Clan Farquharson History and Origins

Nestled in the breathtaking Braes of Mar within Upper Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Clan Farquharson stands as one of Scotland's most legendary Highland families. For over six centuries, the Farquharsons held dominion over the dramatic landscape where the River Dee flows through heather-clad glens, ancient Caledonian pine forests, and the granite peaks of the eastern Cairngorms. Known historically as the "Fighting Farquharsons," this fierce Gaelic lineage forged a reputation for unyielding martial prowess, chivalric honor, and steadfast devotion to the House of Stuart.

From their medieval roots as chamberlains of the ancient Earldom of Mar to their prominent role in the Jacobite risings and their enduring relationship with the Royal Family at Balmoral Castle, the story of Clan Farquharson is a captivating saga of Highland history. This comprehensive pillar page explores the folklore, historical battles, dramatic feuds, ancestral castles, and heraldic symbols that define the legacy of Clan Farquharson.

The Origin & Name Meaning

Gaelic Etymology and Name Origins

The surname Farquharson is an Anglicized patronymic derived from the Scottish Gaelic Clann Fhearchair. The personal name Farquhar traces its roots to the Old Gaelic fearchar, a compound of fear (meaning "man") and car (meaning "dear" or "beloved"), yielding the literal translation "the beloved man". As the family grew in Deeside, their ancestral branches spread into Atholl and Perthshire, where the name evolved into variations such as MacEarachar, MacKerchar, and McKerracher.

Lineage from the Thanes of Fife and Clan Shaw

The formal historical record of Clan Farquharson begins with royal and noble Celtic bloodlines. A formal grant of arms issued by the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1697 documents that the Farquharsons are lawfully descended from Shaw, son of MacDuff, the Celtic Thane of Fife. The descendants of Shaw preserved their surname until the 15th century, when Farquhar Shaw—the fourth son of Alexander "Ciar" Mackintosh (Shaw) of Rothiemurchus, 5th Chief of Clan Shaw—migrated eastwards from the Spey Valley across the Cairngorm mountains into Deeside.

Farquhar settled in the Braes of Mar around 1450 and was appointed Baillie and Chamberlain of the Earldom of Mar. His sons became known locally as "Farquhar's sons," laying the foundation for the autonomous clan identity.

Finlay Mór: The Martial Progenitor (MacFionnlaidh)

While Farquhar Shaw gave the clan its surname, his grandson, Finlay Mór Farquharson (1st Laird of Invercauld), is recognized as the true progenitor and chief patriarch of the clan. Renowned for his physical stature and military fortitude, Finlay Mór gave future clan chiefs their formal Gaelic patronymic style: MacFionnlaidh (or MacFhionnlaidh Mòr), with the collective clan referred to in Gaelic as Siol Fhionnlaidh ("the seed or offspring of Finlay").

Finlay Mór fathered nine sons across two marriages, establishing the major cadet branches—including Monaltrie, Finzean, Inverey, Whitehouse, and Allanquoich—that populated Deeside for generations.

Rise to Power & Key Alliances

Territorial Expansion Through Strategic Marriage

Clan Farquharson expanded its influence in Upper Deeside through strategic matrimonial alliances and feudal land acquisitions. The pivotal turning point occurred when Donald Farquharson, son of Farquhar Shaw, married Isobel Stewart, the heiress of Invercauld and Aberarder. Through this marriage, the Farquharsons acquired the ancient square tower house of Invercauld, transforming the family from tenant chamberlains into major landed proprietors along the River Dee.

Royal Standard Bearer at Pinkie Cleugh (1547)

The Farquharsons solidified their national reputation through ultimate sacrifice in service to the Scottish Crown. In 1547, during the Anglo-Scottish conflict known as the "Rough Wooing," the 60-year-old Finlay Mór accompanied the Earl of Huntly's army to face the English at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh near Musselburgh. Finlay Mór served as the Royal Standard Bearer to the infant Mary, Queen of Scots.

As the Highland forces advanced, naval gunfire from English warships anchored in the Firth of Forth struck the Scottish flank, killing Finlay Mór while he held the royal banner. He was buried in the churchyard of Inveresk in a plot remembered as the "Lang Highlandman's Grave".

