Branches of the Clan Maclean - Maclean History Project

The Scottish clan is a construct held over from antiquity that merges kinship based allegiance with European feudal organization. Though no longer functional feudal¹ communities, Scottish law still considers clans noble communities as their hereditary chief continues to bear the undifferentiated arms granted or otherwise recognized by the Lord Lyon as an officer of the Crown, thus conferring royal recognition to the entire clan.²

Chiefly Line

The House of Duart is chiefly line the Clan Maclean and was established when Lachlan Lùbanach wed the daughter of John, 1^st Lord of the Isles, in 1350³; Duart Castle was included in the dowry, and Lachlan was made Lieutenant-General of the Isles.⁴ Since 1630 the Houses of Duart and Morvern have been coheritable; following the death of Sir Lachlan, the younger son of Sir Hector Óg, 15^th of Duart, who was created 1^st Baronet of Morvern and became chief after the death of his elder brother, Sir Hector Mor, 16^th of Duart.⁵ The house of Brolas merged into House of Duart in 1750 when Sir Hector, 20^th of Duart, died in Rome without issue; the titles descended to Allan of Brolas who became the 6^th Baronet and 21^st Chief.

Cadet Branches

The cadet branches of the clan are the distinct hereditary houses that trace their genealogy to the primary branch of the clan. They were usually established non-inheriting male descendants who acquired their own estates; they could also have been established by the chief parceling out territory to create new estates.

The Lord Lyon recognizes cadet branches that existed prior to the general consolidation of the clan structures in the late 1700’s;⁶ modern branches such as Dunconnel are heritable though do not have the same standing as the historical cadet branches. Senior cadet branches are all descended from Iain Dubh (4th Chief) and thus back to Gilleain na Tuaighe, 1^st Chief; junior cadet branches can trace their lineage back to a senior cadet branch.⁶

Branch Clans

Branch clans meet the criteria for cadetcy, yet are feudally independent of the Chiefly Line. Their independence stems from the house’s chief holding charters directly from the sovereign, bypassing the clan Chief. The head of branch clans are not bound by fealty to the primary branch Chief, as they are Chiefs in their own right.

Today the houses of Lochbuie, Ardgour, and Dochgarroch are recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon as feudally independent clans in their own right. Their progenitors are directly descended from Iain Dubh (4^th Chief) making them senior cadet houses,⁶ and all hold charters directly from the crown⁵ making them branch clans. The McLeans of Coll also held charters from the crown, but are now armigerous since its heritable line ended in 1882.

Contemporary Context & Perspective

One of the oldest⁴ Scottish clans, the Macleans have an expansive and sometimes complicated cadetcy. Since the Jacobite defeat at Colloden in 1745, the clan system that held the Scots together gave way to a government centered organization of society; though still regarded as noble societies, clan chiefship and association are little more than social dignities today.² Regardless of the house one’s genealogy connects them to, all houses as all descend from Gilleain na Tuaighe, 1^st Chief; as such all houses are the Children of Gilleain, all of his descendants are cousins. Both the connection to family and the distinctness of the various houses, branch clans, cadets, and septs that derive from our shared history should be celebrated.

Current Branches of the Clan Maclean

House of Duart

Clan Maclean of Duart, Chiefs of the Clan Maclean

BRANCH CLANS

House of Lochbuie

1^st Senior Cadet of Duart
Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie

_{Junior Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Urquhart & Culbokle
Macleans of Kingairloch
Macleans of Pennygown
Macleans of Cappurnach
Macleans of Scallasdale
_{Non-Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Uisken
Macleans of Garmony
Macleans of Loch Gorm

House of Ardgour

2^nd Senior Cadet of Duart
Clan Maclean of Ardgour

_{Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Borreray
Macleans of Treshnish
Macleans of Inverscaddel
Macleans of Dunconnel
_{Non-Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Blaich
Macleans of Achnadale
Macleans of Highnish
Macleans of Glenbard

