Exploring Your Clan Lands

For most of its history Scotland has been a poor nation; but its people, raised in adversity, have proved remarkably resilient and enterprising. Scottish names crop up all over the world, often in connection with enterprising and adventurous undertakings - Scott of the Antarctic, Neil Armstrong, Rupert Murdoch, to name a few.

Having thrived overseas, many expatriate Scots enjoy returning to the land of their forefathers. They are keen to discover a little of their history - where their family or clan used to live, and what sort of people they were (in most cases feuding, marauding ruffians, but that is by the by!). Inevitably Scotland has changed dramatically and the lands where our forefathers scraped a living may now be an airport. But one enduring link with the past is the clan castle or 'tower house' that was home to all the major families and clans in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.

Most castles are now in ruins but the stones that our ancestors placed one upon another are still there and so sometimes is the surrounding wild moorland. If you are lucky, (MacLeods, Campbells, McMillans, Brodies, Boyds, Sutherlands, Leslies for example) your clan castle may be not just standing but open to the public and full of information on the ancestors.

Dunvegan Castle (Clan MacLeod)

If you would like to know where your own family came from, we would be delighted to put the spotlight on your clan lands for you. The work involves finding the earliest documentary references to your name, looking at castles associated with the family, and seeking out relevant stories of romance, valour and skulduggery. Some clans, such as the McGregors, have no surviving castles associated with the name, but we can still paint a vivid picture of how Rob Roy McGregor and his clan lived and which glens and lochs were called home.

To see what such a report may look like, click here (PDF file) for a review of the lands connected with the Grahams Our charge for this service is GBP£85 UK pounds - about US$149. If you wish us to provide a report on your family, click here - and don't forget to give us your family name!

If you would like your order some personal die-stamped authentic clan personal or wedding stationery, go to Piccolo Press