Clan Murray
The origins of this family is with Freskin in 12th century. While he may have been a Pict, it is more likely that he was a Flemish Knight, employed by the Norman King to control his new realm. He was granted lands in West Lothian and the ancient Pictish kingdom of Moray. Freskin and his sons intermarried with the existing house of Moray to consolidate their power base. The Earls of Sutherland descend from what is thought to be Freskins eldest son. In charters Freskins descendants were known 'de Moravia', which in Lowland Scots tongue became Murray.
Sir Walter Murray started construction of Bothwell Castle, which remained the seat of the Chiefs until 1360. It then passed into the hands of the Douglas's.
Sir Andrew Murray was a a primary supporter of Scottish Independence. It was only when he was killed at the battle of Stirling Bridge, that William Wallace assumed command of the Scottish forces.
There were many branches of the name who disputed kinship following the death of the fifth Lord, and in the 16th century the Murray's of Tullibardine are recorded using the Murray arms. The Tullibardine claim rested upon descent from Sir Malcolm, younger brother of the First Lord Bothwell. Sir John Murray of Tullibardine was created first Earl of Tullibardine in 1606. His son and heir married the heiress to the Earls of Atholl. She brought with her vast tracts of land and in 1629 the Earldom of Atholl became a Murray Earldom. In 1703 the Murray's reached the peak of peerage, being created Dukes of Atholl.
The first Duke's youngest son was a great Jacobite and a major contributor to their early success. Lord George Murray led a charge at Culloden which broke the ranks of the Hanovarians, but which was not enough to prevent defeat. He died in exile and this battle represents the last time the Highlanders of Atholl went to war. The ceremonial guard, however, survives as the Atholl Highlanders.
Another unique honor passed to the Murray's when the second Duke inherited the sovereignty of The Isle of Man, off the English coast, and the Atholl arms still reflect this ancient connection.
The heraldry of the Dukes of Atholl include the crests of Murray, Tullibardine and Atholl as befits the history of the clan.
Demi Savage:
Motto - Furth, Fortune, and Fill the Fetters
(meaning roughly, Go forth against your enemies, have good fortune,
and return with hostages and booty)
Mermaid:Motto - Tout Pret
(meaning Quite Ready!)
Septs of the Clan: Balneaves, Dunbar, Dunsmore, MacMurray, Moray, Neaves, Piper, Rattray, Small, Spalding Names
associated with the clan: Abercairnie
Abercairny Athol Atholl Balneaves Buttar Butter Butters Flamanc Flamang Flamench
Flamyng Fleeman Fleeming Flemen Fleming Flemmynge Flemyn Flemyne Flemyng
Flemynge Fleymen Fleyming Fliming Flymen Flymyng MacKinnoch MacKmurrie MacMurray
MacMurre MacMurree MacMurrie MacMurry MacMurrye MacMury Mirrey Monchryf Moncref
Moncrefe Moncreife Moncreiff Moncreiffe Moncrief Moncriefe Moncrieff Moncrieffe
Moncrif Moncrife Moncriffe Monkreff Monkreth Montcreffe Montcrief Montcrif Moray
Morray Mouncref Mowray Mulmurray Mulmury Muncrefe Muncreff Muncreif Muncreiffe
Muncreyfe Muncrif Muncrife Munkrethe Muray Murra Murrai Murraue Murray Murrie
Murry Mury Neaves Pepper Phylemen Piper Pyper Ratray Ratre Ratteray Rattray
Retrey Rettra Rettray Rotray Smail Smaill Smal Smale Small Smalle Smaw Smeal
Smeall Spaden Spadine Spaldene Spaldeng Spalding Spaldyn Spaldyng Spaldynge Murray
Of Elibank: Elibank MacKmurrie MacMurray MacMurre MacMurree MacMurrie
MacMurry MacMurrye MacMury Mirrey Moray Morray Mowray Mulmurray Mulmury Muray
Murra Murrai Murraue Murray Murrie Murry Mury Murray Of Tullibardine: MacKmurrie
MacMurray MacMurre MacMurree MacMurrie MacMurry MacMurrye MacMury Mirrey Moray
Morray Mowray Mulmurray Mulmury Muray Murra Murrai Murraue Murray Murrie Murry
Mury Tullibardine
Blair Castle
Perthshire
Home of the Murray's
Blair Castle is located in Perthshire near the pretty village of Blair Atholl (which has a railway station on the main Edinburgh - Inverness rail line). 35 miles north of Perth and 7 miles north of Pitlochry on the main A9 road.
The ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl, Blair Castle dates from the 13th century. It has a magnificent setting in 2,500 acres of grounds within an estate of over 145,000 acres.
This is a great place for Murray genealogy!
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