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Clan Rutherford (Tartans, Crest) and The Story Behind

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Rutherford

Clan Crest: A martlet, Sable

Clan Motto: Nec Sorte, Nec Fato (Neither by chance, nor fate)

Origin of Name: Roxburghshire territorial, name of lands

Clan Chief: None, armigerous clan

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Rutherford Clan History

Rutherford is a territorial surname derived from the lands of Rutherford in the parish of Maxton in Roxburghshire. The name comes from an ancient and powerful Border family. The meaning and origin of the place name is simply hrythera ford, which means a cattle ford in old English.

During the reigns of King William I and his son, King Alexander II, the names Gregory and Nicolas de Rutherford, or Rutheford, were recorded.

Several other people with this surname appear in records during Alexander III's reign, perhaps most notably a lord, Sir Richard, Lord of Rotherford.

A charter by Henry de Grahame was witnessed by cleric William de Rwithirford around the beginning of the 13th century, and a charter by Philip de Valoniis was witnessed by Huwe de Ruwerfort fifteen years later, around 1215.

Nicolas de Rotherford witnessed a quitclaim by Malcolm de Constabletun and his wife, Alicia. It was about 120 acres of Edulfistun (now Eddleston) lands being given to the Church of Glasgow in 1260. Nicolas appears several times as a charter witness in the Kelso chartulary between the years 1270 and 1297. He is also most likely the same person as the knight Nicholas de Rothirford, who signed the Ragman Roll in 1296, swearing allegiance to England's Edward I. Margarete la fielle Nicol de Rotherforde, an Aymer de Rotherford of the county of Roxburghe, and Mestre William de Rotherforde, persone of the church of Lillesclyve were among those who paid homage in the same year. On the roll, Aymer's seal depicts an eagle and his name, S' Aimeri de Rotherford. William's seal features a wild bull's head with a human head in between, as well as his name, S' Will'mi de Rothirford.

In 1306, the granddaughters and heirs of "Monsire Nichol de Rotherforde chivaler Descose," Eva and Margery de Rotherforde, petitioned for the right to the annual rent of the mills of Doddingestone in Northumberland.

Richard de Rotherforf witnessed a charter by Sirilius Saddeler around 1330, and William de Rotherford, dominus ejusdem, appears on the same record twenty-four years later, in 1354.

William of Rotherford and Nicholas of Rothersford were jurors at an inquisition held in Roxburgh in 1361.

Sir Richard of Rotherfurde was one of the 'borrowis' for Archibald, 3rd Earl of Douglas' bounds on the middle march in 1398, and Richard Ritherford was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1411.

George de Rutherfurde witnessed a charter by the 4th Earl of Douglas, also an Archibald, sometime around 1413.

Nicholas Ruthyrfurde and James Ruthyrfurd were two of the thirty Scottish conservators of the 1451 truce between Scotland and England.

Samuel Rutherford's name was changed to Rhetorfortis by his continental contemporaries after his book, Examen Arminianismi, was published in Utrecht in 1668. In 1644, a group of Scots arrived in Prussia, and the name Rutherford appears as Ritterfart among them.

Daniel Rutherford, who was born in Edinburgh on November 3, 1749 and died on November 15, 1819, was the scientist who discovered nitrogen in 1772. Rutherford, Sir Walter Scott's uncle, attended the University of Edinburgh, where he was also a professor of botany and keeper of the city's Royal Botanic Gardens.

Rutherford Places & People

Clan Rutherford Individuals

Rutherford, Daniel

Daniel Rutherford (November 3, 1749 – December 15, 1819)

Daniel Rutherford was a physician, chemist, and botanist who is best known for discovering nitrogen in 1772.

Rutherford was the son of Professor John Rutherford (1695-1779) and Anne MacKay in Edinburgh. He attended Mundell's School and then the University of Edinburgh. Rutherford isolated nitrogen, or "noxious air" as he called it at the time, while studying beneath Joseph Black (the inventor of carbon dioxide).

Sir Walter Scott's mother was Daniel's sister, Anne Rutherford.

Rutherford Tartans

Tartan of Rutherford

Rutherford would look good in the following tartans:

The District of Roxburgh

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Rutherford Crest & Coats of Arms

Clan Rutherford Crest

Sable martlet is the description of the crest.

Coats of Arms of Rutherford:

A word about Coats of Arms:

A coat of arms is granted to an individual under Scottish heraldic law (with the exception of civic or corporate arms). A 'family coat of arms' does not exist. With the exceptions noted above, the arms depicted below are personal arms. Only the person who has been granted these weapons has the right to use them.