Genealogy
The main families involved in the first
struggle for Scotland's independence.
Find out if your family name is part of the story! Go down the list ion the page and click the cross next to any name to find out more about how the different families were involved!
Roland Askelok of Borgue in the Stewartry. Lands confiscated by Edward in favour of John Wigton. The name Askelok is recorded in Wigtownshire in the 1290s. Gilbert, Roland and Hector are mentioned. Hector’s seal bore a shield with two lions passant.
Walter of Bickerton, Laird of Kincraig in Fife. Lands given to Thomas Grey. The surname is English in origin, from Bickerton in Northumberland and possibly from a place of the same name in Yorkshire. As early as 1200 Richard of Bickirtoune had lands in Dunypace. In 1292 Eustace of Bikerton had the church of Douglas in Lanarkshire and four years later he was rector of Auchtermuchty in Fife. The family is also mentioned in the Haddington area and appears to have had connections with the Douglas family around 1400.
Brice Blair, Knight from Cunninghame, Ayrshire. Lands to William de Cambo. The name is territorial in origin and probably from more than one place. It is 800 years since the name first appeared in Scottish records with Stephen de Blare who witnessed a charter by Dovenald, Abbe of Brechin to the monastery of Arbroath between 1204 and 1211. A Brice Blair was a witness to an agreement between the Burgh of Irvine and Brice Eglinton in 1205. The name appears in Fife and Buchan amongst the earliest records.
King Robert I of Scotland (1306 – 1329) was the seventh of the name, Robert Bruce. He inherited the long held family title of Lord of Annandale and also became Earl of Carrick through his father’s marriage to Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, whose home was Turnberry Castle in Aryshire, the likely place of young Robert’s birth. Robert had four brothers – Alexander, executed at Carlisle, 1307; Sir Edward, crowned High King of Ireland in 1316 and killed at the Battle of Fochart two years later; Sir Neil, executed at Berwick, 1306; and Sir Thomas, executed at Carlisle, 1307. Robert also had at least five sisters – Christian, married three times to (1) Gartnait, Earl of Mar; (2) Sir Christopher Seton; (3) Andrew Murray, son of William Wallace’s companion of the same name; she was imprisoned in England during Robert’s campaign; Isabella, married King Eric II of Norway in 1293; Margaret; Mary, married Sir Neil Campbell of Lochawe, imprisoned at Roxburgh Castle near Kelso and kept in a cage hung from the walls; Matilda (or Maud), married Hugh of Ross. King Robert married Isabella of Mar in 1295.She died giving birth to their daughter, Marjorie, the following year. Robert remarried in 1302. His bride was Elizabeth de Burgh, daughter of Richard, Earl of Ulster. They were separated for eight years while Elizabeth was held prisoner in England. She was not acknowledged as a Queen but was held at a royal manor house in Burstwick-in-Holderness. Nevertheless, Robert and Elizabeth had four children, two daughters, Margaret and Matilda (no birth dates recorded) and two sons.avid, (King David II) was born on March 5, 1324, and his brother John, born at Dunfermline in 1326 when he also died in infancy. Elizabeth herself died in October, 1327. Robert’s grandson, Robert II, was born in 1316. He was the son of Walter the Steward and Robert’s daughter Marjorie, who, as a 12 year old, had been imprisoned by King Edward I in a Gilbertine Convent at Walton in Yorkshire. Eight months pregnant, Marjorie, was flung from her horse and killed instantly. She was probably 22 years old. Baby Robert was born by Caesarean section and miraculously survived. King Robert I died at his manor house at Cardross, near Dumbarton, on June 7, 1329. He was 55 years old and for at least two years had been suffering from a serious illness, believed at the time to be leprosy. There is insufficient information for modern medical science to confirm the belief. But the illness may have been brought on by many years of campaigning and time spent in the open. Robert’s bones were laid to rest at Dunfermline Abbey, alongside the body of his queen, Elizabeth, and his grave was discovered during renovation work in 1818. When the coffin was opened a gold cloth covered a lead neck to ankle surcoat. There was a lead crown in the coffin, which, apparently, was stolen. The lead is believed to have been mined in the Lowther Hills near Wanlockhead in Dumfries and Galloway. A plaster cast of the skull was made and it revealed the king suffered a significant war wound to the jaw on the right side of his face. Sword cuts were also discovered on the skull.
