Clan MacIver or Clan MacIvor, also known as Clan Iver, is a
Scottish clan
A Scottish clan (from Goidelic languages, Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official ...
recognised by the
Lord Lyon King of Arms
The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grant ...
.
[lanchiefs.orgMciver]">] The clan, however, does not have a
Scottish clan chief, chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because of this the clan can be considered an
armigerous clan
An armigerous clan (from armiger) is a Scottish clan, family or name which is registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon and once had a chief who bore undifferenced arms, but does not have a chief currently recognised as such by Lyon Court. Befor ...
.
[lectricscotland.comclanmenu]">] 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 (social), sept names (followers or members) of several historically large Scottish clans, such as clans
Campbell Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
and
Mackenzie
Mackenzie, Mckenzie, MacKenzie, or McKenzie may refer to:
People
* Mackenzie (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Mackenzie (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
* Clan Mackenzie, a Sco ...
. There exists a Clan Iver society in Fife, Scotland.
Origin of the name
The surname ''MacIver'' is an
Anglicisation
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...
of the
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
''MacÌomhair'' "meaning son of ''Ìomhar''". The Gaelic
personal name
A personal name, or full name, in onomastic terminology also known as prosoponym (from Ancient Greek πρόσωπον / ''prósōpon'' - person, and ὄνομα / ''onoma'' - name), is the set of names by which an individual person is known ...
''Ìomhar'' is derived from the
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
''Ivarr''.
[ncestry.comMcIver-family-history.ashx]">] An early man bearing the surname ''MacIver'' was Malcolm McIuyr, whose appears on a list of men in the Sheriffdom of Argyll/Lorne in 1292.
[csna.orgsepts]"/>
]
Origin, confusion and Campbells
According to Alastair Campbell of Airds Alastair Lorne Campbell of Airds (1937-2022) is a former Scottish officer of arms and author. Campbell of Airds was appointed Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1987. In 2008 he was appointed Islay Herald Extraordinary. As an active member ...
, it is very unlikely that there is a common origin for one ''Clan MacIver''. Campbell of Airds maintains that the Victorian Principal P. C. Campbell confused matters with his ''Account of the Clan Iver''. Principal Campbell, at the time publication of his ''Account'', was petitioning the Lord Lyon King of Arms to recognise him as "Chief of Clan Iver".[ Campbell of Airds 2000: pp. 46–47.] Campbell was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid for chiefship. According to Campbell of Airds, the modern ''Clan MacIver'' is also a dubious a concept because it encompasses all ''MacIvers'' regardless of their origin, and that the "modern game of clan-constructing is again being played".
Campbell claimed that the MacIvers originated in Glenlyon, and settled in Argyll in 1222. The Victorian illustrator R. R. McIan considered the MacIvers to have descended from Duncan, Lord of Lochow, making them descend from the same stock as the Campbells.[lanchiefs.orgMciver]"/> According to legend, a stronghold of the MacIvers was the ancient fort of Dun Mor (Dunmor]
located near Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead (; gd, Ceann Loch Gilb ) is a town and former burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom, with a population of around 2,300 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. The village lies at the end of Loch Gi ...
.[csna.orgsepts]"/>
According to '']Ane Accompt of the Genealogie of the Campbells
''Ane Accompt of the Genealogie of the Campbells'' is a seventeenth-century source documenting the history of Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful o ...
'', the eponymous Iver was one of two illegitimate sons of Colin Maol Math (the other illegitimate son being Tavish Coir, from whom the MacTavishes claim descent). According to ''Ane Accompt'', Iver's mother was to have been a daughter of Suibhne, who was the founder of Castle Sween
Castle Sween, also known as Caisteal Suibhne, and Caistéal Suibhne, is located on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, in Knapdale, south of the forestry village of Achnamara on the west coast of Argyll, Scotland. Castle Sween is thought to be one ...
, and is thought to be a member of the kindred of Anrothan who held lands in Cowal, Glassary and Knapdale (Suibhne is claimed as the eponymous ancestor of the MacSweens).[csna.orgsepts]">]
The MacIver-Campbells
The leading family of the ''MacIver Campbells'' were the MacIvers of Lergachonzie and Stronshira. A branch of the MacIvers were Captains of the Castle of Inveraray, where the standing stone in the grounds of the castle was said to have been the boundary between the lands of the MacIvers and the MacVicars. Other branches of MacIver Campbells include the MacIver Campbells of Ballochyle in Cowal, the Campbells of Kirnan in Glassary, the Campbells of Pennymore on Loch Fyne, south of Inveraray, and the Campbells of Ardlarach near Ardfern, Craignish.[csna.orgsepts]"/>
Principal Campbell himself belonged to the Campbells of Quoycrook in Caithness. They were claimed to have descended from MacIvers of Lergachonzie. Campbell also claimed that the related families to this branch were the Campbells of Duchernan, the Campbells of Thurso and Lochend, and the Iverachs of Wideford in Orkney. Campbell of Airds notes that both the arms of the Iverachs and the Campbells of Duchernan display the gyronny prevalent in Campbell heraldry.][lanchiefs.orgMciver]"/>
In June, 1564, at ]Dunoon
Dunoon (; gd, Dùn Omhain) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well ...