The 1595 Bond of Manrent and Clan Chattan Confederation

Exposed to aggression from larger regional neighbors, Clan Farquharson sought a formal defense network late in the 16th century. In 1595, the Farquharson chieftains executed a formal bond of manrent with the Chief of Clan Mackintosh, recognizing him as their native chief (natyff cheiff). This legal alliance integrated Clan Farquharson into the Clan Chattan Confederation—a powerful tribal confederacy comprising the Mackintoshes, Macphersons, Shaws, Davidsons, and MacGillivrays.

Jacobite Loyalty and "Colonel Anne"

Clan Farquharson remained fiercely loyal to the Stuart dynasty across every major conflict:

• Scottish Civil War (1644–1651): Donald Farquharson of Monaltrie led the clan under James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, and later marched to England with Charles II at the Battle of Worcester.
• The 1689 Rising: John Farquharson of Inverey ("The Black Colonel") rallied to John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, fighting at Killiecrankie.
• The 1715 Rising: John Farquharson, 9th Laird of Invercauld, served as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Clan Chattan Regiment, fighting at the Battle of Preston where he was captured and imprisoned in London's Marshalsea Prison.
• The 1745 Rising & Culloden: The clan mobilized 300 fighting men under Francis Farquharson of Monaltrie ("The Baron Bán") and James Farquharson of Balmoral ("Balmoral the Brave"). At the Battle of Culloden (April 16, 1746), the Farquharsons held the center of the Jacobite line alongside Clan Chattan, suffering severe casualties.

One of the most celebrated figures of the '45 was Lady Anne Farquharson-Mackintosh, known affectionately as "Colonel Anne". Daughter of the Laird of Invercauld and wife of Angus Mackintosh (a government captain in the Black Watch), 22-year-old Anne independently raised 300 clansmen for Prince Charlie. She masterminded the famous "Rout of Moy," where five Jacobite retainers routed 1,500 government troops. When her husband was captured and paroled to her, she famously greeted him, "Your servant, Captain," to which he replied, "Your servant, Colonel".

Feuds and the Darker History

Highland history is rich with drama, rivalries, and blood feuds, and Clan Farquharson was frequently at the center of regional conflict.

The 1589 Hanging Tree and the 1592 Huntly Raid

In 1589, the Farquharsons captured a rival Chattan operative named Lamont of Inverey for livestock theft and hanged him from a prominent Scots pine on their estate. This tree became known as the "Farquharson Hanging Tree" and inspired the clan's plant badge.

In late 1592, following the murder of the Earl of Moray by George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, the Clan Chattan Confederation raided Gordon lands, killing several Gordon nobles. Furious, Huntly launched a scorched-earth campaign across Deeside, burning homes and slaughtering clansmen. Huntly kidnapped 60 to 80 orphaned children and took them to Strathbogie Castle, where he forced them to eat out of a long wooden pig trough. Disturbed by the sight, the Laird of Grant intervened, rescuing half the orphans to raise them in Strathspey as Grants, while Huntly raised the remainder as Gordons.

Murder of the Baron of Brackley (1666)

In 1666, a feud erupted between John Farquharson of Inverey ("The Black Colonel") and John Gordon, Baron of Brackley, over cattle rights and local property. The dispute culminated in a violent skirmish where the Baron of Brackley was killed, an event immortalized in the traditional Scottish ballad The Baron o' Brackley. Outlawed by the authorities, the Black Colonel evaded government troops by hiding in a narrow, rocky gorge in Glen Ey known to this day as "The Colonel's Bed".

Notable Historical Feuds

Clan Gordon (1592 / 1666)

• 1592: Huntly's Deeside Raid
• 1666: Black Colonel kills Baron of Brackley over Dee rights

Clan MacThomas (1673)

• Dispute over pasture lands at Canlochcan
• Bloody clash at Broughdearg

The MacThomas Feud at Canlochcan (1673)

In the late 17th century, the Earl of Airlie leased disputed pasture lands at Canlochcan to men of Clan Farquharson after legal action against Clan MacThomas. The MacThomas chief refused to relinquish the land, leading to a bloody clash on January 28, 1673, in which Farquharson of Broughdearg and two sons of the MacThomas chief were slain. Subsequent lawsuits financially crippled the MacThomas chiefship.

Clan Castles & Territories

The Farquharsons commanded strategic strongholds across Deeside and the Grampian passes.

