Duncan

Gaelic Name: Mac Dhonnchaidh

Clan Crest: On waves of the sea, Argent, a lymphad proper under sail, Or, flagged, Gules, the sail charged with a clarion, Gules

Clan Motto: Savour The Moment

Lands: Lundie, Gourdie, Dunbarney, Ardownie, Sketraw

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Duncan Clan History

Duncan appears in Scotland's earliest records in the Gaelic form Dunchad/Donchadh and other spelling variations. (Dunchad) Duncan, originally a forename, is without a doubt one of the earliest names in Scotland - surnames were introduced by the Normans around 1120 AD - and derives from the Dalriadan Celtic Scotii (Scots) from Ireland, who colonised the south west of Scotland beginning in the 4th century AD. Dunchad (Duncan) mac Conaing ruled Dalriada alongside Conall II (circa 650–654).

The 9ft inscribed 'Turpillian Stone' of the 4th century AD at Crickhowell, Wales, is another early mention of the name Duncan. The stone was inscribed in Ogham (an early form of Celtic writing) and also had the Latin translation "TURPILLI IC IACIT PUUERI TRILUNI DUNOCATI," which translates roughly as "The Fort Warrior." Dunchad (Duncan), the 11th Abbot of Iona from 707 to 717AD (later St. Dunchadh), is also mentioned, as is Dunchad (Duncan), the 39th Abbot in 989AD.

Records from this period are scarce, and it is not until after Kenneth MacAlpine's unification of the Celtic Scots of Dalriada and the aboriginal Picts of northern Britain around 843 AD that we see the name used significantly in other parts of Scotland. One of the earliest references to Dunchad/Donchad can be found in the margins of the 11th century 'Book of Deer,' one of the oldest Scots Gaelic manuscripts still in existence in Scotland. These manuscripts were written by the early Christian monks of the Abbey of Deer in Aberdeenshire.

Unlike the "King Duncan" of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man when he ascended to the Scottish throne. After his grandfather Malcolm died on November 25, 1034, he ascended to the throne without apparent opposition. As the succession appears to have been uneventful, he could have been Malcolm's acknowledged successor or tánaise. Duncan would have been wise to appease his remaining family, particularly his senior cousin Thorfinn the Mighty, Earl of Orkney; his uncle, MacBeth; and Queen Gruoch, MacBeth's wife. However, by 1040, Duncan had been murdered, and the throne was in the hands of MacBeth.

Despite being the son of Malcolm Canmore, Duncan II died at the hands of his relatives 54 years later. Despite the fact that Duncan had left a son, his younger half-brother, one of the children of English Queen Margaret, seized the throne.

Ewyn (Ewan) fitz Duncan was a signatory to 'The Ragman Roll,' an homage deed drafted by Edward I of England to bind the King and nobles of Scotland.

In 1367, John Duncan owned property in Berwick. The mayor of this border port is listed as John Duncanson, who is most likely the former's son.

According to one account, a Clan Donnachaidh emerged from the Earls of Athole in the early 13th century. The name is derived from Donnachadh Reamhar, which means "Stout Duncan." According to legend, this chief led the clan into battle at Bannockburn in 1314. However, recent genealogical research indicates that this is unlikely. Duncan's great-grandson was Robert, from whom both the Duncans and the Robertsons descended. The Duncans of Lundie in Forfarshire were the most common in the East of Scotland. Their vast estate included both the barony of Lundie and the estate of Gourdie. Sir William Duncan, George III's physician, was made a baronet in 1764. The title was not inherited. By 1795, Adam Duncan of Lundie had been appointed Commander of the North Sea Fleet and Admiral of the Blue. With a glorious record of victories, he was created 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown in 1797, and his son was created Earl of Camperdown in 1831 (Camperdown House shown above). With the death of the Duchess of Buckingham in 1933, the title became extinct.

The Duncan surname is most common in Aberdeenshire, Dundee & Angus, and Fife.

'Lairds and Barons of Duncan Territorial Houses'

Lundie (Camperdown) and Duncan of Seaside

Jordanstone, Duncan

Ardownie Duncan

Duncan of Sketraw is a Scottish nobleman.

Mott, Duncan of

Duncan Parkhill

Damside's Duncan

Dunbarney, Duncan

Duncan Places & People

Clan Duncan Individuals

Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Camperdown (1731-1804)- pictured top

Adam Duncan, the second son of Dundee's Provost, joined the navy in 1746. After seeing action in Brest and Havana, he rose to the rank of Admiral and Commander in Chief of the North Sea by 1795.