Robert Brus – ancestor of King Robert I and the first of the Bruces in Scotland – was granted the Lordship of Annandale by Kind David I, probably between 1124 and 1130. The tiny charter of only eleven lines, written on a strip of parchment measuring 6.5 inches by 3.5 inches still survives. Robert Brus was possibly a grandson of the Robert Brus who probably led the family contingent at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 when Duke William of Normandy won the English throne. The Bruces hailed from the area between Cherbourg and Valognes in Normandy where their base was a large fortress dating from the eleventh century and built by Adam de Brus. The Bruces were connected to the Royal family of Norway through marriage and also had a noble line in Sweden.
Robert Boyd, knight, of Noddsdale, coroner of Ayr and Lanark. Lands to Dungal Macdouall. Staunch supporter of Bruce and one of his key lieutenants along with Douglas and Randolph; captured Rothesay Castle by sea in 1306. Outlived Bruce by a number of years and benefited greatly from his patronage receiving lands in Cunningham, Kyle and parts of Dalswinton and Bridburgh in Dumfriesshire as well as Glenkens in Kirkcudbrightshire. Undoubtedly laid the foundation for the family to become one of the greatest in Scotland. The name is Gaelic in origin deriving from the Isle of Bute (G. Bhoid). The first of the name were vassals of the de Morevilles in the area of Largs. A Robert Boyd witnessed the same 1205 agreement between the burgh of Irvine and Brice Eglinton as Brice Blair and another Robert Boyd distinguished himself at the battle of Largs in 1263. The family rose to prominence in the Middle Ages.
Sir John, Laird of Cambo in the East Neuk of Fife. Got into a dispute over the fishing revenues from the village of Crail with the sister of Sir Henry de Beaumont and lost out to her (Lady de Vesci) in June, 1306. Within weeks he was captured and on August 4, 1306, he was hanged at Newcastle. The name appears in Scottish records from 1225 in the St Andrews area. Sir John’s seal included a rabbit at the foot of a tree with a bird at the top.
Sir John Cameron of Baledgarno was with the earl of Atholl, as was John Cameron of Balnely, a kinsman. The former’s lands went to Hugh, son of the earl of Ross, and the latter’s to Simon Ward. Camerons are divided into Lowland and Highland branches. The Lowland name comes from three places of the name at Edinburgh, Lennox and Fife. The Highland name relates to the facial description ‘hook nose’.
Sir Neil of Lochawe. Lands in Argyll or Ayrshire to John Lovedale. Along with his brother Donald, had strong influence in Kintyre. Donald’s lands in Argyll or Ayrshire to Stephen Deepham. Circa 1308 Neil Campbell, Thomas Hay of Borthwick and Alexander Seton of that ilk, made a pact to defend King Robert and the liberty of his realm to their dying breath. He married Bruce’s sister, Mary, and their son John became earl of Atholl. Died 1315. Donald signed the Declaration of Arbroath. The Campbell family went on to become one of the most influential in Scotland.
Comyn, Cumming. John ‘The Red’ Comyn was the third of his name to bear the title Lord of Badenoch, and, as such, was leader of the senior branch of the Comyn family. He was a Guardian of Scotland twice between 1298 and 1304, the first two years, 1298 to 1300, shared with his cousin, Robert the Bruce. He married Joan de Valence, daughter of William de Valence, a cousin of Edward I, around 1293. Comyn was involved in invasions of England and spent time imprisoned at the tower of London. In return for his freedom in 1296 he joined Edward’s army in Flanders. It has been argued that this was a key reason why the Comyns did not give outright support to Sir William Wallace in his campaigns. But the hand of their patronage is apparent. What is certain is that John Comyn was a steadfast and constant supporter of Scottish interests. He undoubtedly had a stormy relationship with Bruce. In August, 1299, at a baronial council in Peebles, Comyn grabbed Bruce by the throat during an argument over lands belonging to Wallace. Comyn made his peace with Edward in 1304. In all likelihood, as an astute defender of family interests, he had weighed up the possibility of outright war with England and decided the family had more to lose than any other in Scotland if hostilities broke out. Little love had been lost between the Bruces and Comyns since the kingless years after the death of Alexander III. The Bruces had lost their bid to take the throne of Scotland when Edward judged John Balliol had the better claim. The Comyns were Balliol supporters. As the 14th century got under way, Balliol was increasingly out of the frame and Edward I was rumouredto be dying. Bruce and Comyn arranged to meet in the Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries in February, 1306. No-one knows exactly what was planned but it seems likely Bruce was prepared to give up his lands to the Comyns if they supported his claim for the throne. It is hardly surprising that Comyn, supporter of King John Balliol and a man uneasy with the Bruces, refused. The refusal cost him his life. It also cost the life of his uncle who tried to come to his aid. The uncle is named Edmund by Barbour but Professor Barrow identifies him as Sir Robert. Comyn’s son and heir John Comyn was brought up in England and died at Bannockburn. Contrary to popular belief down the years, the Comyns were not “the bad guys” in Scottish terms. They were simply the losers in an inter-family struggle which developed into an all-out war for Scotland’s freedom. In fact, Scotland has much to thank the Comyns for. They were the principle family in the land for almost 100 years and displayed considerable diplomatic and ambassadorial skills to deflect English ambitions for overlordship of the country. In doing so they managed to preserve Scottish traditions and laws.