House of Coll

3^rd Sr Cadet of Duart
Clan McLean of Coll

_{Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Muck
Macleans of Drimnacross
Macleans of Crosspol
Macleans of Gallanach
_{Non-Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Grishipol
Macleans of Achnasaul
Macleans of Totaranald
Macleans of Haremere Hall

House of Dochgarroch

Junior Cadet of Lochbuie
Clan Tearlach

_{Cadet Branches}
“The Macleans of the North”

SENIOR CADETS

Maclean of Lehir & Ross (Chieftain's Arms)

House of Lehir & Ross

4^th Senior Cadet Branch

_{Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Lehir
Macleans of Shuna
Macleans of Ormsaig
_{Non-Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Airdchraoishnish
Macleans of Breda

House of Morvern

5^th Senior Cadet Branch

_{Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Kinlochaline
Macleans of Drimnin
Macleans of Pennycross
Macleans of Tiree
_{Non-Cadet Branches}
Macleans of Calgary
Macleans of Grulin
Macleans of Kilunaig
Macleans of Penygoun

House of Torloisk

6^th Senior Cadet Branch

_{No Junior Cadet Branches}

House of Makeléer

7^th Senior Cadet Branch
Lords of Gåsevadholm, Hageby and Hammarö
Baronets of Duart (Sweden)

_{Non-Cadet Branches}
Mackleans of Sweeden

House of Dunconnel

8^th Senior Cadet Branch

_{No Junior Cadet Branches}

JUNIOR CADETS & BRANCHES

Maclean of Kingairloch (Chieftains Arms)

House of Kingairloch

Junior Cadet Branch of Lochbuie

House of Drimnin

Junior Cadet Branch of Morvern

House of Muck

Junior Cadet Branch of Coll

Maclean of Drimnacross (Chieftain's Arms)

House of Drimnacross

Junior Cadet Branch of Coll

House of Tiree

Junior Cadet Branch of Morvern

Macleans of Haremere Hall (Chieftain's Arms)

House of Haremere Hall

Junior Branch of Coll

Maclean of Lehir & Ross of Breda (Chieftain's Arms)

House of Breda

Junior Branch of Ross

Maclean of Plantation (Chieftain's Arms)

House of Plantation

Junior Branch

House of Macklean

Junior Branch of Makeléer
Lords of Ström, Hjärtum and Svaneholm
Barons of Gåsevadholm

Historic Branches of the Clan Maclean

Chart of Historic Branch, Chiefs, and Chieftains (Opens a PDF)

Septs of the Clan Maclean

Septs are the houses of separate sir names that historically bore fealty to the chief. While the males are not directly descended, these houses are considered part of the Clan. The list below includes known historical septs (spelling variations omitted).

Auchaneson	Beath	Beaton	Black	Clanachan
Dowart	Dowie	Duart	Duie	Garvie
Gillan	Gillon	Gilzean	Hoey	Huie
Lane	Lean	Leitch	MacBeath	MacBeth
MacBheath	MacCormick	MacEachan	Macfadin	MacFadyen
Macfadzean	Macfergan	Macgeachan	MacGilvra	Macildowie
Macilduy	Macilvera	MacLergain	Maclergan	MacPhaiden
MacRankin	MacVeagh	MacVey	Paden	Patten
Rankin	Rankine

References

1. Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746″. Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain. 20 Geo. II (c. 43). 1746.
2. “What is a clan?”. Lyon-Court.com. Court of the Lord Lyon. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008.
3. “Duart Castle”. Duart Castle. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009.
4. MacLean, J. P. A MacLean Souvenir. Franklin, Ohio: The News Book & Job Print, 1918. Print.
5. Sinclair, Alexander Maclean. The Clan Gillean. Charlotteown: Haszard and Moore, 1899. ³p39-42 ^3bp50.
6 White, Alasdair. “Maclean Cadet Branches and their Chiefs.” Clan MacLean. N.p., 1999. Print.
NOTE: This presentation of the Branches and Cadet Houses of the Clan Maclean is an attempt to reconcile the modern and historical distinctions within the families.

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