, in an agreement between Iver MacIver of Lergachonzie, and Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll (1532/1537 – 12 September 1573) was a Scottish nobleman, peer, and politician. He was one of the leading figures in the politics of Scotland during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the early par ...
, the earl renounced all calps from those of the name MacIver, in return for a sum of money, though the Earl reserved the calp of Iver MacIver and his successors. According to Campbell of Airds, it would seem that dating from this agreement many MacIvers began using the name Campbell or MacIver-Campbell.[csna.orgsepts]"/>
In July, 1680, men of the Clan MacIver of Argyll who were a sept of the Clan Campbell apparently joined up with the MacIvers of Caithness in support of John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy and fought against the forces of George Sinclair of Keiss at the ]Battle of Altimarlach
The Battle of Altimarlach was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 13 July 1680, near Wick, Caithness, Scotland. It was fought in a dispute between Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy and George Sinclair of Keiss over who had the right to the ...
, in a dispute over who had the right to the title and lands of the Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have ...
. Campbell won the battle, but Sinclair later turned to the law and was awarded the lands and title as Earl of Caithness. Although the MacIvers only formed a small part of Glenorchy's force, they contributed their full share to its success and, according to tradition, the piper of the clan in Caithness, Finlay MacIver, composed the Great Highland bagpipe
The Great Highland bagpipe ( gd, a' phìob mhòr "the great pipe") is a type of bagpipe native to Scotland, and the Scottish analogue to the Great Irish Warpipes. It has acquired widespread recognition through its usage in the British milit ...
tune, ''Bodach-na-briogais'', which was inspired by the battle. According to Hugh Fraser Campbell and Walter Biggar Blaikie
Walter Biggar Blaikie FRSE DL LLD (23 November 1847 in Pilrig, Edinburgh – 3 May 1928) was a Scottish civil engineer, printer, historian and astronomer.
Life
Second of the seven recorded sons of Margaret Catherine Biggar and William Gard ...
, Glenorchy's piper, Findlay MacIver, had composed at this time the well known piping tune, ''The Campbells Are Coming
"The Campbells Are Coming" is a Scottish song associated with Clan Campbell.
The tune, a traditional Scottish air, is similar to "The Town of Inveraray" ( gd, "Baile Ionaraora") ("I was at a wedding in the town of Inveraray / Most wretched of wed ...
''.
Northern Macivers
Wester Ross
According to the traditions of the Mackenzies, a clan of Macivers were located in Wester Ross
Wester Ross () is an area of the Northwest Highlands of Scotland in the council area of Highland. The area is loosely defined, and has never been used as a formal administrative region in its own right, but is generally regarded as lying to the ...
, across The Minch
The Minch ( gd, An Cuan Sgitheanach, ', ', '), also called North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Scottish Highlands, Highlands and the northern Inner Hebrides from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. It ...
from Lewis. George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie
George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie FRS (1630–1714), known as Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet from 1654 to 1685 and as The Viscount of Tarbat from 1685 to 1703, was a Scottish statesman.
Life
He was born at Innerteil, near Kinghorn, Fi ...
mentioned this family in his dubious 'history of the Mackenzies'. He claimed that the 'MacIvors', 'MacAulas', 'MacBollans', and 'Clan Tarlich' were the ancient inhabitants of Kintail
Kintail ( gd, Cinn Tàile) is an area of mountains in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, located in the Highland Council area. It consists of the mountains to the north of Glen Shiel and the A87 road between the heads of Loch Duich and Loch Clu ...
, and were all descended from Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
families.[ Thomas 1879–80: pp. 371–372.]
The Wester Ross Macivers have also been connected to the Battle of Bealach nam Broig
The Battle of Bealach nam Broig ( gd, Pass of the Brogue; also known as the Great Battle of Bealach nam Broig, Bealach nam Brog, Beallighne-Broig, and Bealach na Broige) was a battle fought between Scottish clans from the lands of north-west ...
(battle of "the pass of the brogue"), fought between various north-western highland clans from the lands of Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to:
People
* Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan
* Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning
* Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland
Places
* RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...
, against the followers of the Earl of Ross
The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland.
Origins and transfers
In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12th ...
. Today the date of the battle is generally given at about 1452. Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun
Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland.
Early life
Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourth ...
, writing in the early 17th century, stated that the Ross clans consisted of "Clan-juer", "Clantalvigh", and "Clan-leajwe". The 19th-century historian F W L Thomas translated these as "Clan-iver", "Clan-t-aluigh, i.e., Clan-Aulay", and "Clan-leaive, i.e., Clan-Leay". According to Gordon, a force of Munros
A Munro () is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevis ...
and Dingwalls
Dingwalls was a live music and comedy venue adjacent to Camden Lock, Camden, London, England. The building itself is one of many industrial Victorian buildings that were put to new use in the 20th century. The original owner of the building, ...
overtook the mentioned clans and fought them at "Bealligh-ne-Broig", between Ferrin-Donald and Loch Broom
Loch Broom ( gd, Lochbraon, "loch of rain showers") is a sea loch located in northwestern Ross and Cromarty, in the former parish of Lochbroom, on the west coast of Scotland. The small town of Ullapool lies on the eastern shore of the loch.