The Comyn or Cumyn (Cumming, Cummings, Cuming) family are believed to have come from the town of Comines near Lille on the frontier of France and Belgium. The first of the name to appear in Scotland was William, a churchman and chancellor to David I. His son John witnessed charters of William the Lion and married a granddaughter of Donald Bane, king of Scots. Their son William became chancellor and great justiciary of Scotland and became Earl of Buchan through his wife Marjorie whom he married circa 1211. For the next 100 years family power was at its zenith but that collapsed with the Bruce dynasty.
From the barony of Crawford in the upper ward of Clydesdale. In 1248, Sir John of that Ilk died leaving two daughters, of whom the elder married Archibald de Douglas, and the younger married David Lindsay of Wauchopedale, ancestor of the Earls of Crawford and Balcarres.
A cadet branch produced Sir Archibald Crawford of Loudoun, the Sheriff of Ayr, murdered at a banquet by the English, and his sister married Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie and was mother to Sir William Wallace, Scotland’s great patriot.
Loudoun estates on the River Irvine were originally owned by the Crawfords, but passed through marriage to the Campbells.
The name is found in Sweden as Crawford.
The Crosbie family arrived in England in 1066 during the Norman Conquest. Sir John de Crosbie, or Crosbj as it was spelt then, was given a grant of land at the mouth of the Mersey and that part of Liverpool is still known as Crosbie. From that family, Adam Crosbie received a grant of land in Annandale from Bruce. Adam’s daughter, Euphemia, married Robert de Brus, 2nd Lord of Annandale whilst her brother, Ivo, is said to have married a natural daughter of Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale. Several grants of land followed in the Annan and Cummertrees area. Robert Crosbie married Maud de Kirkpatrick and had seven sons, all of whom fought and five were killed at Bannockburn. Robert Crosbie, himself, was present at Greyfriars Church and helped despatch the Red Comyn. It is said that Robert’s eldest son, Adam Crosbie, fought at Bannockburn on the English side and was killed by his father. Sources: Edgar’s History of Dumfries; Court of the Lord Lyon.
Andrew the Dempster of Angus. Lost lands in Angus to John Lutton. The name stems from the office of dempster or judge to a parliament or shire. As such the name appears across the country.
The first recorded of this name is William de Douglas, who lived in the twelfth century. Grants of land were made to Sir James Douglas, one of Robert Bruce’s chief lieutenants.
At one time they became the most powerful family in Scotland, and because of their strength and wealth were a constant threat to the Stewart kings. This was the main reason for their title and estates being forfeited in 1455. These Douglases, however, were the ancestors of the earls of Morton, Douglas, Annandale, Moray, Ormond, Angus and Forfar and the dukes of Touraine, Queensberry and Hamilton.
Lady Margaret Douglas was the daughter of the Earl of Angus and Princess Margaret Tudor, who had been married previously to James IV of Scotland. She married the Earl of Lennox and their son, Lord Darnley, married Mary, Queen of Scots, and was father to James VI and I.
Archibald, 3rd Marquis, was created Duke of Douglas in 1703 but, dying without issue in 1774, his marquisate and the earldom of Angus devolved on the Duke of Hamilton, while the Douglas estates, as a result of the celebrated ‘Douglas Cause’ lawsuit, passed to his nephew and heir of line,
to whom the armorial bearings and the Douglas chiefship were awarded by Lyon Decree 1771; he was created Lord Douglas of Douglas 1790.
On the death of the 4th Lord Douglas in 1857, the estates devolved upon his niece, Lady Elizabeth Douglas of Douglas, Countess of Home, whose great-grandson, Lord Home of the Hirsel, became feudal Baron of Douglas.
