A History of the Clan MacLean (1889) - Searchable PDF & Surname Index

Trace Your Ancestors to Duard Castle, Lochbuie, Coll, Ardgour & the Isle of Mull in the Definitive 1889 Clan MacLean History

First published in Cincinnati in 1889 by historian John Patterson MacLean in a strictly limited subscription edition, A History of the Clan MacLean from Its First Settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the Present Period is one of the rarest and most comprehensive Scottish clan monographs ever compiled. Drawn directly from the 1838 Account of the Clan MacLean, the unpublished Ardgour and Pennycross Manuscripts, the Privy Council and Exchequer Registers of Scotland, and primary charter-chest documents at Duard and Lochbuie House, this monumental 498-page digital volume preserves seven centuries of West Highland pedigrees, crown charters, marriage alliances, Jacobite muster rolls, heraldry, Iona tomb inscriptions, and transatlantic emigration records.

Whether you are tracing a MacLean, McLean, MacLaine, McLaine, MacGillivray, MacQuarrie, MacKinnon, Beaton, Cameron, Campbell, or MacDonald ancestor across the parishes of the Inner Hebrides and Argyllshire—or connecting a pioneer settler in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, North Carolina, New York, or Ohio back to their ancestral cadet house in Scotland—this newly restored Fairbairn's Crests Digital Research Edition equips you with every-word electronic searchability and a newly compiled Back-of-Book Alphabetical Surname & Place Index.

What's Inside This Enhanced Fairbairn's Crests Digital Edition:

• Complete 498-Page Archival Volume: Includes 4 pages of Fairbairn's Crests Branded Front Matter (Pages i–iv), all 481 retained historical pages of the 1889 edition (Chapters I–XLII, Appendices A–C, Frontispiece Map of Mull, Full-Page Color Clan MacLean Tartan Plate, Castle & Tomb Engravings, and the 1889 Alphabetical List of Subscribers), plus our newly compiled 13-page Alphabetical Surname & Place Research Index.
• Pure-White (#FFFFFF) Archival Page Restoration: Every retained page of the original 1889 book has been professionally cleaned to a crisp, pure-white (#FFFFFF) paper background with high-contrast black typography. All unwanted blank separator leaves, rear binding spine cards, and institutional library ink stamps have been completely removed.
• Every-Word Searchable OCR Layer: Use Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to search instantly across all 498 pages for ancestors, cadet estates, wives' maiden surnames, battles, and parishes, assisted by our exact Page Offset Conversion Guide on Page iv.
• 24 Detailed Clan Cadet House Genealogies: Generation-by-generation lineages for the Chiefs of Duard (Duart) and the Houses of Brolass, Lochbuie (Moy Castle), Urquhart & Dochgarroch (Clann Thearlaich O'Buie), Kingerloch, Scallasdale, Lehire, Ardgour, Borreray, Treshnish, Inverscadell, Blaich, Ross of Mull, Coll (Breachacha), Achnasaul, Muck, Drimnacross, Totaranald, Crossapol, Haremere Hall, Kinlochaline, Drimnin, Pennycross, Torloisk, and the ennobled Counts MacLean of Sweden.
• Heraldry, Tartans, Iona Effigies & 1889 Subscriber Roll: Features blazons and coats of arms for seven MacLean houses, tartan sett specifications, the Brooch of Lochbuie, the carved medieval effigies of Reilig Odhrain on Iona, and the 4-page 1889 Subscriber Directory listing living descendants with their exact street and town addresses across Scotland, England, Canada, and the United States.

Historical & Regional Overview

Spanning from the thirteenth-century warrior-chieftain Gilleain na Tuaighe ("Gillean of the Battle-Axe") and the Battle of Largs (1263) to the late Victorian era, J. P. MacLean's narrative chronicles the rise of Clan MacLean under the Lordship of the Isles and its emergence as an independent island power in 1493. Readers will find vivid, charter-backed accounts of the battles of Harlaw (1411), Bloody Bay (c. 1480), Flodden (1513), Glenlivat (1594), and Tra-Ghruinnaird (1598); the explosion of the Spanish Armada galleon Florida in Tobermory Bay in 1588; and the heroic Jacobite sacrifices of the clan under the Marquis of Montrose at Inverlochy, Auldearn, and Kilsyth (1645), Sir Hector Roy's fatal stand at Inverkeithing (1651) ("Another for Hector!"), Viscount Dundee's triumph at Killiecrankie (1689), Sheriffmuir (1715), and Charles MacLean of Drimnin's final charge at Culloden (1746).

