Clan Oliphant was originally situated in the area now known as Kincardineshire (also known as the Mearns). Donald Holifard was shipwrecked on the East coast of Scotland in the 9th Century. Initially, it can be assumed that Donald, and his descendants, received lands in this area through marriage or by becoming an ally to a family who already held land in the area. However, eventually, the Olifard family became the hereditary sheriffs of the Mearns and were probably thus granted land by the ancient Kings of Scotland.
The Oliphants owned at least 3 tracts of land in the Mearns: Glenbervie, where Duncan Olifard is recorded and was buried; Arbuthnot (Arbuthnot is a combination of the Gaelic Aber (the joining of two streams) and Buthenoth (of healing power)).
The Glenbervie lands are believed to have passed to the Oliphants through Duncan's marriage with Helen Hassa (in the early 11th century), the daughter of Hew Hassa, who came upon the lands through his marriage to Germuda Dervise, the heiress of Glenbervie. The town of Glenbervie is located between Auchinblae and Drumlithie, about 5 miles north of Laurencekirk.
The Glenbervie lands passed to the Melville's (with whom the Oliphant tartan was lumped by authorities on tartan's, and who's chiefs to this day carry a differenced quartering of the Oliphant arms in theirs) through a female heir. Here seems to be the only link between the two families, a link that has been exaggerated to the point where some resources ignorantly call the Oliphants a sept of the Melvilles. |