Sir Thomas Innes concluded that it was difficult to say who was chief of the name and family of Douglas, and the situation has not changed to date.
The arms and estate are merged with the earldom of Home; and the Duke of Hamilton, although paternally a Douglas, became by marriage with the Hamilton heiress, on taking her name and arms, by the law and custom of Scotland, chief of the name and house of Hamilton (although this is not strictly acknowledged while he carries the family name of Douglas-Hamilton, Lyon not recognizing compound surnames).
Sir Thomas indicates that if Douglasdale were eventually settled, with the name and arms of Douglas, upon a younger grandson of Lord Home, he would thereupon as next of blood bearing the name be Chief of the House of Douglas; failing which that position might pass to the next brother of the House of Hamilton resuming the name and arms of Douglas of Douglas.
The lands of Drumlanrig, near Thornhill in Dumfriesshire, were confirmed on the Douglases in 1412 by King James I. Douglas of Drumlanrig rose to become Duke of Queensberry, but on the death of the 3rd Duke, the title passed to the Earls of March, and in 1810 to the Dukes of Buccleuch.
Threave Castle in Dumfriesshire was built in the fourteenth century for Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway and 3rd Earl of Douglas. Aberdour Castle in Fife was owned by the Earls of Morton; Tantallon Castle, near North Berwick, the most impregnable castle in Scotland, was held by the Douglas Earls of Angus. It was taken by Cromwell’s General Monck in 1651 after twelve days of continual bombardment.
Bothwell Castle, Uddington, was held by the Douglases from 1362 to 1859, and Loch Leven Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned, was the property of Sir William Douglas of Loch Leven.
Alan Durward of Fichlie. Lands to William Montfichet. Hanged and beheaded at Berwick along with Neil Bruce in 1306 after being captured following the fall of Kildrummy Castle, Aberdeen, which was alongside his lands of Fichlie. The name is also spelled Dorward and comes from the office of door ward of an abbey. The office to the king was a powerful one held by the de Lundin family in the late 12th early 13th century. The de Lundins were from Lundin in Fife but a dispute with the earl of Mar saw them move to Aberdeen. The dispute was settled in 1228 and the de Lundins whose name changed to Durward ended up with huge lands in Strathdee. Name is common in the north east.
Sir William Fenton. His lands (unidentified) given to Duncan of Frendraught. The lands of Sir William’s son, John, in Midlothian, went to Geoffrey of Ledes. John was at the St Andrews Parliament, held between March 25, 1308 and March 24, 1309. The earliest known member of the family was John de Fenton, Sheriff of Forfar, in 1261. The name probably originated from the barony of Fenton in East Lothian. But the most successful line was in Angus where the family continued to enjoy a strong reputation until the failure of the male line in the fifteenth century.
Fergussons from both Galloway and Carrick alike claim descent from Fergus of Galloway. The grandfather of Donnchadh, Earl of Carrick and in turn great-great-grandfather to Robert Bruce, Fergus, restored the see of Whithorn and founded Dundrennan Abbey during the reign of David I and Malcolm IV. He died as a monk at Holyrood in 1161. King Robert the Bruce was the 4th Earl of Carrick.
Alexander Folkard of Folkerton, Lanark. Lost lands to Walter Gylling. The lands of Folkardton are in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire. The name first appears in records as Folkardtown but by 1294 the ‘ton’ seems to have been dropped when William Folkard appears in a charter at Lesmahagow. Alexander, was still alive in 1315.
Sir Simon, the younger, of Oliver Castle. Fraser fought bravely at the battle of Roslin in 1302 beating three English divisions in one day. He conducted a guerilla campaign from Selkirk forest after the defeat of Sir William Wallace at Falkirk. He was sentenced to four years exile in 1305 by Edward I for supporting Wallace. A year later Edward had Fraser’s lands in Tweeddale destroyed. Fraser was captured in 1306 and taken to London where he was drawn, hanged and beheaded. His head was stuck on a pole and placed above London Bridge alongside that of Wallace. Edward then had the rest of the body and the gallows burned. Other Frasers out early for Bruce were Simon’s brother, Thomas, whose lands went to Thomas Grey and Robert de Repples; Richard Fraser, lands at Touch Fraser to John de Luk, Arkleton, Dumfries to John of Bristol and others (unidentified) to Alexander Balliol; Alexander Fraser, Cornton to John de Luk, lands in Midlothian to John Weston, Drip in Stirling to William Montfichet and unidentified lands to John de Lisle; Alexander, son of Andrew Fraser, unidentified lands to Thomas Grey. The name Fraser was originally de Frisselle and the family first settled in Tweeddale and in Lothian. It changed to Fraissier (strawberry carrier) possibly because the plant was part of the armorial bearings. Simon was a common choice of Christian name in the family which later spread to the Highlands.
