The clan surname MacLean is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic MacGilleEathain. He is said to have saved King Alexander III from an attacking stag by spearing the beast through the head. While the potential for a Viking origin exists due to their fleeting control of Mull, the fact that Malise mac Gilleain helped drive out the Vikings at the Battle of Largs1 not only lessens the likelihood of a Norse origin but further strengthens the Dlriadic claim of clan origin. We had another Gathering in 2012 to commemorate the centenary of that first Gathering and over 1000 Macleans from all over the world came and visited Duart and took part in the celebrations. [7], By the 14th century, the Clan MacLean had become a dominant force in the Western Isles. It was fought between the Clan Donald and Clan Maclean on the Isle of Islay. Despite the active support of Clan Chattan, these Macleans lost ownership of Urquhart Castle by 1509, and settled nearby at Dochgarroch, though they still managed to lease much of Urquhart. [4], After the defeat of the Jacobites, the Macleans then served Great Britain with distinction. MacLean, MacLaine, MacLane, MacLeane, MacClean, MacClain, MacClaine, MacGhille Eoin (Gaelic) and many more. History - Duart Castle But he made it clear that he did not do ancestry tracing. This left the MacLeods with no choice but to surrender or lose their women and children. The Clan Maclean Association is the original association and over the years has been joined by Maclean Associations all around the world. The heraldry of the Clan Maclean, its chiefs, and its chieftains shares the characteristics that identify many Scottish clans of the Western Highlands and Isles. John. I cant find any information on a significant migration to Scotland, although there are genealogical records in the search results that mention Sergeants from Edinburgh. While marriages with clan MacDonald in the late 1200s, clan Bruce in 1300s, clan MacKenzie in the 1400s brought the clan MacLean into the Scottish royal sphere. Mr. Alexander McLean (b. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The surname McClean was first found in the Western Isles where the Clan held extensive lands on almost every island in the Western Hebrides. I have been poking around trying to find out more about the Morrisons and came across the following: Of course the borders would change through battle and conquest and Dl Riata expanded northward and southward at its peak. [4][5] There are stories of Gillean being descended from the FitzGerald dynasty. Being hard pressed by the enemy, he was supported and covered from their attacks by these intrepid men; and as one brother fell, another came up in succession to cover him, crying "Another for Hector." Clan Mackinnon should definitely be included. The southern Hebrides were a part of the Gaelic kingdom of Dl Riata, which included parts of western Scotland and northeastern Ireland as well as Mull, Iona, Jura and Islay. The surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, a patronymic name meaning "son of the servant of Saint John." One of the oldest of those Highland clans is Clan Maclean, although strictly speaking it is a Highland and island clan, as Mull has long been its base and the magnificent Duart Castle has been the clan seat for centuries. I dont mind speaking for myself and those who have gone before. Beaton, Kennedy and the OClery, in his Book of Genealogies5 carry the genealogy further back to include Erc as Gilleans 19th great-grandfather. If this is an oversight it is difficult to understand exactly how. For over 700 years, Duart Castle, the seat of Clan Maclean, has dominated the view to the Sound of Mull and Loch Linnhe with its huge curtain walls and solid keep. A DNA project has recently proven this to be false. The families were close enough related that the approval of the church was sought. Although he was half Norse and married the daughter of a Norse king, he defeated the Vikings, freeing the area from Norse rule. In spite of this, he was a religious man who finished his life as a monk on Harris. My regards, CC, Hi Carol, NameCensus.com. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd June 2022). I am wondering what your thoughts are. Duart Castle was being restored by my great-grandfather just before the First World War and in 1912 the first Gathering of the Clan at Duart took place for Sir Fitzroy to show the members of the Clan the Castle he had bought back and was restoring. In 1513 During the Anglo-Scottish Wars, Lachlan Maclean of Duart was killed at the Battle of Flodden. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Clan Maclean website.