Invercauld House / Castle

Located near Braemar in Upper Deeside, Invercauld House has served as the historic principal seat of the Chief of Clan Farquharson. Built around an ancient 16th-century tower house with seven-foot-thick stone walls, the grand castellated mansion overlooks the River Dee. It was from Invercauld that the Earl of Mar summoned the Jacobite chiefs before raising the royal standard in 1715.

Braemar Castle

Constructed in 1628 by John Erskine, Earl of Mar, as a bulwark against the rising power of the Farquharsons, Braemar Castle is a striking 17th-century L-plan tower house enclosed by star-shaped artillery defenses. In 1689, John Farquharson of Inverey ("The Black Colonel") captured and torched the castle to prevent it from being garrisoned by Williamite troops. Following the forfeiture of the Earl of Mar after the 1715 rising, the Farquharsons acquired the castle in 1716. It remains owned by the clan and is leased to the local Braemar community trust.

Inverey Castle

Situated four miles west of Braemar, Inverey Castle was the stronghold of the "Black Colonel". The castle was demolished by government forces in 1689 following the Battle of Killiecrankie. Today, only quiet archaeological ruins remain in Glen Ey.

Balmoral Castle

The original Balmoral Castle was acquired in 1662 by Charles Farquharson of Inverey, brother of the Black Colonel. The estate remained in Farquharson hands throughout the Jacobite era until financial hardship and forfeiture following the '45 led to its eventual sale. In 1852, Prince Albert purchased the 17,400-acre estate from the Earl Fife for £32,000, commissioning the modern Scots Baronial castle that serves as the private Scottish retreat of the British Monarchy.

Monaltrie House

Monaltrie House was the seat of Francis Farquharson ("The Baron Bán"), who led the clan at Culloden. Burned by government troops after the 1745 rising, it was later rebuilt and remains an important historic property on Deeside.

Symbols & Identifiers

Clan identity in the Scottish Highlands is expressed through heraldry, badges, and tartan traditions.

• The Clan Motto:
  • Latin Motto: Fide et Fortitudine ("By Faith and Fortitude").
  • Secondary Slogan: I force nae freen, I fear nae foe ("I force no friend, I fear no foe").
• The Plant Badge:
  • Scots Fir (Pinus sylvestris): Clansmen wore sprigs of Scots fir in their bonnets to identify themselves in battle. The badge honors the 1589 Lamont Hanging Tree.
• The Crest & Heraldry:
  • Crest: On a chapeau Gules furred Ermine, a demi-lion Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Proper (or a hand holding a dagger).
  • Armorial Bearings (Granted 1632): Includes the Royal Lion Rampant (marking royal descent from MacDuff), a pine tree (marking roots in Rothiemurchus), and the Royal Standard with a dagger (honoring Finlay Mór at Pinkie). Supported by two wildcats of Clan Chattan.
• Tartans:
  • Farquharson Modern: Features deep green and navy blue ground with red, yellow, and black overchecks.
  • Farquharson Dress & Vestiarium Scoticum: Elegant dress tartans certified in official Scottish registers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clan Farquharson a Highland or Lowland clan?

Clan Farquharson is an authentic Highland Scottish clan deeply rooted in Upper Deeside, Aberdeenshire, within the Grampian mountains. They are the primary Highland clan originating in the Braes of Mar and were prominent members of the Highland Clan Chattan Confederation.

What is the Clan Farquharson war cry and gathering place?

The historic war cry and battle slogan of Clan Farquharson is "Carn Na Cuimhne" ("The Cairn of Remembrance"). Clansmen gathered at Carn na Cuimhne on the banks of the River Dee east of Invercauld, where each man placed a stone on the cairn before battle and removed it upon his return; remaining stones served as a memorial to the fallen.

Who is the current Chief of Clan Farquharson?

The current Chief of the Name and Arms of Farquharson is Philip Farquharson, 17th of Invercauld and Monaltrie (Mac Mhic Fhionnlaidh). He succeeded his great-uncle, Captain Alwyne Arthur Compton Farquharson MC (who served 80 years as chief), following his passing in October 2021 at age 102.

What is the relationship between Clan Farquharson and Balmoral Castle?

The original Balmoral Castle was owned by the Farquharsons of Inverey and Auchendryne from 1662 until the late 18th century. Prince Albert purchased the Balmoral estate from the Earl Fife in 1852, building the present royal residence on land historically held by Clan Farquharson.