William Gourlay. Paid homage to Edward 1 in 1304. On December 14, 1306, had his claim for lands in Aberdeenshire rejected by a jury who favoured claimants supported by Edward. The jury decided he was an enemy of Edward having declared for Robert the Bruce. The name first appears in Scotland around 1174 when Ingelramus de Gourlay, is recorded holding lands in Clydesdale and Lothian. His son, Hugh, possessed lands in Fife and the Lothians. The name appears regularly in records from Roxburghshire and from Edinburgh and in 1330 Robert Gourlay was Provost of Stirling.
Thomas de la Hay of Borthwick, Lothian. Along with Alexander Seton of that ilk and Neil Campbell of Lochawe, he made a pact in 1308 to defend King Robert and the realm of Scotland to their dying breath. Sir Gilbert de la Hay, laird of Errol and constable of Scotland, declared a traitor by Edward I in a letter on June 19, 1306, in which Edward ordered Aymer de Valence to “burn down all his manors and houses, destoy all his lands and goods, and strip all his gardens so that nothing is left, and if possible do worse to him than to Sir Michael Wemyss.” Sir Gilbert went on to become one of Bruce’s staunchest supporters and fought at Bannockburn. Bruce made him hereditary constable by 1309 when he was present at the parliament at St Andrews. He was favoured by Bruce and granted extensive lands in Aberdeenshire. His lands at Errol were divided between Hugh Despenser, John de la Mare and William, son of William Latimer, by Edward. Sir Gilbert outlived King Robert by several years. Sir John de la Hay had his lands in Inverness-shire given to Oliver Avenel. The name de la Haye originated in France. William de Haya obtained the lands of Errol in Gowrie from William the Lion, between 1178 and 1182 and was cup bearer to Malcolm IV. William Hay, who was constable of Scotland, was killed at the battle of Dupplin in 1332 and the story goes that the line would have failed then had his wife not been pregnant.
Ralph Herries. Declared early for Bruce but was captured and hanged at Newcastle on August 4, 1306. The name seems to be a branch of the Anglo Norman family Heriz and, like many others, arrived in Scotland with David I. William de Heriz is a witness to several charters. In 1296 one William de Heriz of Dumfries swore allegiance to Edward. The family and the lordship were closely identified with Dumfriesshire from the middle of the 14th century.
Sir Robert Keith, marischal of Scotland. Sir Robert was one of the Scottish magnates involved in a raid on the English. Held lands at Stobo, Peeblesshire, in 1299. A year later Edward invaded Galloway and while at Twynholm his skirmishers captured Keith near the river Cree. Keith was sent to Bristol but was back in Scotland by 1305 when, on Ocober 26, he was named one of a four strong commission set up to look after the country’s interests. He threw in his lot with Bruce in 1308, fighting at Bannockburn and at the capture of Berwick, the town where he later became warden. Keith and his brother Edward were granted vast lands in Aberdeenshire by King Robert. Bernard Keith had lands in Ayrshire confiscated by Edward in favour of Thomas and Herbert de Borehonte. Sir William Keith of Galston brought the bones of Sir James Douglas and the heart of King Robert back from Spain after the battle against the Moors at Tebas de Ardales on March 25, 1330, in which Douglas was killed.
Sir Roger Kirkpatrick was named the third among five knight envoys at truce negotiations between Scotland and England in December 1319. Humphrey Kirkpatrick, assumed to be a kinsman of Sir Roger, was prominent in the financial administration towards the end of King Robert’s reign. Chronicles from both sides of the Border maintain that there were two stages to the death of the Red Comyn in Dumfries. There is nothing definitive in the Chronicles about what happened but one story maintains there was the initial assault by Bruce himself followed by a later stabbing involving Roger Kirkpatrick and Sir James Lindsay. The Kirkpatrick family adopted a bloody knife on their coat of arms as a result. The name is taken from a chapel dedicated to St Patrick at Closeburn north of Dumfries. Roger was the favoured forename and the first on record appears in a charter of the Bruces before 1141. Ivo de Kirkpatrick had a charter from Robert Bruce for fishings on the River Esk in Annandale in 1190. The family was closely allied to the Bruces. In 1232, Ivone de Kirkpatrick had a charter for all the lands of Kelosbern from Alexander II and the estates remained in the family ownership until 1783. Towards the end of the 18th century William, son of William Kirkpatrick of Conheath, became a successful wine merchant in Malaga, southern Spain. He married a daughter of Baron de Grivegnee. One of their daughters married the Count de Montijo and their daughter, Marie Eugenie, married the Emperor Napoleon III. The Spanish branch of the family currently owns Closeburn Castle.
