Chief of Name, Clan Mc Viccar

The twenty first century brings new challenges to our historic families rightful place among the recognized Chieftains of Scotland.

Many of us have for years attempted to trace each branch of the family to preserve family traditions and serve as genealogist for our specific branch.

Jim MacVicar lists five branches of our family in his book “Precious are the Ties that Bind,” Angus John MacVicar discusses three branches in his book, “Sons of the Eagle,” and in the history of the MacNaughtens they discuss Mac Vicars of Fortingall as likely Mac Vicars of Gregory?  In the outer Orkneys they have a history, which describes the Clan of the Eagles, and in accient Gallic manuscripts of 1450 we find that there is a reference to our clan in the genealogy of Clan Mac Earcherns descendents of Murdoch, and Clan Beaton Mougaillain mc Gillpaduig or Clan of the vow presumed are the Mac Vicars of Argyllshire.

With all of these diverse and scattered families we need to all pull the loose ends together and strive to determine who the respective Clan Chiefs are and possibly determine a Commander of the Clan. 

Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Bt., Rothesay Herald of Arms, Lyon Court published an article in the Highlander magazine which we might use as a reference for the task of establishing a Commander.  He states that the appointment of a Commander of the Clan is to fill the vacancy created by a dormant chieftainship.  The Commanders job is to “perform all acts and functions proper to the Commander of the said Clan in the personal absence of the Hereditary Chief” and “to preserve the spirit, kinship, clanship and traditions of the said Clan.”  He goes on to describe the requirements of Scottish law and to clearly state that we will need to form a “Clan derbfine that consists of the armigerous members of the clan, and the members of the clan who own landed estate in Scotland.”  Further a quorum for the derbfine is “usually five persons of landed estates which is intended to mean those who own a farm or a larger estate.”  Because we are currently not in a position to know who may be the rightful Chief of each Branch, or the Chief of Name, and who within each branch may meet the landed estate requirements, have an opportunity to petition Lyon Court for a Commanded to organization the official search and bring together the various branches to meet the Courts requirements. 

I ask all those who have an interest in pursuing this endeavor please contact us.  If we can generate enough interest I’m confident that it is likely we can and well succeed in this task.

Branches of the family include but are not limited to:

          Mc Viccars of Argyll
          Mac Vicars of Kintyre
          Mac Vicars of Uist
          Mc Vickers of Glasgow
          Mac Vicars of Harris

Within branches there are sub sets of families as Jim MacVicar describes in his book, Chapter ten.  Further, all spellings of our name should participate in this effort.

To send comments and suggestions for improving this site or to add new information that may be useful to others, please drop me a line.