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What's in the name “MacGregor” - the name that was “nameless by day”?
By Tony Mcgregor
"The moon's on the lake, and the mist's on the brae,
And the clan has a name that is nameless by day;
Then gather, gather, gather, Gregalach!
Gather, gather, gather." - from “MacGregor's Gathering” by Sir Walter Scott The Clan MacGregor claims descent from a purported son of the first King of Scotland, Alpin, hence the Clan motto: S Rioghail Mo Dream (Our Race is Royal). It is a proud clan with some really dark moments in its history. The name MacGregor is an Anglicization of the Scottish MacGriogair. “Mac” simply means “son of” and so we have something in common with the Gregorovitches of Russia and Gregorowskis of Poland! The clan therefore traces its origins back more than a millennium. During those 1000 or more years the clan produced some of the finest people of the British Isles, and one legendary leader, the famous Rob Roy, or “Red Rob”, MacGregor. The Clan became known as the “Children of the Mist” because of their ability to disappear into the mountains after some exploit. The importance to the clan of its name is highlighted by the words put into Rob Roy's mouth by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, “Don't mister me nor Campbell me! My foot is on my native heath, and my name is MacGregor!” Perhaps the importance of the MacGregor name to all who hold it was ingrained by the infamous proscription on the name by King James VI in 1603, by which Act it became an offence punishable by death for anyone to bear the name. An extract from the Act shows the brutality of it: “It was ordained that the name of MacGregor should be abolished and that the whole persons of that name should renounce their name and take some other name and that they nor none of their name and that they nor none of their posterity should call themselves Gregor or MacGregor under pain of death .... that any person or persons of the said clan who has already renounced their names or hereafter shall renounce their names or if any of their children or posterity shall at any time hereafter assume or take to themselves the name of Gregor or MacGregor .... that every such person or persons assuming or taking to themselves the said name .... shall incurr the pain of death which pain shall be executed upon them without favour.” Members of the clan were hunted down like animals, and the Act also stated that to kill a MacGregor was not a crime, but an act to be encouraged. The proscription stayed in force until 1774, when it was repealed and the members of the clan were able to use their name again. During the almost 200 years of the proscription against the MacGregor name the clan members had used a variety of names, of which many survive to this day: Bain, Bowie, Dunn, Leckie, Skinner, Beachley, Coleman, Lakie, Lockie, Stringer, Black, Comrie, Landless, Mor,White, Bowers, Dochart, Lawrence, Roy, Willox. If your name happens to be one of these you could well be a member of the famous clan! The romance of the MacGregors has been heightened by many writers, including William Wordsworth, the great Romantic poet, who wrote, after a visit to Rob Roy's grave in 1803: Heaven gave Rob Roy a dauntless heart,
And wondrous length and strength of era,
Nor craved he more to quell his foes,
Or keep his friends from harm. Yet was Rob Roy as wise as brave
Forgive me if the phrase he strong
A poet worthy of Rob Roy
Must scorn a timid song. Bear witness many a pensive sigh
Of thoughtful herdsman when he strays
Alone upon Loch Veol’s heights,
And by Loch Lomond’s braes! Sir Walter Scott wrote a poem, much beloved by all MacGregors, called “MacGregor's Gathering”, in which these lines occur: If they rob us of name and pursue us with beagles,
Give their roofs to the flame and their flesh to the eagles! The brutal life of those times and the sorrow it caused to the people living then are captured in these words. And for so many people all over the world who know and love the song “The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond”, whenever the song is sung, it is recalling the tragedy of MacGregors in those turbulent times: “There the wild flowers spring and the wee birdies sing
And in sunshine the waters are sleepin'
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring again
Though resigned we may be while we're greetin'. “ The song was allegedly written by a MacGregor sentenced to death for his part in the 1745 Rebellion. Loch Lomond is in the heart of MacGregor country. |
The McGregors in South Africa
   
Coat of Arms of the Clan MacGregor
Red and Black MacGregor tartan, sometimes incorrectly called "Rob Roy Tartan"
MacGregor badge with motto
An 1820 engraving depicting the artist's idea of Rob Roy
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Fascinating information on the rebel clan, and since I'm about to move north to Scotland, of particular interest!
Scotland has ever been a separate nation and the land itself demands brute strength to tame it.
My grandparents claimed full Scottish descent and, even in the 1950's would not mention the name McGregor for fear of evil ears.
To show just how far the Scots took the ancient threat, my family name is Walsham (welsh man), a name that was adopted when the first Scottish ancestors moved south of the border.
Thank you for sharing this very interesting scottish history, Tony. It is hard to believe that this could happen in the civilized world.
Best wishes.
Frederick
Please do not forget the Gregsons of Norway in your comparison. I first read Sir Walter Scott's stories in 3rd grade and what a wonderful world of literature they opened up for me. Definitely a 5-star intel!
What a cool story, Tony! I wonder how William Wallace figures in this...
What a great post and historical story. The highlanders suffered much, and then helped the English gain an empire through the use of Scottish Highlander troops. Regards, peter
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