Understanding surnames
Why not look at our clan touring ideas specifically designed to take in the major sites relating to your clan heritage.
A brief summary of the whole panorama of Scottish history from the first human settlements to the present day.
What's in a name? If you're Scottish, quite a lot! Depending on where in Scotland your family came from - and the era they lived there - their surname could be based on the Scots language, on Gaelic or even on Norwegian, Dutch or French.
A Scot's surname is usually derived from one of the following:
The father's first name e.g.
- Anderson (Andrew's son)
- Allison (Alexander's son)
- Thomson (Tom's son)
NB. The Gaelic equivalent of these would begin with Mac or Mc
Occupations e.g.
- Brewster (brewer)
- Webster (weaver)
- Tranter (hawker)
Places e.g.
- Abercrombie (a Scottish town)
- Heriot (a Scottish town)
- Muir (meaning moor)
- Law (meaning hill)
Nicknames e.g.
- Hastie (impetuous)
- Meikle (large)
- Cameron (Gaelic for crooked nose)
Your own Scottish name - or those of your ancestors - may have a different spelling to other Scots. That may be because there were no standarised 'rules' of spelling in past centuries. Or it may, perhaps, be attributed to something as simple as an immigration officer mishearing a name when the emigrant first landed on their shores.
Have a look at the clans section for more information about the history of Scottish families and the clan system, and try out our clan search to see if your surname matches one of Scotland's famous clans. Your ancestors will have played a part in Scotland's rich history.