Beyond military and political history, the volume is a cornerstone resource for solving transatlantic genealogical brick walls. It documents the post-Culloden dismantling of the clan system, the Highland Clearances across Mull, Coll, Tiree, and Ardgour, service in the 42nd Black Watch, 74th, 78th, and 84th Royal Highland Emigrants during the Seven Years' War and American Revolution, Dr. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell's 1773 visit to Coll, Inch Kenneth, Iona, and Lochbuie, and the biographies of distinguished MacLean generals, colonial governors, Gaelic bards, clergy, and North American pioneers.

Surnames & Families Indexed in This Volume:

Abernethy, Achinross (Auchinross), Ackers, Agnew, Aitkin (Aitken), Alexander, Allan, Ammons, Anderson, Anstruther, Arbuthnot, Armstrong, Athol (Atholl), Baillie (Bailie), Baird, Balfour, Balliol (Baliol), Bannatyne, Barclay, Beaton (Beton, MacBeth), Belcher, Bell, Bethune, Bisset, Black, Blackie, Blair, Boswell, Botfield, Bowes, Boyd, Boyle, Breadalbane, Brodie, Brown (Browne), Bruce, Buchan, Buchanan, Burke, Burnet (Burnett), Burns, Cadogan, Caithness, Calder, Cameron (of Lochiel), Campbell (of Argyle, Calder, Cawdor, Dunstaffnage, Lochnell, Skipness), Cannon, Carnegie, Carruthers, Cathcart, Cecil, Chalmers, Chambers, Chisholm, Clan Chattan (Clanchattan), Clanranald, Clark (Clarke), Clavering, Clephane (of Carslogie), Cochrane, Cockburn, Colquhoun (of Luss), Colville, Comyn (Cumming, Cumyn), Conolly, Cooper, Craig, Crawford (Crawfurd), Crichton, Cromb, Cromwell, Cumberland, Cunningham (Glencairn), Currie (Curry), Cushing, Dalrymple (of Stair), Dalyell (Dalzell), Dana, Davidson, Dempster, Dickinson, Dickson (Dixon), Douglas, Drummond, Duff, Dunbar, Duncan, Dundas, Dundee (Claverhouse), Dundonald, Dunlop, Egerton, Elgin, Eliot (Elliott), Elphinstone, Errol, Erskine (Earl of Mar), Ewing, Farquharson, Ferguson (Fergusson), Fleming, Fletcher (of Achallader), Forbes (of Culloden), Forrester, Fraser (Frazer, Lovat), Galbraith, Galloway, Gibson, Gifford, Gilchrist, Gilleain (Gillean, Gilleoin), Gillespie, Gillies, Glengarry, Gordon (of Huntly), Gow, Graham (Grahame, Montrose), Grant, Gray (Grey), Greeley, Gregorson, Gregory, Griffith, Guthrie, Haco, Haldane, Halkett, Hall, Hamilton, Harcourt, Harrison, Hay, Henderson, Henniker, Hepburn, Hibbard, Hill, Hogg, Holloway, Homan, Home (Hume), Hood, Hope, Howard, Hunter, Inglis, Innes, Irvine (Irvin, of Drum), Jackson, Johnson, Johnston (Johnstone), Jones, Keith (Marischal), Kelly, Keltie, Kennedy, Keppoch, Ker (Kerr), King, Kintail, Kirkpatrick, Knox, Lamont, Lauderdale, Laurie (Lawrie), Leath, Lennox, Leslie, Lindsay, Livingstone (Livingston), Lochiel, Lockhart (of Lee), Logan, Lorn (Lorne), Loudoun, Lumsden, MacAulay (Macaulay), MacAuslan, MacBean (MacVean, McBean), MacBeth, MacCallum (McCallum), MacColl (McColl), MacConnel (MacConnell), MacCormick (McCormick), MacCorquodale, MacDonald (McDonald, Macdonald — of the Isles, Sleat, Islay, Glencoe, Keppoch, Clanranald), MacDonell (of Glengarry), MacDougall (McDougall, of Lorn & Dunolly), MacDuff, MacEachern (MacEachan), MacEwen (McEwen), MacFadyen (McFadyen, MacPhail), MacFarlane (McFarlane), MacGillivray (McGillivray), MacGregor (McGregor), MacIan (MacIain — of Ardnamurchan & Glencoe), MacInnes (McInnes), MacIntosh (Mackintosh, Macintosh), MacIntyre (McIntyre), MacIver (McIver), MacKay (Mackay, McKay), MacKenzie (Mackenzie, McKenzie — of Kintail & Seaforth), MacKinnon (McKinnon — of Mishnish & Strathaird), MacKirdy, MacLachlan (McLachlan, MacLaughlan), MacLaine (McLaine, Maclaine — of Lochbuie & Sweden), MacLaren (McLaren), MacLean (McLean, M'Lean, Maclean, Maklane, Makgilleon, MacGilleain, McClane, McClayne, Makclane, McLain, MacLane — of Achadashenaig, Achnasaul, Ardgour, Ardnacross, Blaich, Borreray, Brolass, Calgary, Carsaig, Coll, Crossapol, Dochgarroch, Drimnacross, Drimnin, Duard/Duart, Gruline, Haremere Hall, Inverscadell, Kilmory, Kingerloch/Kingairloch, Kinlochaline, Lehire, Lochbuie/Lochbuy, Muck, Pennycross, Pennygowan, Ross of Mull, Scallasdale, Sweden, Tapull, Torloisk, Totaranald, Treshnish, and Urquhart), MacLeod (McLeod, Macleod — of Harris, Dunvegan & Lewis), MacMaster (of Ardgour), MacMillan (McMillan), MacNab (McNab), MacNaghten (MacNaughton), MacNeil (McNeil, MacNeill — of Barra & Gigha), MacNicol, MacPhee (McPhee — of Colonsay), MacPherson (McPherson — of Cluny), MacQuarrie (MacQuarie, McQuarrie — of Ulva), MacQueen (McQueen), MacRae (McRae), MacTavish, MacVicar, Maitland, Malcolm, Mar, Matheson, Maxwell, Melville, Menzies, Middleton, Miller (Millar), Mitchell, Monck (Monk), Moncreiff, Monro (Munro), Montgomerie (Montgomery, Eglinton), Montrose, Moore, Moray, Morgan, Morrison, Morton, Moss, Munsell, Murdoch, Murray, Nairne, Napier, Nelson, Nevill (Neville), Nicholson (Nicolson), Nisbet, O'Cahan (O'Kane), O'Donnell, Ogilvie (Ogilvy, Airlie), Oliphant, O'Neill (O'Neil, Tyrone), Orkney, Oswald, Pallandt, Paterson (Patterson), Pennant, Percy, Phillipps (Phillips), Playfair, Pratt, Preston, Queensberry, Ramsay, Randolph, Reed (Reid), Richards, Richardson, Ritchie, Robertson (of Struan), Robinson, Rolls, Rose (of Kilravock), Ross, Russell, Rutherford, Ruthven, Sacheverell, Sandilands, Scott, Scripps, Scrymgeour, Seaforth, Seton (Seaton), Sharp, Shaw, Simson (Simpson), Sinclair, Skene, Smith, Smollett, Somerled, Somerville, Spottiswoode, Stewart (Stuart — of Appin, Atholl, Bute & Lorn), Stirling, Stockard, Stoddart, Strachan, Sutherland, Taylor, Thin, Thompson (Thomson), Thurot, Tullibardine, Turner, Tyler, Tytler, Urquhart, Wailey, Walker, Wallace, Ward, Watson, Webster, Weir, White, Wilkinson, Williams, Wilson, Windham, Wishart, Wood, Wotherspoon, Wright, Wyllie, Young.

