The word ‘clan’ derives from the Gaelic for ‘children’. A clan was a mainly self-sufficient social, economic and political organisation governed by a chieftain and his close kin. The clan members could be kindred, tenants or dependants often using the same surname. They were associated with specific areas of Scotland, often where the clan chief held land and property.
The clans existed in Scotland from the 12th century to 1746, when the last major Jacobite rebellion was put down at the battle of Culloden. The following outlawing of the system and the Highland Clearances resulted in thousands of Scots emigrating to the New World, where the clan culture was revived and flourishes to this day.
Clan Cameron Museum
- Address: Achnacarry, Spean Bridge PH34 4EJ
- Tel: 07900 217975
- E-mail: curator@clancameronmuseum.co.uk
- Website: www.clancameronmuseum.co.uk
Clan Campbell (Archive Collection)
- Address: Inveraray Castle, Inveraray, Argyll and Bute PA32 8XE
- Tel: 01499 302698
- E-mail: archives@inveraray-castle.com
- Website: www.inveraray-castle.com/estate/argyll-papers
Clan Colquhoun/Lamont International
- Address: (Clan Museum closed May 2016)
- Tel: 619 781 7279
- E-mail: enquiries@clancolquhoun.com
- Website: https://www.clancolquhoun.com/
Clan Donald Museum
- Address: Museum of the Isles, Armadale, Sleat, Isle of Skye IV45 8RS
- Tel: 01471 844305
- E-mail: office@armadalecastle.com
- Website: www.armadalecastle.com
Clan Donnachaidh Centre
- Address: Bruar, Pitlochry, Perthshire, PH18 5TW
- Tel: 01796 483770
- E-mail: admin@donnachaidh.com
- Website: https://www.donnachaidh.com/
Clan Grant Museum
- Address: Grantown Museum and Heritage Trust, Burnfield House, Burnfield Avenue, Grantown- on-Spey, Morayshire PH26 3HH
- Tel: 01479 872478
- E-mail: https://www.grantownmuseum.co.uk/clan-grant.html
- Website: https://www.grantownmuseum.co.uk/clan-grant.html
Clan Gregor Museum
- Address: Castle Menzies, Weem, Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross PH15 2JD
- Tel: 01887 820982
- E-mail: (Contact form online)
- Website: www.clangregor.com/the-clan-gregor-museum
Clan Gunn Museum and Heritage Centre
- Address: Latheron Kirk, Latheron KW5 6DN
- Tel: 01593 528798
- E-mail: genealogist@clangunnsociety.org
- Website: www.clangunnsociety.org/hc
Clan Mackay Room at Strathnaver Museum
- Address: Clachan, Bettyhill, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 7SS
- Tel: 01641 521418
- E-mail: info@strathnavermuseum.org.uk
- Website: https://www.strathnavermuseum.org.uk/mackays/
Clan Macpherson Museum
- Address: Main Street, Newtonmore PH20 1DE
- Tel: 01540 673332
- E-mail: museum@clan-macpherson.org
- Website: www.clan-macpherson.org/museum/
Clan Murray (Blair Castle)
- Address: Abercairny Estates Ltd, Estate Office, Abercairny, Crieff PH7 3NQ
- Tel: 01764 652706
- E-mail: info@abercairny.com
- Website: www.abercairny.com
Clan Ross Centre
- Address: Tain and District Museum, Castle Brae, Tain IV19 1AJ
- Tel: 01862 894089
- E-mail: info@tainmuseum.org.uk
- Website: www.tainmuseum.org.uk
[Image Eilean Donan Castle by Sorin Tudorut on Unsplash]