Clan Kirkpatrick is a

Lowland Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of p ...

armigerous In heraldry, an armiger is a person entitled to use a heraldic achievement (e.g., bear arms, an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be armigerous. A family or a cl ...

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from 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 structure recognised ...

. There are several variations of the Kirkpatrick name: Kilpatric, Kilpatrick, and Gilpatrick. The names Kirkpatrick and Kilpatrick may have been interchangeable at one time. The clan is recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon, however the clan does not currently have a chief so recognised. The surname Kirkpatrick is also a recognized

sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ...

Clan Douglas Clan Douglas is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands. Taking their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Borders, Angus, Lothian, Moray, and also in France and Sweden. ...

and

Clan Colquhoun Clan Colquhoun ( gd, Clann a' Chombaich ) is a Scottish clan. History Origins of the clan The lands of the clan Colquhoun are on the shores of Loch Lomond. During the reign of Alexander II, Umphredus de Kilpatrick received from Malduin ...

History

Origins of the clan

Traditional origins

The clan takes its name from the church of Saint Patrick in the parish of Closeburn in

Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (''Siorrachd Dhùn Phris'' in Gaelic) is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county. I ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (SCSC) is the organisation that represents the Chiefs of many prominent Scottish Clans and Families. It describes itself as "the definitive and authoritative body for information on the Scottish Clan System ...

). pp. 411 - 412. Traditionally the Kirkpatrick family of Closeburn have held these lands since the ninth century.

Recorded origins

The family first appear on record in the twelfth century when Ivone de Kirkpatrick witnessed a charter of the

Clan Bruce Clan Bruce ( gd, Brùs) is a Lowlands Scottish clan. It was a Royal House in the 14th century, producing two kings of Scotland (Robert the Bruce and David II of Scotland), and a disputed High King of Ireland, Edward Bruce. Origins The surname ' ...

. Ivone also received a charter of confirmation for all of his lands that was granted to him by

Alexander II of Scotland Alexander II ( Medieval Gaelic: '; Modern Gaelic: '; 24 August 1198 – 6 July 1249) was King of Scotland from 1214 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of York (1237) which defined the boundary between England and Scotland, virtually un ...

Wars of Scottish Independence

Roger Kirkpatrick was an attendant of

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...

when he killed John "the Red" Comyn, chief of

Clan Comyn Clan Cumming ( gd, Na Cuimeinich ), also known as Clan Comyn, is a Scottish clan from the central Highlands that played a major role in the history of 13th-century Scotland and in the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Clan Comyn was once the m ...

in the church at Dumfries. It is said that Kirkpatrick met the Bruce rushing out of the church exclaiming that he thought he had killed Comyn and that Kirkpatrick then drew his dagger with the words, ''I mak sikkar''; meaning “I make sure”; the clan motto and chief's coat of arms allude to this story. Kirkpatrick was sent on an embassy in 1314 with Sir Neil Campbell of

Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Scottish Highlands, 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 ...

into England and in recompense the Kirkpatrick family received the lands of Redburgh. Sir Roger Kirkpatrick distinguished himself in 1355 when he took both

Caerlaverock Castle Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold o ...

and Dalswinton Castle from the English. In 1357 Kirkpatrick was murdered by his kinsman, Sir James Lindsay of

Clan Lindsay Clan Lindsay is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. History Origins of the clan The Lindsays were prominent in both England and Scotland from the late 11th century. The name most likely derives from the region of Lindsey in England (the ...

in a private quarrel. The title then passed through a nephew to Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick, who in 1409 received from

Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany w ...

the baronies of Closeburn and Redburgh.

16th and 17th centuries

In 1526 a feud arose with the

Clan Charteris Clan Charteris is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. History Origins of the Name The claimed origin of the name Charteris is that it is from the city of Chartres in France. Origins of the Clan William, a son of the Lord Chartres, is ...

.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

). pp. 100 - 101. It is recorded in Pitcairn's ''Criminal Trials of Scotland'' that John Charteris of Amisfield, along with his brother and two sons, were charged with the murder of Roger Kilpatrick, son of Alexander Kilpatrick in March 1526. In 1542 Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick's grandson, another Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick, was taken prisoner at the Battle of Solway Moss. The estate then passed through a cousin and in 1685 Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn was created a

Baronet of Nova Scotia This is a list of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. These were first created in 1624, and were replaced by the Baronetage of Great Britain in 1707. This page lists baronetcies, whether extant, extinct, dormant (D), unproven (U), ...

for his support of

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after hi ...

. The mansion house that was built by the 1st Baronet burned down in a fire. The 4th Baronet, Sir James sold the Closeburn estates. In 1563 John Carruthers of Howmains, of

Clan Carruthers Clan Carruthers is a Lowland Scottish clan of the Scottish Borders headed by their Chief, Simon Peter Carruthers of Holmains and is recognised as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. A Clan Chief of Carruthers was confirmed after over 12 years ...

was indicted, along with Edward Irvine of Bonshaw (chief of

Clan Irvine Clan Irvine is a Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 174 – 1 ...

), for an assault on Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, as well as for slaying several other persons.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

). pp. 370 - 371. William Kirkpatrick who was descended from the Kirkpatrick of Conheath branch of the clan was a merchant in Málaga in Spain and he married the eldest daughter of a Belgian baron. His great-granddaughter was Eugénie de Montijo who became Empress of France when she married

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

Castles

Closeburn Castle Closeburn Castle is a privately owned tower house, probably of the 14th century, but possibly older, and is one of the oldest continually inhabited houses in Scotland. The castle is located 1 km east of the village of Closeburn, in the hist ...

was main seat of the Kirkpatricks of Closeburn, chiefs of Clan Kirkpatrick. * Torthorwald Castle was another castle that belonged to the Kirkpatricks. *

Tynron Doon Tynron Doon is a multivallate Iron Age hill fort outside the village of Tynron in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It was occupied on and off from the 1st millennium BC until the 16th century, when an L shaped tower house stood there. Tynron Doo ...

is the site of a castle once held by the Kirkpatricks and Robert the Bruce is believed to have stayed there after murdering John Comyn.

References

External links

Video footage and tales of the Closeburn churches.Clan Colquhoun Society of the United KingdomJP Kirkpatrick Genealogy in U.S.
* ttp://clankilpatrick.com/home.htm CyberClan Kilpatrickbr>Kilpatricks in U.S. HistoryThe Australian Kirkpatricks
{{Scottish clans Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick History of Dumfriesshire Scottish Lowlands