Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron (Cameron Tartan)
Gaelic Name: Camshron
Crest: A sheaf of five arrows points upwards, Proper, tied with a band, Gules
Motto: Aonaibh Ri Chéile (Let us unite)
Origin of Name: Gaelic Camshron from cam (wry) and sron (nose)
Badge: Crowberry
Lands: Lochiel
Clan Chief: Donald Cameron of Lochiel
1. Clan Cameron History
The mighty Clan Cameron – known for their strength and ferocity! They're said to be as fierce as fierce can be, and their roots run deep in Scottish history.
Now, there's a tale that they trace their lineage all the way back to a son of the Danish King Camchron. Quite the noble ancestry, if you ask me!
Back in the 13th century, there were all sorts of names floatin' about that eventually morphed into 'Cameron'. Some say it came from Gaelic words meanin' a crooked hill or a crooked nose. But the more likely story is that their first chief, Donald Dubh – who might've been the 11th chief by 1411 – had ties to either the MacGillonies or the Cambruns of Ballegarno in auld Fife.
Donald Dubh was quite the leader, ye see. He married into the MacMartins of Letterfinlay, unitin' different clans under his banner. And by the end of the century, they became the fearsome Clan Cameron, claimin' Lochaber as their ain.
In 1528, King James V granted a charter, makin' the 'Captain of Clan Cameron' the lord of Lochiel – and that's how we got ourselves a Captain o' Cameron of Lochiel!
Now, let's talk castles! Achnacarry Castle was the pride of the Camerons of Lochiel, built by the 17th Lochiel, Sir Ewen himself. He was a right thorn in Cromwell's side, always battlin' his troops. But eventually, Sir Ewen swore to keep the peace, and the Camerons got to keep their arms – a true victory for the clan!
R.R. McIan's 19th-century depiction of a Cameron clansman is a significant historical artwork that offers insight into the appearance and attire of members of Clan Cameron during that period.
Donald, the 19th Lochiel – a man of true honor and bravery! They called him "The Gentle Lochiel", and for good reason. During "the '45", he showed such courage that he's still hailed as one of the Highland Chiefs.
Legend has it, he saved Glasgow from the wrath of the Jacobite army in 1745. A true hero, he was!
But alas, his descendants didnae quite live up to his legacy. Instead of honor, they brought shame to the clan by treatin' their ain folk poorly durin' the Highland clearances. A sad turn o' events, indeed.
2. Clan Cameron Tartans
This Cameron tartan has a braw history! It all started way back when the Sobieskis penned it down in their Vestiarium Scoticum. They tried to keep it true to its roots by describin' it in auld medieval English, sayin' it had "four stripes of green on a scarlet field, with one stripe throughout the red pattern."
And dinnae forget, when we talk about tartans, there's the "ancient" and the "modern". Ancient ones have lighter shades, while the modern ones tend to be darker. Just a wee bit o' knowledge for ye!
Threadcout Y/4 R32 G12 R4 G12 R/4
Cameron Ancient
Cameron Modern
The Cameron of Erracht tartan! Now, that's a bonnie one with a tale to tell. Back in 1793, the wife of Donald Cameron, she designed it for the 79th regiment, which her son, General Sir Allan Cameron, was raisin'.
Ye see, she didnae fancy her regiment wearin' the Black Watch tartan. So, she crafted her ain tartan, mixin' the Cameron and MacDonell of Keppoch (her family) designs.
And when we talk about tartans, we have the "ancient" ones with lighter shades and the "modern" ones with darker hues.
But there's more! There's also the "weathered" ones, brought out in the 1950s, tryin' to mimic a tartan fragment found buried on an ancient battlefield. A bit of history woven into every thread, ken?
Threadcount G/16 R4 G4 R8 G32 K32 R4 B32 R8 B16 Y/8
Cameron of Erracht Ancient
Cameron of Erracht Modern
Cameron of Erracht Weathered
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The Cameron of Lochiel tartan stands as perhaps the oldest among the Cameron clan's tartans. Its origins trace back to a portrait of none other than Gentle Lochiel himself, Donald Cameron of Lochiel, painted around 1764. Interestingly, there's been a bit of a stir regarding the sett in the painting—some say it's a wee bit different from what we see today. Now, whether the painter got it wrong or right, we cannae say for sure. But it was Wilsons who sorted it out in the early 1800s, giving us the pattern we're familiar with nowadays.
Now, when we talk about these tartans, there's a distinction between the "modern" ones, with their darker hues, and the "ancient" ones, sporting lighter shades. Just a wee bit of tartan tidbit for ye!
Cameron of Lochiel Ancient
Cameron of Lochiel Modern
3. Clan Cameron Crest & Coats of Arms
3.1 Clan Cameron Crest
Worn by all of the name and ancestry
Crest Description:
A sheaf of five arrows points upwards, Proper, tied with a band, Gules
3.2 Clan Cameron Coat of Arms
A note on Coats of Arms:
According to Scottish heraldic law, a coat of arms is granted to an individual rather than to a family or clan as a whole. Therefore, the arms represented below are personal to the individual who has been granted them, with exceptions for civic or corporate arms. Only the individual to whom the arms have been granted has the legal right to use them.
