Snodgrass Clan Collection

I. Introduction

In Scotland’s sprawling clan saga, the Snodgrass Clan stands as a understated yet resilient thread, its roots entwined with the gentle lowlands of Ayrshire rather than the wild Highlands. Far from the clamor of martial dynasties, the Snodgrasses drew their name from smooth, grassy lands along the River Garnock—a legacy of deeds over declarations. Their history unfolds with a quiet strength, a lowland tale of endurance and subtle impact that weaves its way through Scotland’s past and into its present.

II. Origins of the Snodgrass Clan

The name "Snodgrass" springs from the lands of Snodgrasse or Snodgers, nestled in the parish of Irvine, Ayrshire, where the River Garnock bends through fertile plains. From Middle English snod (smooth) and grass, it paints a picture of neat, knot-free pastures—a name born of the soil itself. The earliest traces emerge in the late 13th century, with Adam de Snodgrass swearing fealty to Edward I in 1296 for his Ayrshire holdings, followed by Adam Snodgrass as Bailie of Ayr in 1372. By 1528, "Snotgerss" appears in a charter under Hugh, third Earl of Eglinton, marking the Snodgrasses as tenants or minor landholders. As Brythonic Celts of the Lowlands, they eschewed the Highland clan structure, their identity forged through place and purpose.

III. Historical Evolution of the Snodgrass Clan

A. Medieval Roots

The Snodgrasses took root in medieval Ayrshire, a region of trade and tension. Near Irvine’s port and the feuding estates of the Montgomerys and Cunninghams, they weathered events like the 1488 torching of Eglinton Castle. Though not warriors, their steady presence—as farmers, craftsmen, or civic figures like the Bailie of Ayr—bolstered the lowland fabric, their deeds speaking louder than titles.

B. Growth and Diaspora

The 17th century saw the Snodgrass name ripple outward. Some ventured to Ulster during the Plantation, while others solidified their Ayrshire foothold—John Snodgrass bought the Cunninghamhead estate in 1724, and his son Neil pioneered crop rotation with Lord Fullerton, reshaping local agriculture. By the 19th century, the Clearances and economic tides pushed many abroad, notably to Pennsylvania, where their lineage flourished, numbering thousands today.

C. Modern Reclamation

In the 20th century, the Snodgrass Clan found new life through its diaspora. Laurence Elder Snodgrass of New Mexico founded the Snodgrass Clan Society in 1977, incorporated in 1979. Denied a Scottish grant of arms by the Lord Lyon in 1981, they secured an Irish grant in 1984, embracing their dual heritage. This revival reflects a clan determined to honor its past while thriving in a scattered, modern world.

IV. Clan Snodgrass Crest and Motto

A. Crest Symbolism

No single crest holds official sway for the Snodgrasses, an armigerous clan without a chief. The Snodgrass Clan Society favors a phoenix rising from flames, granted in Ireland in 1984, symbolizing rebirth through migration and change. Modern interpretations, like cap badges sold commercially, may vary—featuring boars or stags—but the phoenix remains the most documented emblem of their enduring spirit.

B. Clan Motto

The motto "Facta Non Verba" ("Deeds, Not Words") defines the Snodgrass ethos, a testament to their legacy of action—tilling fields, shaping harvests, building lives.

An alternative, "Vivit Post Funera Virtus" ("Virtue Lives After Death"), adopted by some descendants, speaks to enduring worth, but "Facta Non Verba" captures their lowland pragmatism with striking clarity.

V. Clan Snodgrass Tartan

Recorded by Scottish Tartans Society on 19th April 1978. Sample in Scottish Tartans Authority's Johnston Collection. Designed for the Snodgrass Clan Association. It is based on the Cunningham tartan, and the colours chosen were from the Snodgrass coat of arms - Black, Green and Gold. Green for the 'grasy place' (sic) alluded to in the name and Blue representing the traditional Highland 'Blue Bonnet' (Scottish Tartans Society). Sample in Scottish Tartans Authority's Dalgety Collection.

VI. Prominent Figures of the Snodgrass Clan

A. Neil Snodgrass (fl. 18th Century)

Neil Snodgrass of Cunninghamhead stands tall, his 18th-century crop rotation scheme with Lord Fullerton a deed that reshaped Ayrshire’s fields. His quiet innovation echoes the clan’s motto, proving their worth through action.

B. William Snodgrass (d. circa 1750)

William Snodgrass, reaching Virginia by 1700, founded Hedgesville, West Virginia, his grave at Tuscarora Presbyterian Church a marker of the clan’s westward reach. His pioneering spirit carried their lowland grit across oceans.

VII. Conclusion

The Snodgrass Clan may lack the fanfare of Highland lore, but its history sings a ballad of steadfast deeds. From Ayrshire’s smooth grasses to the fields of Ulster and America’s frontiers, they’ve lived their motto—acting, enduring, thriving. Their phoenix and tartan herald a clan reborn, their legacy a quiet cornerstone of Scotland’s story, proving that in the lowland stillness, deeds indeed outshine words.