Clan MacLeod
Crest & Motto
The MacLeod crest shows a bull’s head between two flags, and the clan motto is a plain instruction: Hold Fast.
History
Clan MacLeod traces its name to Leod, a 13th century chieftain traditionally held to be a son of Olaf the Black, Norse King of Mann and the Isles. The name comes from the Old Norse personal name Ljotr. From Leod’s sons sprang the clan’s two great branches: Siol Tormoid, the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan on Skye, and Siol Torcaill, the MacLeods of Lewis, who also held Assynt and Raasay.
The clan seat, Dunvegan Castle on Skye, has been home to MacLeod chiefs for around 800 years and houses the famous Fairy Flag, a silken banner said to bring the clan victory when unfurled. The 16th century brought bitter feuding with the MacDonalds, most notoriously at the Battle of the Spoiling Dyke on Skye in 1578. Around the turn of the 17th century the Lewis branch lost its lands: after resisting James VI’s attempt to colonise Lewis with the “Fife Adventurers”, the MacLeods of Lewis were displaced by the Mackenzies, and the Dunvegan line carried the chiefship forward.
In the 1745 rising the MacLeod chief sided with the government, and the clan largely stayed clear of the disaster at Culloden. The following century was harsher. Famine, rising rents and emigration, both voluntary and forced, emptied much of the MacLeod country of Harris and Skye, scattering MacLeods to Canada (notably Cape Breton), the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The worldwide clan still gathers at Dunvegan for its international “Parliaments”.
Clan Chief
The current chief is Hugh Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod, 30th Chief, of Dunvegan Castle, chief since 2007. The MacLeods of Lewis have their own separately recognised chiefly line.
Clan Tartan
The best known MacLeod tartan is the bold yellow and black of MacLeod of Lewis, affectionately nicknamed the Loud MacLeod. It is not the only one. Earlier pattern books record quieter yellow and black setts, like the 1835 example shown second, and the green hunting tartan of MacLeod of Harris is also proper wear. The yellow remains the one most often seen at gatherings today.
Septs and Family Names
Many family names are counted among the septs of Clan MacLeod. If your surname appears here, your family history leads back to this clan: Andie, Beaton, Betha, Bethune, Beton, Clewer, Cluer, Clure, Cremmon, Crimmon, Griman, Grimman, Grimmond, Harald, Haraldson, Harold, Harrell, Harrold, Herrald, Lewis, MacAlear, MacAndie, MacCaig, MacClewer, MacClure, MacCoig, MacCowig, MacCrimmon, MacCrivag, MacCrummen, MacCuaig, MacGrimman, MacGrymmen, MacHandie, MacHarold, MacKaig, MacKande, MacKandy, MacKilliam, MacKullie, MacLeur, MacLewer, MacLewis, MacLur, MacLure, MacQuigg, MacRaild, MacRalte, MacRimmon, MacWilliam, MacWilliams, MacWillie, MacWylie, Makcandy, McCaskie, McCaskill, McClure, McCullie, Norman, Normand, Norris, Norval, Norwell, Tormud, Williamson.
Unsure how clan names, crests and septs work? Our guide to Scottish clan names explains the rules.
Further reading
Associated Clan MacLeod Societies is the worldwide umbrella, coordinating ten national societies.
Clan MacLeod Societies of Canada
The MacLeod Crests as 3D Models
You can download the MacLeod crest or the MacLeod of Lewis crest as a 3D model file (£10 to £25) and print it on any 3D printer, or carve it in wood on a CNC machine.
See the MacLeod lands, from Dunvegan to Lewis, on our interactive clan map of Scotland.