Lamberton was a witness. The Lambertons were prominent in Berwickshire throughout the 1100 and 1200`s although individuals of the name held lands at Lanark, Edinburgh, Fife, Forfar and Stirling in 1206. Bishop William is their most famous son.
Alwin MacMuredach MacMaidouern, Mormaer of the Levanach, is the first Celtic earl of this name and he lived in the twelfth century. The earldom of Lennox was associated with various of the Stewarts. Lord Darnley, for example, who married Mary, Queen of Scots, was son of the 4th Earl of Lennox. Charles Lennox was the natural son of Charles II by the Duchess of Portsmouth (who was also created Duchesse d’Aubigny by Louis XIV of France). In 1675 he was created Duke of Richmond.
Charles, 4th Duke, was Governor-General of Canada, 1818-19. Charles Henry, 6th Duke of Richmond and Lennox, Secretary for Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal, was created Duke of Gordon in 1876.
Lennox Castle, at Lennoxtown in Stirlingshire, is a former seat of the Lennox of Woodhead family.
Alexander of Barnweill in Ayrshire. Lands of Barnweill to Roger de Borehonte. A noted leader when Sir William Wallace began his uprising. In 1304 he was ordered by Edward to capture Wallace but failed to do so. In 1305 Edward decreed Lindsay should be banished for six months. In 1306 he, along with the earl of Atholl, Neil Bruce and Robert Boyd, was detailed to escort the Bruce women to Kildrummy Castle on Donside, after Bruce was defeated by the MacDougalls. Sir Alexander was at the St Andrews Parliament of 1309. James, son of Sir Walter Lindsay of Thurston in East Lothian, joined Bruce in 1306. Lands of Thurston given to Thomas Convers. Sir James Lindsay is said to have accompanied Roger Kirkpatrick into the Church of the Greyfriars in Dumfries in February, 1306 to despatch the Red Comyn after Bruce said he was unsure whether he had killed him. The name is said to be of Norman origin from De Limesay, near Pavilly north of Rouen. It also comes from the area of Lindsay in Lincolnshire mentioned in chronciles as far back as 627AD. The first of the name in Scotland was Sir Walter de Lindeseya who arrived with King David.
Simon Lockhart of the Lee. From Bruce’s earldom of Carrick, joined the campaign in 1306. His lands of Lochwood in Ayr and the Lee in Lanarkshire went to Robert Hastang. From the French personal name, Locard. The family settled in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire in the 12th century where they held vast lands.
Walter Logan of Hartside, Sheriff of Lanark. Estates of Hartside in Upper Clydesdale given to John Cromwell, unidentified lands to William Mulcaster, John Bisset and John de Lisle. Walter Logan joined Bruce in 1306. In 1298 he had a grant from Robert Bruce of the lands of Luce in Annandale. He was Sheriff of Lanark in 1301. The name probably derives from Logan in Ayrshire. In 1204 Robert Logan witnessed a resignation of the lands of Ingilbristoun and his name appears on charters in the reign of William the Lion. The name also appears in Lanarkshire, Fife, Dumfriesshire and Wigtownshire before 1300.
Hugh Lovel of Hawick. His unidentified lands, presumably at Hawick, were granted to Robert Bures and the estates of Enoch and Drumcruilton at Durisdeer in Nithsdale, to John Daniel. John Lovel “The Rich” was among the English Barons slain at Bannockburn. Richard Lovel of Hawick forfeited the lands of Branxholm to Bruce. The name is from the French Louvel and has a meaning of little wolf. It appears in early Scottish records as Lupellus. A branch of the family of Lovels from Somerset held lands in Roxburghshire, probably the Lovels of Hawick. The first of the name appears there in 1183. They later moved to Angus and were important to the development of Dundee before that male line failed in 1607.
