncan Armorial Bearings (Coats of Arms),
Genealogy, Family Biographies, the historic
roots of the Duncans in Scotland and other
Duncan related history and events. About one
third of the research completed so far is
published on the Clan Duncan Society Website.
This will give you a more in-depth view.
One of the Society’s prime goals
is to have a ‘Duncan Chief of the name’
officially recognised by the Lord Lyon
King of Arms of Scotland. This is one of
the areas which causes the most confusion and
perhaps stirs up the most passion. Some people,
who contact the Society, make statements and ask
questions such as;
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“We already have a
Chief of Duncan; Alexander Gilbert
Robertson of Struan, Chief of Clan
Donnachaidh”
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“Why have you
started a Clan Duncan Society, There is
already a Clan Donnachaidh Society?”
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“There is no such
thing as a Clan Duncan”
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“Duncan is a
‘sept’ of Clan Donnachaidh”
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“You make
reference on your website to Clan
Robertson, there is no Clan Robertson it
is Clan Donnachaidh”
My first instant reaction is to
say to them “I am a Duncan not a Robertson” or
“How can I be a member of a so called ‘sept.’ of my own
patronymic name” This is why a more informative
explanation is required.
It is believed that Robertsons
descend from the Duncans and from on particular
ancestor that of Robert Duncanson of Struan
around 1451, which indeed seems to be the
case. However we must note some other
facts, Duncan Grant of
Dalvey, The Great Seal of Scotland 1442 was also
regarded as the Chief of Clan Donachie aka
Donnachaidh (Duncan). The Jacobite
Muster Roll
of the Athol Brigade 1745-46 which
included Clan Robertson was also devoid of
Duncans & Donachies in their muster and The
Donnachidh DNA project at present also
fails to provide a DNA connection between
those Duncans and Robertsons tested. This is
only a few examples there are others.
Robertson of Struan is (according
to Burke’s Landed Gentry of Scotland) the 24th
Chief of Clan Robertson and the 28th
Chief of Clan Donnachaidh and there can be
no doubt that his genealogy links him to
both or at least one particular Duncanson.
However, to be Chief of the Robertsons is
one thing - to be Chief over the name
‘Duncan’, a name he and his immediate family
abandoned over 450 years ago, is quite
another. To expect those who today retain
the name of ‘Duncan’ to wear the Crest Belt
and Buckle (Clansman’s Badge) of the
Robertson Clan is, to some, not acceptable.
So is it Clan Donnachaidh or Clan
Robertson? The Letters Patent
of the father of Alexander Gilbert Robertson of
Struan
(The Grant of Arms from the Lyon Court
confirming that he is an
officially recognized Chief) states;
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"Langton
George Duncan Haldane Robertson of
Struan, Chief of the name and head of
Clan Robertson otherwise entitled Clan
Donnachaidh" |
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So,
in actual fact and contrary to what many
believe to be the case, it is Clan Robertson
and he is head of that name. 'Otherwise
entitled' means that Clan Robertson can
otherwise be called or known as Clan
Donnachaidh. No mention is made of the name
Duncan in the letters patent (Grant of Arms),
nor is there any reference to Clan Duncan.
Struan is nowhere in this document
acknowledged as being Chief of, or having any
relationship to, the Duncans. In fact,
his coat of arms is that of the head of the
family of Robertson. These are not Donnachaidh
arms and they are most certainly not Duncan
arms which are very different.
To
further substantiate the above in the 1934
edition of Clan
Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands,
page 177 by Frank Adam & Sir Thomas Innes
of Learney, Carrick Pursuviant of Arms later
Lord Lyon (Sir Thomas is excepted as being a
learned legal authority on heraldry &
clans) they also make reference to the
situation of the Robertson, Donnachie and
Duncan scenario.
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"Duncan, Duncanson --
Instead of the Duncans, Donnachies.
etc., appearing as septs of the
Robertsons, the position should,
properly speaking, be reversed. As
explained in notes on the Clan Robertson
the progenitor of the Clan Donnachie was
Duncan, or Donnachadh Reamar; the
appellation of Robertson having been
derived from the name of the Chief,
Robert who flourished during the reign
of King James I."
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Heraldry (Coats of Arms) plays a
huge part in the clan System in Scotland and
The Lord Lyon
King of Arms is a Minister of State and member
of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal
Household. As Head of the Heraldic Executive
and Judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, he
has jurisdiction over all heraldic matters in
Scotland and he maintains the Scottish Public
Registers of Arms and Genealogies. So it should be
noted that by the Law of Arms of Scotland,
that, if the name Duncan was considered
associated with
Robertson/Donnachaidh, then all Duncan
Coats of Arms would be based on what is
known as the stem arms (Chiefly Arms in
this particular case) of the family name
Robertson of Struan; they are not. Duncan
arms are very different and the oldest
Duncan arms so far known have been traced
back to 1592 in The Hague Roll. Please
see The
Duncan Armorial Roll and we are
at present researching what may be even
older arms - those of Finlay Duncan
of 1538.
So, what are the chances of a
Duncan Chief of the name being officially
recognised by the Lord Lyon of Scotland?
At present there are two
methods: Firstly, find a genealogical Duncan
link that goes back to the 4th
Chief of Clan Donnachaidh (predating the
Robertson Chiefs who, at that time, could be
considered to be simply a cadet branch of the
4th Chief). This presents an almost
impossible task, considering the lack of
records from that time. Secondly, one could
hold what is known as a ‘Derbhfine’. A
Derbhfine is a council of nine people who are
either Armigerous (a person who has obtained a
grant of Scottish arms from the Lord Lyon) or
who have substantial land holdings in
Scotland.
For more details on holding a
‘Derbhfine’ and Clan recognition see Clan
Recognition and the Derbhfine
For the present and until a
derbhfine can be held for the nomination of
candidate who would in the first instance, be
appointed Clan Commander, the ‘Territorial House
of Duncan of Sketraw’ will be looking after the
interests of Clan Duncan.
One area that other Duncans and
those with alternate spellings can help, is by
joining the Clan Duncan Society as a member
details of membership can be found
here. You can also lend your support to
the Clan by filling in the Clan Roll Form there
also.
John A. Duncan of Sketraw, Laird
of Sketraw, FSA Scot.
Chairman
Clan Duncan Society
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