Highland Clans vs Border Clans

There is so much misunderstanding at the beginner level when people learn they have Scottish ancestors.  What they picture in their minds, unless they have verified Highland ancestry,  is often wrong.  Those from the Borders looked (in dress) and sounded (in language) much different from their Highland counterparts.  In this episode I endeavor to untangle this.  Never fear!   Border Reiver descendants,  your history is no less colorful than that of the Highlands.

[Jamestele]

I'm Welsh, I speak Welsh, but I have notice a sad cruelty that Highland Scots and Americans who descend from Highlanders seem to derive joy in telling Lowlanders that they're mere "Anglo-Saxons" or "Anglo-Norman", etc. DNA has shown us that having a Norman name does not always mean that the modern Norman-names Scot has any Norman or French, or Danish DNA. There were various types of surnames that came in vogue at different points. A MacFarlane may be a descendant of someone who was adopted into a clan - they may very well be from Viking roots. Conversely, a modern Armstrong is often the descendant of Brythonic-speaking Celts/Britons. I do a lot of Genetic Genealogy and have seen this time and again. Even modern English are more likely to directly descend from a native Briton/Celt than a Dane - which is why English are not that blonde, compared to Scandinavians. Also I've noticed that when a Highlander discovers he comes from Nordic stock, they like to claim they Vikings, whereas they refer to lowlanders as mere "Anglo-Saxons". Also the Gaelic thing: it was a Western Scottish thing really. My friend's Murdochs were from Ayrshire, and were surprised that some of their records were in Gaelic, but Western Scotland used Gaelic, just not as recently as the North. Many lowlanders and people descended from Picts have ancestors who spoke Brythonic, but had to speak English, due to their proximity to England. The Welsh (Cymraeg) Celts do not seem to have the same hostility and weird inferiority complex, likely because many of us still speak our language (unfortunately not enough) so our sense of self is not so derived from the idea that our great-great Grandfather wore a tartan; when in reality, we know from the Greeks and Romans that tartans were NOT specific to Scotland so much as that was a common way non animal skin clothing was made in the post Bell Beaker Hallstatt, La Tene, etc. eras. Peace be with you

[ronhall]

The Border way of living didn't end or begin at the Anglo-Scottish Border, the Northumberland folk of Tynedale, Coquetdale, Redesdale and the various dales and valleys of Cumberland and Westmoreland all lived under similar conditions and had a similar lifestyle to those north of the Border, and in a lot of cases were related by blood and marriage.

If anybody is really interested George Mcdonald-Fraser authored a good book - called the 'Steel Bonnets' - about this particular part of the world.

Be warned though, Mcdonald-Faser's account pulls no punches and while he does recount the romantic episodes of derring do, he also recounts the other side of the coin, the murders, burnings and summary justice dispensed by the locals and by the Wardens of the Marches. This part of the world had been used for centuries by the relevant Monarchs of Scotland and England in a callous and cynical way to apply pressure across the Border in both directions, so the people were a very hardy and - let's not skip about the bush here - a very vicious lot, used to dealing with guerrilla raids and also no stranger with dealing with the various armies that tramped through this part of the world, heading North or South, depending on the nationality.

Funnily enough, the meeting between the Highlanders and the Borderers did occur in 1513 at a place called Flodden.

[RuthHernandez-cepo]

As an American my ancestry is mostly Scottish and English. I have many, many border names on my family tree but I also have highlanders as well. A mix of both. Something that is interesting to me is how these cultures and ways of living shaped our families and us to this day. The Scotts Irish or Ulster Scotts came from the lowlands and borders of Scotland and when they came to the American colonies they brought that culture with them. The more I study the border culture the more I understand my own family. Why they think the way they do. Why they did things the way they did. It is very insightful. Whether I like how things were or not; now I know why.

[johnrobertson]

The biggest difference between the two for me is their skill as horsemen in the Borders. Really isn't enough emphasis on how well they could travel hilly boggy ground on ponies and evade soldiers sent to capture them. Still to this day many people ride horses in the Borders, many taking part in the annual common riding festivals.

[SeanieBoy]

If You are interested in what activity your family name was apart of. it is worth reading the Book ''The Steel Bonnets''. the index tells you what pages refrence your family name. Beattie is my family name and if it wasnt for the book, i wouldent of found out that they used to take part in raids done by the Armstrong's. Loved the video, thanks for making it!

