Clan Craig

Last updated

arms of the last chief of clan Craig, The Craig of Riccarton. Craig of Riccarton.svg
arms of the last chief of clan Craig, The Craig of Riccarton.

Clan Craig is a Scottish clan hailing from Aberdeenshire. The clan does not have a chief recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Craig is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms, however no one at present is in possession of such arms.

Per the Lord Lyon King of Arms, no clan society, association or organization is recognised as an "official Representor" of an Armigerous Clan. Armigerous clans have no official Representor, as they do not have a Chief or Commander recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. The only official Representor of a Scottish Clan is the Chief or Commander officially recognized in their letters patent, or more common when a Warrant has been issued by the Court of the Lord Lyon. The Clan Craig Association of America (and other clan Craig organisations), however, are an important clansman charged with business matters of the clan. The primary responsibility of all Armigerous Clan societies and associations is to find a chief or commander and bring legitimacy and honour back to their family name. [Ref. Adam/Innes. "Clans, Sept & Regiment of the Scottish Highlands"]

The Scottish surname Craig is derived from the Gaelic creag meaning "rocky hill". The surname is a topographic name for a person who lived near a steep rock, [2] and often prefixed to the names of places in hilly or mountainous districts in various parts of Scotland. The name seems to belong particularly to the north of Scotland.

John of the Craig (Johannes Del Crag) of Aberdeenshire led a party of 300 men into the Battle of Culblean in 1335. It is believed that John of the Craig was Laird of the Craig of Auchindoir - the estate next to the Den of Craig in the Parish of Auchindoir. [3] According to George Fraser Black, during the 15th century there were three families that styled themselves "of that Ilk" (meaning that the name of the family is the same as that of the place they come from i.e. Craig of Craig). The Craigs of Craigfintry - later Riccarton - became the most noted family. [4]

Thomas Craig of Riccarton 1538–1608, lawyer and writer, was descended from William Craig of Craigfintry [5] [6] (later Craigston) in Aberdeenshire, who was born in the last half of the 15th century. William Craig's second son (also named William Craig of Craigfintry) fought against the English at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, where he was slain. The last lineal descendant of the Craigs of Riccarton was Robert Craig of Riccarton who died in 1823 leaving no heirs. [7] The estate of Riccarton passed to Mr. James Gibson who assumed the name and arms of Craig, changing his name to James Gibson-Craig. [7]

Members of Clan Craig may wear a crest badge containing the crest of a chevalier on horseback in full charge grasping a broken lance in bend Proper, and the Latin motto VIVE DEO ET VIVES meaning "live for God and you shall have life". The heraldry within the crest badge is taken from the arms of Craig of Riccarton. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Nicolson</span> Lowland Scottish clan

Clan Nicolson is a Lowland Scottish clan. The clan claims descent from an Edinburgh lawyer who lived in the 16th century and from a distinguished line of Aberdeen merchants who preceded him. During the mid-1980s David Nicolson, 4th Baron Carnock was recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms as the chief of Clan Nicolson. Around the same time, a Nicolson who claimed descent from the Highland clan of "Nicolsons" historically centred on Skye, petitioned the Lord Lyon King of Arms to be recognised as chief of his own clan. The Lord Lyon King of Arms accepted this man's petition on the condition he took the surname MacNeacail. In consequence there are two Scottish clans with similar names—the lowland Clan Nicolson and the highland Clan MacNeacail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish heraldry</span>

Heraldry in Scotland, while broadly similar to that practised in England and elsewhere in western Europe, has its own distinctive features. Its heraldic executive is separate from that of the rest of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Anderson</span> Scottish clan

Clan Anderson is a Scottish clan that is recognized as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. However, as the clan does not currently have a chief recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon, it is therefore considered an armigerous clan. Variations of the surname are however considered septs of several other clans of the Scottish Highlands: The surname MacAndrews is considered a sept of the Clan Mackintosh and Clan Chattan, and also associated with the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry. The surnames Andrew and Andrews are considered septs of the Clan Ross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Lumsden</span> Lowland Scottish clan

Clan Lumsden is a Border Scottish clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan MacLennan</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan MacLennan, also known as Siol Ghillinnein, is a Highland Scottish clan which historically populated lands in the north-west of Scotland. The surname MacLennan in Scottish Gaelic is Mac Gille Fhinnein, meaning the son of the follower of St Finnan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish clan chief</span> Representative of the founder of a Scottish clan

The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and represents the clan. In the Scottish clan system, a chief is greater than a chieftain (ceann-cinnidh), a designation applied to heads of branches of a clan. Scottish clans that no longer have a clan chief are referred to as armigerous clans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Strachan</span> Scottish clan

