McFarland Family History

McFarland Family History

Chapter 1. McFarland Clan in Scotland from 840 to Clan

Migration to North Carolina in Mid 1700's.

The book develops the derivation of the McFarland Clan in Scotland. At that time, all of Scotland was divided into clans. McFarlands all came from the Scottish Highlands in an area designated at that time as McFarland Country (see map below). This territory was located North and West of the famous Loch Lomond. This was the hereditary possession of the chiefs of the Clan McFarland for more than six hundred years.

If you are a McFarland or an heir of the McFarland family, where do you trace your heritage? The answer is royalty of the first order, none other than directly to Kenneth MaCalpine, the crowned King of Scotland! There is strong evidence that the more than 75,000 McFarlands in the United States today can trace their heritage back to this royal line. The book indicates the line from Kenneth MaCalpine was crowned King of Scotland in 840 to Gilchrist. Gilchrist's son was Duncan McGilchrist, who was the second chief of the McFarland Clan. This "Mc" or "son of" is the first reference to the "Mc" in the McFarland name.

The book traces the McFarland line from Gilchrist to Andrew McFarland in 1784. That year, one of Andrew's heirs sold McFarland Country, which led to the termination of the McFarland Clan in Scotland.

To find out the derivation of the McFarland name, the book traces an early chief in Scotland, Chief Parlan. The "Mc" in "McFarland" means "son of." Over the years, "Parlan" was changed to "Farland" and the "Mc" was added to obtain the surname we use today.

At one time all McFarlands belonged to the same original Clan, whether McFarland, McFarlane, McFarlain or McPharlan. They formed matrimonial alliances with such other well known families in the Highland area of Scotland as the McDonalds, Camerons, McLaurins, Grahams, and Keaheys.

Some of the septs of the powerful McFarlane Clan were Allans, or McAllens; MacCause, or Thomassons; MacWater; MacNair; McEoin; MacErracher; McWilliam; McAindra; McNiter; McIntalker; Parlan; Farlan; Graumach; Kinnieson; Menach, MacRob; McGreusich; Smith-Miller, and MacKinlay. In view of the later sept, the Scottish Clan furnished America with one of its best loved presidents, William McKinley.

There are numerous references to Flora MacDonald, the Scottish heroine who aided Prince Charles in his escape from Scotland around 1740. Chapter Two lists her emigration to North Carolina in 1774.

The migration of the McFarland Clan to the Highland Colony in the Carolinas is the single, major event that led to the hundreds of thousands of McFarlands now in the United States. Chapters Two and Three are devoted to this migration.

Excellent Map of Scotland's Clans

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2f/c6/f1/2fc6f156f59bcb0a7c864464affec958.png

https://mcfarlandfamilyhistory.com/mcfarlands-in-scotland.html