Parishes, Islands, Castles, Battlefields & Settlements Indexed:

Aberdeen (Aberdeenshire), Achnacarry, Alford, Appin, Ardgour, Ardnamurchan, Ardtornish Castle, Argyle (Argyll, Argyleshire), Aros Castle & Parish, Isle of Arran, Athol (Atholl, Perthshire), Auldearn, Ayr (Ayrshire), Badenoch, Bannockburn, Isle of Barra, Ben More, Benbecula, Benbigrie, Berwick, Bloody Bay, Bona Castle (Loch Ness), Isle of Borreray (North Uist), Boston (Massachusetts), Breachacha Castle (Coll), Brolass, Bunessan, Isle of Bute, Cairnburg Castle (Treshnish Isles), Caithness, Calgary (Mull & Canada), Isle of Canna, Cantyre (Kintyre), Carnassary Castle, Carsaig, Castle Campbell, Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Cincinnati (Ohio), Isle of Coll, Isle of Colonsay, Contin (Ross-shire), Cromdale, Culloden, Dalriada, Derry (Londonderry), Dingwall, Dochgarroch (Inverness-shire), Drimnin Castle (Morvern), Duard Castle (Duart Castle, Mull), Dublin, Dumbarton Castle, Dumfries, Dunaverty Castle, Dundee, Dunkeld, Dunolly Castle (Oban), Dunstaffnage Castle, Dunvegan (Skye), Dunyveg Castle (Islay), Edinburgh, Isle of Eigg (Eig), Falkirk, Fife (Fifeshire), Flodden, Spanish Galleon Florida (Tobermory Bay), Fort Augustus, Fort William (Inverlochy), Isle of Gigha, Glasgow, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Glenlivat (Glenlivet), Glenmoriston, Glenurchy (Glenorchy), Isle of Gometra, Gothenburg (Sweden), Greenock, Gruline (Grulin), Gylen Castle (Kerrera), Halifax (Nova Scotia), Haremere Hall (Sussex), Harlaw, Isle of Harris, Hebrides (Western Isles), Inch Kenneth, Inverary (Inveraray), Inverkeithing, Inverlochy Castle, Inverness, Isle of Iona (Icolmkill, Reilig Odhrain), Isle of Islay (Rhinns of Islay), Isle of Jura, Isle of Kerrera, Kilfinichen, Killiecrankie, Kilmore, Kilninian, Kilsyth, Kingerloch (Kingairloch), Kinlochaline Castle (Morvern), Kintail, Knockbreck, Knoydart, Lady's Rock (Firth of Lorn), Largs, Lehire, Leith, Lennox, Isle of Lewis, Linlithgow, Isle of Lismore, Loch Aline, Loch Eil, Loch Linnhe, Loch Na Keal (Loch Gyle), Loch Ness, Loch Scridain, Loch Sunart, Loch Tuath, Lochaber, Lochalsh, Lochbuie (Lochbuy, Moy Castle), Lochnell, London, Lorn, Mingarry Castle, Mishnish, Moidart (Moydart), Moray, Morvern (Morven), Isle of Muck, Isle of Mull (Sound of Mull), New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia (Pictou, Annapolis, Cape Breton), Oban, Oronsay, Paisley, Battle of the Park, Pennycross, Pennyghael, Perth (Perthshire), Philiphaugh, Pinkie, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Isle of Raasay, Red-Castle, Ross of Mull, Ross-shire, Isle of Rum, Ruthven Castle, Salen, Scallasdale, Isle of Scarba, Scone, Sheriffmuir, Isle of Skye, Sleat, Isle of Staffa (Fingal's Cave), Stirling Castle, Stockholm, Strontian, Sweden, Isle of Tiree (Tyree), Tiroran, Tobermory, Torloisk, Torosay, Tra-Ghruinnaird (Gruinart Strand), Treshnish Isles, North & South Uist, Ulster, Isle of Ulva, Glen & Castle Urquhart.