The
Clan Macrae is a Highland
Scottish clan. The clan has no chief; it is therefore considered an
Armigerous clan.
Surname
The surname
Macrae (and its variations) is an
Anglicisation of the
patronymic from the
Gaelic personal name
Macraith. This
personal name means "son of grace".Black,
Surnames of Scotland, p.560.
Traditional origins of the clan
According to the late 19th century historian
Alexander Mackenzie, and
Rev. Alexander Macrae in the early 20th century, the main authority for the early history of Clan Macrae is the late 17th century
manuscript account of the clan written by Rev. John Macrae.
According to tradition, the Macraes were originally from
Ireland, and shared a common ancestry with the
Mackenzies and
Macleans. The Macraes were said to have originated from Clunes, which is located near the southern shore of the
Beauly Firth, and was within the lordship of Lovat. Alexander Macrae stated that these traditions likely refer to a period sometime in the middle of the 13th century. According to John Macrae, after a violent dispute arose between the Macraes and more...
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