He irritated the Dutch by successfully blocking their trade routes at the Texel. At Camperdown in 1797, he defeated Admiral de Winter and his Dutch fleet. In recognition of this, he was created Viscount of Camperdown in 1797.

Duncan, Andrew (1744-1828)

Andrew Duncan began his medical career in Edinburgh after graduating from St Andrews University, where he worked to improve treatment and respect for the mentally ill. He founded a hospital for the mentally ill in Morningside in 1813. He was the editor of the "Medical and Philosophical Commentaries" beginning in 1773.

Duncan, Jonathan (1756-1811)

Duncan met Warren Hastings, Governor-General of Bengal, when he first arrived in Calcutta in 1772 as a writer for the East India Company. By 1795, he had become Governor of Bombay, a position he held for sixteen historically significant years. In his honor, a memorial was erected at St Thomas Cathedral in Bombay.

Duncan, John (1866-1945)

John Duncan was the leading artist in Edinburgh's Celtic Revival movement in the late 1800s. He was born in Dundee and studied in Holland, where he was exposed to many European influences. He assisted Sir Patrick Geddes with the journal 'The Evergreen'.

In 1901, he moved to America to work as an Associate Professor of Art in Chicago for three years. Following this, he relocated to Edinburgh to focus on his painting. His later work included representations of fairies he claimed to see on visits to Iona, which he treated with classical techniques.

Helen DuncanHelen Duncan (1897-1956)

Helen Duncan was born in the Perthshire town of Callander. During World War II, she was a well-known medium in Portsmouth. She is well-known for being the last person in the United Kingdom to be convicted under witchcraft laws.

In 1941, the spirit of a sailor appeared to one of her seancés, announcing that he had just gone down on the Barham. The sinking of HMS 'Barham' was kept secret for several months in order to mislead the enemy and protect morale.

Mrs Duncan was arrested and found guilty of witchcraft under the Witchcraft Act of 1735. A strong movement has gathered momentum in recent years to have her pardoned, as compelling evidence exists that the sinking of the vessel was widely known in the naval town of Portsmouth at the time.

Sir Andrew Rae Duncan, GBE (1884-1952)

Sir Andrew Duncan was a Scottish businessman who served twice as President of the Board of Trade and as Minister of Supply during World War II. Duncan served on the Boards of the Bank of England and Imperial Chemical Industries. In 1884, he was born in Irvine, Scotland. He attended Irvine Academy and Glasgow University.

From 1927 to 1935, Duncan was chairman of the Central Electricity Board, and from 1935 to 1945, he was chairman of the British Iron and Steel Federation. In a 1940 by-election, he was elected as a "National" Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of London, and he was made a member of the Cabinet and a Privy Counsellor. He was re-elected in 1945, but stepped down in the 1950 general election.

During his tenure as a minister, there was some concern that someone so close to the iron, steel, and chemical industries would be in charge of their regulation. However, due to wartime pressures, Duncan remained in his position and was unharmed. After the war, he rejoined the Iron and Steel Federation, working with Aubrey Jones, his assistant and later Conservative minister, to oppose the Labour government's nationalisation plans.

In 1921, he was knighted, and in 1938, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE). In addition, he received the Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus. In addition to his service in the United Kingdom, Duncan was appointed by Prime Minister of Canada Mackenzie King in 1926 to chair the Royal Commission on Maritime Claims, which was dubbed the "Duncan Commission" in response to the Maritime Rights Movement.

He married Anne Jordan in 1916. They had two sons, one of whom died in the war in 1940. He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 67.

Duncan was known as "without a doubt the greatest Irvine man of his generation" ('Irvine Herald').

Duncan Tartans

The Duncan tartan's designer is unknown, but it is thought to date before 1880. The tartan is also known as Leslie of Wards, and it is similar to the Leslie Hunting tartan.

Duncan Contemporary

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Duncan the Elder

Duncan Crest & Coats of Arms

Clan Duncan Coat of Arms

Worn by everyone with the same name and ancestry

Description of the Crest:

On the sea's waves, Argent, a lymphad proper under sail, Or, flagged Gules, the sail charged with a clarion, Gules.

Coat of Arms of Clan Duncan

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.

John A. Duncan of Sketraw's coat of arms, KCN, FSA Scot.

By ScotsTee

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Clan Duncan (Tartans, Crest) and The Story Behind