Please enter a Scottish Surname to connect:

Exact Wide

The surname search can be 'Exact' or 'Wide'. The exact search looks for the surname entered in full. The wide search looks for any name that contains the search key but requires at least 2 characters (4 for mac). Short surnames, like 'Ur', can only be found in the 'Exact' search.

Clan Connections is not an exact science. In the days before 1745 when Clan warfare was rife in the Highlands of Scotland, it was strongly advisable to seek 'protection' from the strongest Clan in the neighbourhood, no matter what your surname (if you had one) or your blood ties to the family of the chief. Loyalties changed over time, and some family names have historic links to more than one Clan.
In our database, the first Clan on the list is probably the best choice, unless you know more about your own family's history. Very often, the information is passed down verbally. Parents or grandparents may hold a vital clue that could help you make the right choice. Registered users are invited to share their findings in the Clan Names database.

Our list contains over 18000 names including spelling variations. Many of these have no direct Clan link. They may be 'Lowland' or 'Border' names, or may be names derived from occupations that were common to many Clans

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The most widely known source for Clan and District connections is the book, Scots Kith and Kin first published in 1953 revised 1989 by HarperCollins Publishers. This database makes extensive use of Kith and Kin to check and confirm the accuracy of the information supplied, but does not rely on this source alone.

Many of the references to Scottish Districts come from the book, The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History, George F. Black, New York 1946