AMERON
Duncan Alastair Graham Cameron, MBA, MA, BA, FSA Scot.
Arms: On a red field, three gold bars are accompanied by an azure diagonal band featuring an open silver book with red fore-edges and binding, positioned between two Proper Aberdeen scythes. Encircling the arms is a silver border with an engraved edge.
Crest: Flames of fire are depicted amidst two sprigs of oak arranged in a circle, all in their natural colors.
Motto: "Frithealadh Seach Feinealachd" (Scottish Gaelic for "Service before Self")
Granted: Conferred by the Court of the Lord Lyon on December 9th, 2004, recorded in volume 87, folio 32.
Painted by Anthony Maxwell.
4. Clan Cameron Places & People
4.1 Clan Cameron Places
4.1.1 Tor Castle
Ewen Cameron, the thirteenth Chief of the Camerons, took it upon himself to reconstruct "Tor Castle" in the early 15th century. Fast forward a few generations to his great-great-great-grandson, Sir Ewen "Dubh" Cameron of Lochiel, the seventeenth Chief of the Camerons.
He decided not to tear it down but rather to abandon it. Tor Castle served as a sanctuary for the Camerons whenever they faced threats from the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch.
4.1.2 Achnacarry Castle
Chief Sir Ewen decided he needed a more "handy hoose" and put up Achnacarry Castle around 1655. Unfortunately, after the Battle of Culloden in 1746, those Hanoverian lot burned it down.
Then, in 1802, Donald Cameron, the twenty-second Chief, forked out a bonnie sum to the British Government to win back his forebears' lands and put up a new big house at Achnacarry.
That house still stands today, near the row of trees planted by Lochiel (the Gentle) when he got word that Bonnie Prince Charlie had come ashore. You can check out a museum in a wee cottage close by, started by Sir Donald Cameron of Lochiel back in 1989.
4.2 Clan Cameron People
4.2.1 John Cameron of Corriechoille (1780-1856)
Starting off his life barefoot as a drover’s lad in Spean Bridge, 'Corry' managed to grow his flock, herds, and holdings into the largest in Britain by the 1840s. Saving up from his meager childhood earnings, he wisely invested in the occasional bull, gradually building his wealth until he could lease the land at Corriechoille from Cameron of Lochiel.
His enterprise didn't stop there; he kept expanding until he owned grazing land stretching all the way from Falkirk to Skye.
Renowned for his boundless energy and keen business acumen, which belied his unkempt appearance, 'Corry' was a force to be reckoned with. Even in his later years, as his fortune dwindled, he continued working tirelessly, finally passing away at the age of 75.
4.2.2 Donald Cameron, Younger of Lochiel (c.1695 - 23 October, 1748)
When Bonnie Prince Charlie made his dramatic return to Scotland with only seven men and lacking weapons or money, Donald Cameron (depicted above) harbored little hope for the success of the 1745 uprising.
Known for his far-sightedness, Cameron had focused on long-term investments, enhancing his estate, and supporting his clansmen. However, upon meeting the Prince, his perspective shifted dramatically.
He declared, 'I shall share the fate of my Prince, and so shall any man whom nature or fortune has given me power.'
Displaying bravery in battles at Edinburgh and preventing the sack of Glasgow by the Highlanders, Cameron fought valiantly.
Unfortunately, he sustained injuries at Culloden, and his home and lands were ravaged. Forced to flee the country, he eventually passed away in French Flanders.
4.2.3 Sir David Young Cameron (1865-1945)
Hailing from Glasgow and enrolling at Edinburgh’s Royal Institution in 1884, DY Cameron emerged as one of Scotland’s most renowned artists.
His celebrated landscape artworks depicted scenes from Paisley to the central Highlands, as well as locations as far-reaching as Holland and Paris. Notably, his etchings achieved unprecedented success in auction houses.
In approximately 1917, Cameron undertook work as a war artist for the Canadian government.
Following this period, he shifted his focus to the vast and uninhabited landscapes of Scotland’s Highlands, creating paintings that earned him even greater acclaim than his etchings.
5. Associated Names
The following names are regarded as septs or associated names of Clan Cameron of Lochiel: Chalmers, Chambers, Clarkson, Clark, Clarke, Cleary, Clerk, Dowie, Gibbon, Grimesey, Kennedy, Krywonis, Leary, Lokcick, Lonbie, Lonie, MacAldowie, MacAlonie, MacChlerich, MacChlery, MacClair, MacClerie, MacElhaney, MacGillery, MacGillonie, MacIldowie, MacKail, MacKell, MacLear, MacLeary, MacLerie, MacMartin, MacOnie, MacOstrich, MacOurlic, MacPhail, MacSorley, MacUlric, MacUlrig, MacVail, MacWalrick, Martin, Paul, Sorley, Sorlie, and Taylor