Alexander, earl of Menteith, 1296 to 1306. Sent to the Tower of London in 1296 for leading a force that stormed Dunbar Castle as the Balliol rule came to an end. In 1299 he was involved in the raid on the manor of Stobo, Peeblesshire. Alexander was succeeded by his son Alan who declared for Bruce at his crowning but later surrendered to the English and was deprived of his earldom. He died between November 1306 and March 1309. A young son named Alan was the heir but he apparently died in English hands. The name comes from lands in south west Perthshire and first dates from 1237.
Alexander Menzies of Weem in Strathtay. Lands granted to Alexander Balliol. Alexander was captured after the ill-fated attack on Dunbar Castle in the dying years of the Balliol reign and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Menzies was with Bruce before the Comyn murder. He was a witness on a charter granted by Bruce in 1305. Bruce later granted him the barony of Glendochart. Alexander’s son, William, who held the estates of Shielswood in Selkirkshire and the neighbouring lands of Harden in Roxburghshire, joined Bruce in 1306. Edward gave his lands to John de Lisle. Robert Menzies, a long time supporter of Bruce, was present when the final peace treaty with England was signed shortly before the king’s death. The name is of Norman origin, from de Meyners, and in England became Manners. Robert de Meyners who was created Great Chamberlain of Scotland, is generally considered to be the first of the family in the country. His name appears on charters as early as 1217.
Sir William Mowat of Kinnettles in Angus. Lands to John de la Mare. Paid homage to Edward in March, 1304 but was with Bruce in 1306. Bernard Mowat was drawn and hanged at Newcastle on August 4, 1306. The name, sometimes spelled Mouatt, is from the Norman French Mont Hault, high mount. The family may have come to Scotland with King David, from Wales. They acquired lands in Angus in the reign of William the Lion.
Sir William Murray of Saint Fort in Fife and Sir John Murray of Drumsergard in Lanarkshire, paid homage to Edward in 1304 but were with Bruce in 1306. Sir William’s lands went to Alexander Abernethy and Sir John’s to Robert Chival. David Murray, Bishop of Moray, was a Bruce supporter and present at his coronation. He later fled to Orkney but was at the St Andrew’s Parliament of 1309. Andrew Murray lead the uprising in Moray in 1297, joined Willliam Wallace and was joint commander of the Scottish Army at Stirling Bridge where he was wounded. He died of the wounds later in the year. There were many Murrays in the ranks of supporters of King Robert and their name is long associated with the wars for Scottish independence. Others who had lands confiscated by Edward were Alan Murray, a cousin of Sir William of Culbin in Moray, to Alexander Abernethy; Austin Murray, unidentified lands in Lanarkshire, to Henry Prendergest and Wiston at Lanark to John de Lisle. The name is territorial from the area of Moray in north east Scotland. There was also an important family of the name in Dumfriesshire.
Thomas Randolph. Son of King Robert’s half sister, his father had been closely associated with the Balliols. He fought at Methven and changed sides when captured. But he had rejoined Bruce by March, 1309, and went on to become one of his most trusted and successful captains. He was at the St Andrews Parliament of 1309 as Lord of Nithsdale where he held lands. He also had estates in Berwickshire. Randolph lead the company which captured Edinburgh Castle. Bruce made him Earl of Moray and he led the Scottish vanguard at Bannockburn. He was present when Berwick fell, took part in the Ulster campaign and was granted the Lordship of Man. He led raids into England and survived the death of his uncle by several years. In 1330 he was made Guardian of Scotland. Randolph’s lands at Stitchill in Berwicksire went to Robert Hastang; Garlies in Minnigaff, Kirkcudbright, went to Thomas Paynel; Morton in Nithsdale, Dumfriesshire was shared between Thomas Paynel and William, son of William Latimer; and unidentified lands went to Maurice le Brun.
Sir Christopher Seton, son of a Yorkshire Knight and brother in law of Bruce (married to Christian Bruce). He was with Bruce at the Kirk of the Greyfriars in Dumfries on February 10, 1306 when the Red Comyn was killed. Seton killed Comyn’s uncle, Edmund/Robert, when he attacked Bruce. Within weeks Seton was captured, with his brothers John and Humphrey, at Loch Doon Castle. The three were taken to Dumfries where they were drawn, hanged and quartered on a small hill where St Mary’s church now stands. Christian Bruce erected a chapel on the site in memory of her husband. Seton’s lands in Annandale went to Robert Felton. Alexander Seton of that ilk entered into a pact with Thomas Hay of Borthwick and Neil Campbell of Lochawe in 1308 to protect King Robert and Scotland to their dying breath. Sir Alexander Seton was in the service of the English but deserted on the eve of Bannockburn, disgusted at the lack of leadership and low morale in the English army. He was probably the same Alexander Seton who made the pact in 1308. His information convinced the Scots to stand and fight. At Christmas, 1319, Seton was a member of the Scottish negotiating committee at Newcastle which agreed a two year truce with England. Seton’s invaluable contribution at Bannockburn singled him out for special recognition by Bruce. He was already a man of some importance having the lands of Seton in East Lothian. He was also steward of the royal household and was given Tranent, Myles, Elphinstone and Falside in East Lothian as well as lands at Haddington.
