Clan Kirkpatrick is a

Lowland Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of a ...

armigerous In heraldry, an armiger is a (natural or juridical) person entitled to use a heraldic achievement (e.g., bear arms, an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be armig ...

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Scottish Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared heritage and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure r ...

. There are several variations of the Kirkpatrick name: Kilpatric, Kilpatrick, and Gilpatrick. The names Kirkpatrick and Kilpatrick may have been interchangeable at one time. The clan is recognised by the

Court of the Lord Lyon The Court of the Lord Lyon, or Lyon Court, is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All ...

, however the clan does not currently have a chief so recognised. The surname Kirkpatrick is also a recognized

sept A sept () is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used both in Scotland and in Ireland, where it may be translated as Irish , meaning "progeny" or "seed", and may indicate the descendants of a person ...

Clan Douglas Clan Douglas ( Gaelic: ''Dùbhghlas'') is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands. Taking their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Borders, Angus, Lothian, Moray, and also ...

and

Clan Colquhoun Clan Colquhoun ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan. History Origins of the clan The lands of the clan Colquhoun are on the shores of Loch Lomond. During the reign of Alexander II, Umphredus de Kilpatrick received from Malduin, Earl of Len ...

History

Origins of the clan

Traditional origins

The clan takes its name from the church of

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...

in the parish of Closeburn in

Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (SCSC) is an organisation that represents many prominent Scottish clan chief, clan chiefs and Scottish clan chief#Chief of the Name and Arms, Chiefs of the Name and Arms in Scotland. It claims to be the pr ...

). pp. 411 - 412. Traditionally the Kirkpatrick family of Closeburn have held these lands since the ninth century.

Recorded origins

The family first appear on record in the twelfth century when Ivone de Kirkpatrick witnessed a charter of the

Clan Bruce Clan Bruce () is a Lowlands Scottish clan. It was a royal house in the 14th century, producing two kings of Scotland (Robert the Bruce and David II), and a disputed High King of Ireland, Edward Bruce. Origins The surname '' Bruce'' comes fro ...

. Ivone also received a charter of confirmation for all of his lands that was granted to him by

Alexander II of Scotland Alexander II ( Medieval Gaelic: '; Modern Gaelic: '; nicknamed "the Peaceful" by modern historians; 24 August 1198 – 6 July 1249) was King of Alba (Scotland) from 1214 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of York (1237) which defined t ...

Wars of Scottish Independence

Roger Kirkpatrick was an attendant of

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...

when he killed John "the Red" Comyn, chief of

Clan Comyn Clan Cumming ( ), historically known as Clan Comyn, is a Scottish clan from the central Highlands that played a major role in the history of 13th-century Scotland and in the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Clan Comyn was once the most powerfu ...

in the church at

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...

. It is said that Kirkpatrick met the Bruce rushing out of the church exclaiming that he thought he had killed Comyn and that Kirkpatrick then drew his dagger with the words, ''I mak sikkar''; meaning “I make sure”; the clan motto and chief's coat of arms allude to this story. Kirkpatrick was sent on an embassy in 1314 with Sir Neil Campbell of

Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...

into England and in recompense the Kirkpatrick family received the lands of Redburgh. Sir Roger Kirkpatrick distinguished himself in 1355 when he took both

Caerlaverock Castle Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold of t ...

and Dalswinton Castle from the English. In 1357 Kirkpatrick was murdered by his kinsman, Sir James Lindsay of

Clan Lindsay Clan Lindsay is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. History Origins of the clan The Lindsays were prominent in both England and Scotland from the late 11th century. The surname derives from the region of Lindsey, Lincolnshire, Lindsey in ...

in a private quarrel. The title then passed through a nephew to Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick, who in 1409 received from

Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany ...

the baronies of Closeburn and Redburgh.

16th and 17th centuries

In 1526 a feud arose with the

Clan Charteris Clan Charteris is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. History Origins of the Name The claimed origin of the name Charteris is that it is from the city of Chartres in France. Origins of the Clan William, a son of the Lord Chartres, is s ...

.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

). pp. 100 - 101. It is recorded in Pitcairn's ''Criminal Trials of Scotland'' that John Charteris of Amisfield, along with his brother and two sons, were charged with the murder of Roger Kilpatrick, son of Alexander Kilpatrick in March 1526. In 1542 Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick's grandson, another Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick, was taken prisoner at the

Battle of Solway Moss The Battle of Solway Moss took place on Solway Moss near the River Esk on the English side of the Anglo-Scottish border in November 1542 between English and Scottish forces. The Scottish King James V had refused to break from the Catholic Chu ...

. The estate then passed through a cousin and in 1685 Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn was created a

Baronet of Nova Scotia This is a list of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. These were first created in 1624, and were replaced by the Baronetage of Great Britain in 1707. This page lists baronetcies, whether extant, extinct, dormant (D), unproven (U), ...

for his support of

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. Charles was born ...

. The mansion house that was built by the 1st Baronet burned down in a fire. The 4th Baronet, Sir James sold the Closeburn estates. In 1563 John Carruthers of Howmains, of Clan Carruthers was indicted, along with Edward Irvine of Bonshaw (chief of

Clan Irvine Clan Irvine is a Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 174 – ...

), for an assault on Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, as well as for slaying several other persons.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

). pp. 370 - 371. William Kirkpatrick who was descended from the Kirkpatrick of Conheath branch of the clan was a merchant in

Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

in Spain and he married the eldest daughter of a Belgian baron. His great-granddaughter was

Eugénie de Montijo Eugénie de Montijo (; born María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920) was Second French Empire, Empress of the French from her marriage to Napoleon III on 30 January 1853 until he was overthrown on 4 ...

who became Empress of France when she married

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

Castles

* Closeburn Castle was main seat of the Kirkpatricks of Closeburn, chiefs of Clan Kirkpatrick. * Rockhall Tower was a castle that belonged to the Kirkpatricks. * Torthorwald Castle was another castle that belonged to the Kirkpatricks. *

Tynron Doon Tynron Doon is a multivallate Iron Age hill fort outside the village of Tynron in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It was occupied on and off from the 1st millennium BC until the 16th century, when an L-shaped tower house stood there. Tynron Doon ...

is the site of a castle once held by the Kirkpatricks and Robert the Bruce is believed to have stayed there after murdering John Comyn.

References

External links

Video footage and tales of the Closeburn churches.Clan Colquhoun Official WebsiteClan Kirkpatrick Society
* ttp://home.hiwaay.net/~jpkilpat/genkilpat.htm Kilpatricks in U.S. Historybr>The Australian KirkpatricksJames Kirkpatrick (1715-1786) of South Carolina and Descendants
{{Scottish clans Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick History of Dumfriesshire Scottish Lowlands