The Clan Chattan Confereration is one of the largest and strongest in Scottish history.Among its many families and sept clans is the "Clan MacIntosh" heretable captains of the Clan Chattan.The history of the Clan Macintosh begins among the ancient Picts of Scotland. The picts were one of the founding races of Scotland.They fought for control of the young country with the Dalriadians,Strathclyde Britons, and Boernicians. In 844 that all changed when Kenneth McAlpin unified the crowns of the Picts and the Dalriadians.As he reigned over the counties of Argylll,Perth,Fife,Stirling,and Dunbarton, he is generally known as the first true king of Scotland.
The name Macintosh comes from the Gaelic name of "Mac an Toisich", which means son of the chief,leader or thane . The roots of this distinguished Pictish Clan are to be found in the area of Moray. Over the years the name has been spelt in many variations : Kyntosh,Intosh,Toshe,Tosh,McKyntosh,McKintosh,McKintoische,McKintock,McIntosh,
McComtosh,McKintowse,MacKyntosh,Mackintosh,MacIntosh,MacKintowse,MacKintoisch and so on. The clan system was the major stimulus behind the addoption of the "Mac"names since it is a patriarchial social group with a father (Chief) for its members to follow- "Mac" litterally means "son of".
Surviving records show the earliest recording of the name McIntosh to be in Moray,part of modern day Grampian, where the clan had been established for many years. In 1155 this caln was a part of King Malcom Ceanmore's army against the rebels in Moray.The 5th Chief of the Clan Mackintosh ,Ferquhard, joined forces with King Alexander of Scotland at the Battle of Largs,where they defeated King Haakon of Norway,in1263. Ferquhards's son ,Angus, married the heiress of the Clan Chattan , the oldest tribe of the Gaelo-Pictish tribes. This marriage forged a strong alliance between the Mackintosh's and the Clan Chattan.The Mackintosh's thus became the Chiefs of the Clan Chattan and as well The Clan Mackintosh of Mackintosh. |
