Have you ever wondered where your family really came from? Learning how to trace Scottish ancestry opens a door to clan history, dramatic landscapes, and stories carried across the ocean. This guide walks you through every step — from your kitchen table to the archives of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, Scotland Greyfriars kirkyard cemetery tombstones. Photo: Shutterstock […]
You know your great-grandmother came from Scotland. Perhaps you carry a name like MacDonald, Fraser, or Campbell. Maybe someone in your family told stories of green glens and stony castles — a world left behind generations ago. Now you want to go back. This 5-day itinerary helps you do exactly that. It takes you from […]
Your grandmother spoke Gaelic. Your grandfather kept a photograph of a Highland glen on his mantelpiece. And somewhere in your family’s past, someone left Scotland and never came back. If you grew up in Nova Scotia or Cape Breton, reconnecting with your Scottish roots starts here. Scotland shaped your food, your music, your place names, […]
If your family came from Scotland, there is a question you may have carried for years. Why did they leave? Arichonan Clearing Village: This village was founded in the 17th century and was cleared during the Highland Clearances in 1848 – Shutterstock For millions of Scottish-Americans, Scottish-Canadians, and Scottish-Australians, the answer lies in the Highland […]
If your surname is Cumming, Cummings, Comyn, or Cumine, you carry one of the oldest names in Scotland. Clan Cumming has roots stretching back nearly 900 years. Their story involves royal courts, battlefield betrayal, and the birth of a nation. It is the kind of history that changes how you see your own surname. Balvenie […]
The Erskines were once the most trusted family in Scotland. They kept Stirling Castle for Scottish kings. They raised infant monarchs inside its walls. And when a rebellion tore apart their world in 1715, many of them crossed the Atlantic to start again. If your family name is Erskine, you carry one of Scotland’s oldest […]
Clan MacLachlan is one of Scotland’s oldest and most ancient Highland clans. The clan has called Argyll home for nearly 800 years. If your family name is MacLachlan, McLachlan, McLaughlin, or any of its many variants, your Scottish roots likely stretch back to the shores of Loch Fyne in the west of Scotland. Photo: Gary […]
If your family name is MacMillan, McMillan, or Millan, your roots lead back to one of Scotland’s most enduring Highland clans. The MacMillans have called the rugged shores of Loch Awe home for centuries. They carved their story into the stone of Argyll. They survived clan wars and clearances. They spread across North America, Australia, […]
If your surname is Johnston, Johnstone, Johnson, or Jonstone, you carry the name of one of Scotland’s most powerful Border clans. The Scottish surnames of Clan Johnston have spread across the globe. You’ll find them in the hills of Appalachia, the prairies of Ontario, and the farmlands of Queensland. Every one of those families traces […]
If your surname is Irvine, Irving, Irwin, or Erwin, you carry one of Scotland’s oldest family names. The Scottish surnames of Clan Irvine stretch back to the early 12th century. They run through Ayrshire’s river valleys, the wild border country of Dumfriesshire, and the royal forests of Aberdeenshire. Photo: Shutterstock What clan does your name […]
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