Stratherrick Mact

[migovie]

can someone throw ideas on this one./?? we know that for a short period the strath mact adopted the name of fraser. this is understood by the fact they were living in fraser country and clans would adopt the name of their superior neighbor to acknowledge a subserviant role (sept status). I would think any clansman who willingly enters the battlefield wearing another clans tartan and fights alongside that clan and is willing to die for that clan in a battle waged by that clan....has already displayed his sept status to that clan . the adoption of that clans name is yet another display of this role.
BUT the strath mact also used the name of veconnochie for several generations.around 1600
is not connachie /conchie a sept of clan campbell ?????
from what i can gather a clans name was their identity. to change your name meant you risked losing the trail of your ancestors.
i would spose any change of surname was not taken lightly and careful consideration would have to be taken lest your fellow clansman viewed this action as disrespectful to the clan name and heritage.
i have been told that any chief who sold or lost his clans tribal land was viewed as extremely incapable and untrustworthy..often resulting in dismissal or death..land was the tribes identity ...as was their name....so name changing was never taken lightly

[clantavish1]

The name used was VcConnochie (not veconnochie). Connochie simply means Duncan, and the writing or use of use of Vc (vice Mc or Mac) in and/or after other "son of" names like VcEan, and so forth simply means, -grandson of- or
-great grandson of -- direct names of generations in the past. That name in and of itself os particular to a few clans, not just Clan Campbell. The clan Tavish in Stratherrick at Little Garth, Garthbeg, etc.. on Lovat Lands, was never known as "Clan VcConnochie". The name was used as an ancestral name as the us of Vc implies (VcConniche), and it stems from:

John McEan VcEan VCCONNOCHIE died in 1628.
John in Gaelic is, so this man was known as Ean (John), son of Ean (McEan), Grandson of Ean (VcEan), Great grandson of Ducan (VcConnochie).
John VcConnochie (above) had a son Tawis who married Margaret Fraser, and hence the Fraser connection begins. As legend has it, and there naught much else to suggest otherwise, the Stratherrick McTavishes are descended from the second son of the Chief of MacTavish of Dunardry, who in the 13-14th century slew his brother, the heir to the chiefship. The old MacTavish chief exiled his second son rather than see him executed for his crime.


Often sept-men took to use of there chief's or Laird's name as a way to identifiy themselves to others not familiar with 'himself'. Hence some of the McTavish in Stratherrick used Fraser, as well as other identities such as MacCoss.
Rob Roy McGregor used the name Robert Campbell for a time, as the Earl of Argyle (Campbell Chief) was his protector. That did not make Rob Roy a blood Campbell.

Surnames in Scotland were not seen until the 12thcentury, and probably fully established nearer the 13th century .... and the M(a)cTavish surnames CHANGED MANY OF TIMES. Many early MacTavish variations are recorded such as: MacTalvich, MacKavish, MacTalvish, MacCawis, MacTawis, MacTawes, and so forth. So there was no disrepect found in the various name changes, and no careful consideration given it. Since most clansmen and even the Chiefs could not read or write, a priest or other learned person wrote the names -- as they deemed proper. Hence we have a variety of spellings of the M(a)ctavish surname over a substancial period and in several counties in Scotland.

Several Chiefs of clans lost lands, because they owned money or for other reasons. DO you find that the McGregor Chiefs were untrustwothy for loosing land. Heck they were outlawed, because of a grudge. Lands were lost and gained or re-ganed and lost again and again. There was usually (in the OLD DAYS) no ramification brought upon the chief, but if seen as unable to carryout his duties to his children the clan found themselves a new chief (that is in the 'tribal' old days). By the later 1600s to 1700s land was not such an issue and particularly not a clan issue after 1746.

You seem mis-informed.

[cathy]

It is nice to see such spirited interaction! I have always wondered about this legend.... a legend is is a story with some basis in fact. What I know about my McTavish ancestors is that they allied themselves with their Fraser neighbors, carrying the Fraser of Lovat's banner in many an instance. John McTavish was an afficer with Lovat's contingent at Culloden, but he also fostered two of his son's to the MacTavish family in Argyll. I contend he was covering his political bases after the mess in the aftermath of Culloden. John McTavish then went the the Fraser's Highlanders fighting in the French and Indian war in the colonies.

I deal in fact and the fact is the McTavish family in Stratherrick was loyal to the Fraser's of Lovat. I am very pround of our connection to the Frasers!

The reason for this board is to uncover genealogical facts. The McTavish controversies ave been discussed on several boards often with the result being that respondents became nasty and their privileges to those boards being denied. Let's keep the correspondence pleasant here!

Cathy McTavish