[willinnewhaven]

The borderers on both sides had _surnames_ which were often on both sides of the border.

[eric]

The Bells are Boarder Reivers from the boarder of both Scotland and England.
They originated in Flanders, and came over with William the Bastard.

[justinhall]

I was trying to explain this very same thing to some relatives. Clan Hall were border reivers who did not think of themselves as Scottish. They most certainly did not wear kilts. However because of the efforts of one Atlas Hall we now have our very own official tartan (eye roll).

[CelticConfederate]

I grew up surrounded by my mother's side of the family (Horsley surname found in old Northumbria). They were the miners who became moonshiners and raced their getaway cars just like those Appalachian people that Nascar was born out of (we live in the Alabama foot hills). We have relatives who are Armstrongs. There are Kerrs nearby as well as Kerr Road. My cousin had a couple red haired children with a MacPherson. On this same side of the family my ancestors' surnames also include Peoples, Pickens, Wallace, Gilmore, and Kendricks which I believe are all first recorded in southwest Scotland. However, on my dad's side of the family we are mostly English. My 2nd great grandpa Richard Rouse went down with the Titanic.

[jakeb]

I just found this channel and find it extremely informative! As Clan Logan I love the deep dive as Logan is split between highland and border groups.

[fambuild]

Was great to run in to you at the Payson Games this year. I found this channel from a DNA project I am involved at FTDNA. Great info on your channel, btw!

[robertmcclelland]

I'm from Dumfries and Galloway scotland and I can tell you, there is far more history in the Lowlands than the highlanders like to believe. We are all Scottish. Be proud of iy

[skywatergarage]

I am a Hay. My great grandfather. Robert Hay and great grandmother Mary Black emigrated from glasgow in early 1930s and came to the west coast of the USA. OREGON. Nice video I enjoyed it. Good information

[wormwood]

If you have a Reiver Clan surname, your more likely to be descendents of people from the Kingdom of Norhumbria rather than Scotland.
Newcastle upon Tyne had the Armstrong, Ridley and Scott families running the town in the 11th century Peter Scot was Mayor from 1245-1251, one of the first in history to go by that surname, and chances are you will have Brigantine ancestors.
DNA tests on descendents still living in the Border area saw a significantly higher proportion of Ancient DNA than anywhere else in the UK,
basically if you're a descendent of the Reivers your roots could in the Dark Ages or Roman British.

[thiafalcone]

I'm half Italian (other half Scots Borderers). The kinship system of the Borderers reminds me of Italian mafioso, but instead of chief we call them dons or coppos.

[aikidragonpiper]

True the border Reivers didn't wear kilts and tartans back then. But here in modern times the border clans have officially recognized tartans that can be worn at Highland Games or Burns Night. And many have recognized tartans for over a hundred years now. Clan Armstrong's tartan was created in 1842. But they were clans and considered clans by the government . The Armstrong's at one time could raise 3000 horsemen for battle or raiding. I've got a Border Reiver name Armstrong and this is modern times so I can wear a kilt and play Highland Pipes if i want. I do have Highland Macentire's on my mother's side . The kilt started with the Highlanders but it has become a Scottish symbol and anyone can wear a kilt to show pride in their Scottish ancestry no matter what part of Scotland they came from. The astronaut Neil Armstrong proudly took a piece of Armstrong tartan to the moon . Plus if you wanted to wear authentic border reiver clothing you'd probably have to have it custom made and it would probably cost more than a kilt and be difficult to get it to be accurate.

[debbielough]

On the pronunciation of Buccleuch / Buccleugh - it depends. If it has the 'ch' ending, you're nearly there (apart from it's 'byu' - rhymes with yew) - if it has the gh ending, its 'byu-cluff'. Which you use will largely depend which part of the borders you're from.

[mustangeroo]

Pretty safe to say most of what we think of as “Scottish” are modern inventions that owe a lot to the English royals.

[gandolfthorstefn]

22:12 Chief may have been a loanword from the Bretons, Flemish or Norman's who came to Scotland.

[straycat]

I have seen it written that my clan was considered a border clan in away. Though we are coastal Galloway what I’ve read says that we were considered a border clan because we were essentially a border not between England and Scotland but between Viking Ireland and Scotland. It was that our clan chief could muster upwards of 500 men at any given time to protect the coast from Irish and Viking raiders. Not sure if that would be considered really the same as a traditional border clan, but I would love your input on that?! Clan MacCulloch of Myrton, Cardoness.