L ...
. Gordon stated that "Clan-Iver", "Clantalvich" and "Clan Laive" were "utterlie extinguished and slain".[ Thomas 1879–80: p. 381.]
Lewis
The early 20th-century historian William C Mackenzie noted that ''The Highlands of Scotland in 1750'' stated that "the most common inhabitants of Lewis are Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets, trading as Morrisons, is the fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the company had 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Scotland, as well as one in Gibraltar. The company is headqua ...
, McAulays and MacIvers, but when they go from home, all who live under Seaforth call themselves Mackenzies". Mackenzie considered that the majority of the Lewis Macivers seemed to have settled on the island with the arrival of the Mackenzies. The Mackenzies took control of Lewis in the early 17th century.
As tenants of the Earl of Seaforth
Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781.
History
The Mackenzies trace their descent to Colin of Kintail (died 1278) ...
, the inhabitants of Lewis followed Clan Mackenzie. William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth
William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth (died 1740), and 2nd titular Marquess of Seaforth (in the Jacobite Peerage), also known as Uilleam Dubh, or Black William, was a Scottish peer and head of Clan Mackenzie. Educated in France and brought up ...
decided to support the Jacobites
Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to:
Religion
* Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include:
** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometime ...
forces in the 1715 Jacobite rising
The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( gd, Bliadhna Sheumais ;
or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled Stuarts.
At Braemar, Aberdeenshire, lo ...
. Mackenzie stated that Seaforth drew up a list of officers to command his troops. Seaforth's list of officers contained 16 Lewismen: four captains, four lieutenants, and four ensigns. Of these, two were MacIvers: ieutenantKenneth Maciver, Bragar
Bragar ( gd, Bràgar, ) is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, from the island's only town, Stornoway. Bragar is within the parish of Barvas, and is situated on the A858 between Carloway and Barvas.
...
; and nsignS. Maciver, Callanish
Callanish ( gd, Calanais) is a village (township) on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland. Callanish is within the parish of Uig. A linear settlement with a jetty, it is on a headland jutting into ...
.[ Mackenzie 1903: p. 397.]
Modern clan symbolism
Modern Scottish clan members can show their allegiance to their clan and chief by wearing a Scottish crest badge
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' ...
. These heraldic badges usually display the clan chief's heraldic crest
A crest is a component of a heraldic display, consisting of the device borne on top of the helm. Originating in the decorative sculptures worn by knights in tournaments and, to a lesser extent, battles, crests became solely pictorial after the ...
and motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
surrounded by a strap and buckle. Such crest badges have been used since the Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
. The crest badge used by members of Clan MacIver contains the Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
motto ''nunquam obliviscar'' ("i will never forget") and the heraldic crest of ''a boar's head couped Or''.[ Way of Plean; Squire 2000: p. 196.] Both the crest and motto are very similar to the crest and motto of the chief of Clan Campbell—the Duke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll ( gd, Diùc Earraghàidheil) is a title created in the peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The earls, marquesses, and dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful ...
. The motto on the MacIver crest badge actually answers that of the Campbell's chief.
There is little evidence to account for the MacIver tartan
Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...
, and it is thought to be of relatively recent origin.[ Stewart 1974: p. 77.] The tartan is very similar to the Clan Macfie
Clan Macfie is a Highlands Scottish Clan.
Since 1981, the clan has been officially registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon, which is the heraldic authority of Scotland.
The clan is considered an armigerous clan because even though the ...
tartan.
Clan Castle
*Glendarroch is about two miles south-west of Lochgilphead
Lochgilphead (; gd, Ceann Loch Gilb ) is a town and former burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom, with a population of around 2,300 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. The village lies at the end of Loch Gi ...
in Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
and is also known as the ''Robber's Den'' and ''Kilduskland''. The site is defended on two sides by gorges and also by a rock cut ditch. There are also the remains of two buildings. It is reputedly the refuge of bandits and is said to have been used by the MacIvers in the seventeenth century.
See also
*Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...
, closely related to the MacIver-Campbells
*Thomas Campbell Thomas Campbell may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Thomas Campbell (poet) (1777–1844), Scottish poet
* Thomas Campbell (sculptor) (1790–1858), Scottish sculptor
* Thomas Campbell (visual artist) (born 1969), California-based visual artist ...
, the poet, was of the MacIver-Campbells
* Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde
Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde, (20 October 1792– 14 August 1863), was a British Army officer. After serving in the Peninsular War and the War of 1812, he commanded the 98th Regiment of Foot during the First Opium War and then ...
, who was born Colin MacIver
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:MacIver
Armigerous clans
Scottish clans