Clan Strachan is a Scottish clan originating from the barony of Strachan, in Aberdeenshire. The clan does not have a chief, therefore it is considered by Court of the Lord Lyon and the Stand Council of Scottish Chiefs as an Armigerous clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Boswell</span> Lowland Scottish clan

Clan Boswell is a Lowland Scottish clan and is recognized as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. However the clan does not currently have a chief and is therefore considered an Armigerous clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan MacIver</span> Scottish clan

Clan MacIver or Clan MacIvor, also known as Clan Iver, is a Scottish clan recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. The clan, however, does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because of this the clan can be considered an armigerous clan. The clan name of MacIver is of Gaelic origin, derived from an Old Norse personal name. Various forms of the surname MacIver, like MacGiver, are considered sept names of several historically large Scottish clans, such as clans Campbell and Mackenzie. There exists a Clan Iver society in Fife, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Macqueen</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Macqueen is a Highland Scottish clan and a member of the Chattan Confederation. The clan does not currently have a chief and is therefore considered an armigerous clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan MacEwen</span> Scottish clan

Clan MacEwen or Clan MacEwan is a Scottish clan recorded in the fifteenth century as Clan Ewen of Otter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish crest badge</span> Scottish clan emblem

A Scottish crest badge is a heraldic badge worn to show allegiance to an individual or membership in a specific Scottish clan. Crest badges are commonly called "clan crests", but this is a misnomer; there is no such thing as a collective clan crest, just as there is no such thing as a clan coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan McCorquodale</span> Scottish clan

Clan McCorquodale is a Scottish clan, recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, though without a chief so recognised. The last chief of the clan died in the 18th century. Because the clan does not have a recognised chief, it is considered an armigerous clan, and has no legal standing under Scots Law. Historically, the clan inhabited lands west of Loch Awe, in Argyll. These clan lands were centred at Loch Tromlee, where an island castle served as the clan seat. The line of Clan McCorquodale chiefs, first recorded in the 15th century, has been untraced since the 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Ged</span> Scottish clan

Clan Ged is a Scottish clan. The clan does not currently have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and is considered an armigerous clan. Without a recognised chief the clan has no standing under Scots Law. In Scotland, the surname Ged and Geddes may be derived from the place-name Geddes in Nairn. Another possibility is that it is derived from the Old English gedda, a nickname meaning pike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Kinninmont</span> Scottish clan

Clan Kinninmont is a Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Kinninmont is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms, however no one at present is in possession of such arms. The original chiefly line died out when an heiress married into another family. The successors of this heiress, are the Earls of Minto, whose patronyme is that of „Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound“, Kynynmound being a variation of Kinninmont, this family bears, as part of its arms, the arms the clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Cairns</span> Scottish clan

Clan Cairns is a Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Cairns is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms, however no one at present is in possession of such arms. The arms of Cairns of that Ilk are blazoned as: Gules, three merlette Or.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Walkinshaw</span> Scottish clan

Clan Walkinshaw is a Scottish clan. It does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Walkinshaw is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms, however no one at present is in possession of such arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Maxton</span> Scottish clan

Clan Maxton is a Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Bissett</span> Scottish clan

Clan Bissett is a Scottish clan. The clan is recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms but does not have a clan chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, therefore the clan has no standing under Scots Law. Clan Bissett is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms; however, no one at present is in possession of such arms. The surname Bissett is also considered a sept of the Clan Fraser of Lovat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Cheyne</span> Scottish clan

Clan Cheyne is a Scottish clan. The clan is officially recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, however as the clan does not currently have a chief recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon, it is therefore considered an Armigerous clan. The surname Cheyne is also recognized as a sept of the Clan Sutherland, and is accepted as such by the Clan Sutherland Society in Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ myclan.com
  2. ↑ "Craig Name Meaning and History". Ancestry.com . Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  3. ↑ W. Douglas-Simpson, Castle Craig and the Kirk of Auchindoir, Aberdeenshire. 1929-30
  4. 1 2 "Craig". My Clan (www.myclan.com). Archived from the original on 17 April 2005. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Life of Thomas Craig", An account of the life and writings of Sir Thomas Craig of Riccarton By Patrick Fraser Tytler - retrieved 10 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "Pedigree of Craig" Visitation of England and Wales, Volume 5, 1903 - retrieved 09.03.2010
  7. 1 2 "Old and New Edinburgh", Grant, James. Old and New Edinburgh, Volume VI, 1883 - retrieved 10 February 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.