claninfo

Clan Septs and Dependents comprise those who were descended from the Chief through the female line and consequently bore a different surname; and those who sought and obtained the protection of the Clan and became dependents. Anyone who has an ancestor bearing a Sept name, or the Clan name itself, has the privilege of wearing or displaying the Crest Badge and the tartan of the clan. The preferred modern usage however, is to avoid the use of the term "sept" and to simply describe these names as what thay are - surnames of the family and of allied or dependent families. It is preferable to speak of "The names and families of Clan X" rather to call a name "a sept of Clan X". "Sept" is actually a term borrowed from Irish culture in the nineteenth century to explain the use of a variety of surnames by members of a single clan. Where Scots would say "MacGregor and his clan" and Irish historian might say "O'Neill and his sept". Note, about the best source that we can find that can give a clue to clan associations is actually a book on tartan. "Tartan for Me!" by Philip D. Smith (Expanded Sixth Edition) published by Heritage Books, Inc (ISBN:0-7884-0137-8) gives an exhaustive list of tartans that are associated with surnames.

Clan Keith has the following attached families:

Achindachy, Astine, Aston, Austen, Austie, Austin, Cate, Dick, Dickson, Dickison, Dicson, Dixon, Dixson, Falconer, Falconor, Faulkner, Harvie, Harvey, Harvie, Hervey, Haxton, Hurrie, Hurry, Keath, Keech, Keeth, Kite, Lumgain, Lumgaine, Lumgair, MacDick, MacDicken(s), MacDickin(s), MacDickie, MacDicky, MacDickson, MacGeath, MacKeetch, MacKeeth, MacKeith, MacKeithan, MacKeth, Mackett, MacNeithan, Marshall, Urrie, Urry

CLAN KEITH

Motto: Veritas vincit - "Truth conquers". Badge: A ten-pointer stag's head. Tartan: The clan tartan is usually called the Keith and Austin tartan (the Austins are a sept of the clan) and is an old design of greens and blues.

The Keiths were one of the most ancient and powerful of the Celtic families of which the earliest record is one Hervey Keith who was Marischal in the reign of Malcolm IV in the 12th century. At Bannockburn in 1314, Sir Robert Keith the Marischal led the Scots cavalry of ponies successfully against the great shire horses of the English. His great-grandson, Sir William founded Dunnottar Castle on the headland precipice south of Stonehaven. The family continued to grow in wealth and i mportance and in 1458 the hereditary office of Marischal was made into an Earldom, the 2nd Lord then became Earl Marischal. By the 16th century the Keiths were so powerful that it was said that the Earl could travel from Berwick to John O' Groats stopping each night on his own property. The 4th Earl entertained Mary Queen of Scots at the castle and her son James VI held a Privy Council there and appointed the 5th Earl to stand as proxy for him at his marriage to Anne of Denmark, he also founded Marischal College, Aberdeen in 1593. The 9th and last Earl Marischal and his brother were ardent Jacobites and fought with the Stewarts in 1715. They had to escape after defeat to the continent where James became a Field Marshall for Fredrick the Great. The Keiths were also involved in feuds especially after they took possession of the lands in Caithness, with their neighbours there, the Gunns. In the 15th century in an attempt at reconciliation, the two clans planned to meet with twelve clansmen each. However the Keiths arrived with two men on each horse and attacked the Gunns while they were at prayer. The Gunns retaliated when they slaughtered Keith of Ackergill and his ten of his men at Drummoy. (In 1978, the Chief of Clan Keith and the Commander of Clan Gunn signed a peace treaty at the site of the Chapel of St. Tayrs, ending the feud between the two clans which began in 1478). Upon the death of George, 9th Earl in 1778 the forfeited estates passed to Lord Falconer. In 1919 Dunnottar was purchased by Viscountess Cowdray who repaired the ruins which are now open to the public