Thomas of Carnwath in Lanarkshire and Linton in Roxburgh, John of Clifton in Roxburghshire and William who held land in Midlothian, were kin of Simon Fraser. The three had long fought for Scottish Independence and declared for Bruce in 1306. Thomas’ lands of Linton and Carnwath went to Robert Hastang and Walter de Moncy; John’s unidentified lands went to Robert Hastang; Clifton to John Weston; and Hedgeley in Northumberland to Robert Hastang; Wiliam’s Midlothian estates went to John Weston. The name originates from a town near Caen in Normandy. The first Somerville in Scotland, William, arrived with King David and was given lands in Lanarkshire. They took possession of Linton in Roxburghshire in the early 1200s.
John de Soules was Guardian of Scotland in 1301-2 and 1303. His lands of Old Roxburgh went to Richard Lovel. A committed patriot, he, along with Wallace and Simon Fraser, refused to surrender to Edward in 1304. Soules fled to France where he remained when Wallace returned and was captured and executed. De Soules declared for Bruce, from France, in 1306 and the fact he did so probably persuaded many others to join the cause. He died in France in 1310. His great nephew, John de Soules, was with Edward Bruce and James Douglas when they devastated Northumberland in August, 1314. He died in 1318.
James the Stewart, was one of the Guardians of Scotland in the dying years of the thirteenth century. His lands included Renfrew, Bute and Kyle Stewart as well as estates in Teviotdale, Lauderdale and Lothian. James was a patron and friend of Sir William Wallace. He had historic associations with the Bruce family and declared for Robert in 1306. He was an old man by then and died in July 1309. His eldest son Andrew was already dead and his estates fell to his second son, Walter. In 1315 Walter married Bruce’s daughter Marjorie. Their son Robert (II) was born in 1316 after Marjorie was thrown from her horse and killed. The Royal house of Stewart began with the marriage. Walter nominally commanded one of the Scottish divisions at Bannockburn but because of his age, he was still a youth, Sir James Douglas was really in control. Sir Walter died in 1326. His younger brother James was with Sir James Douglas on the famous raid across the Border which began on June 15, 1327. They were chased by Edward III and on the night of August 4 Douglas raided the English camp in East Allendale, Northumberland, and almost succeeded in capturing Edward. Only determined resistance by the young king’s personal servants saved him from becoming a Scottish prisoner. Sir John Stewart of Jedburgh, brother of James, was leader of the Scottish archers at the disastrous battle of Falkirk in 1298. He was ridden down and killed by English knights.
Sir Michael Wemyss was specifically singled out as a traitor by Edward I and Aymer de Valance, Edward’s commander in Scotland, was ordered to destroy his lands in a letter of June 19, 1306. Sir Michael’s lands in Midlothian were handed to John Weston. David Wemyss signed the Declaration of Arbroath. The name is territorial, from the lands in Fife. The first record of the name, Michael de Wemeth appears on a charter in 1261
Robert Wishart, a man at the centre of Scotland’s struggle for freedom, was Bishop of Glasgow from 1271 to 1316. He was also a Guardian of Scotland and a long time supporter of Bruce who was imprisoned in England. Wishart would have been expected to excommunicate Bruce after the Comyn murder but instead he urged everyone to join the campaign. Wishart produced robes suitable for Bruce to wear as king and assisted at the crowning. Despite being old he took an active part in campaigning and captured the royal castle at Cupar in Fife. It was there that he was captured and sent to Wessex where he would have been executed were it not for his religious orders. He was released in October, 1314 when Bruce exchanged the earl of Hereford, captured at Bannockburn, for him, the Queen, his daughter Marjorie and his sister Mary. By then Wishart was blind. He had survived determined efforts by Edward I and II to have him stripped of his office by the Pope. He died on November 26, 1316. The name derives from the Old French, Wischard meaning prudent. William Wischard was a witness to the grant of a mill at Cambuskenneth Abbey in 1200.
