Clan Logan is an ancient

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 ...

with branches originating in the

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa * Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa * Highlands, Harare, Zimbab ...

and

Lowlands 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 ...

of Scotland. From the Highlands came the Logan or Loban clan. The Lowlands, however, included the Logans of that Ilk (the Chiefly line); the Barons of

Restalrig Restalrig ( ) is a small residential suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland (historically, an estate and independent parish). It is located east of the city centre, west of Craigentinny and to the east of Lochend, Edinburgh, Lochend, both of which it ...

, the Logans from Ayrshire, the Lobbans from Banff, and many others. The clan currently does not have a

chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...

recognized by

Lord Lyon King of Arms The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officer of State, Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scotland, Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry i ...

but is actively searching for one. The family will hold a convention in April 2025 to select a Commander of the Logan Family to continue the search for a chief.

History

The

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

''Logan'' likely comes from the Scottish Gaelic word ''lagan'' or ''laggan'', the diminutive form of the Gaelic word for hollow, ''lag''. Thus, the name refers to a low lying place such as a valley or glen. When and where the name emerged is unknown. It is likewise unknown who first used the Logan surname. The first one documented was Adam of Logan who was a witness to a charter by King Alexander II (reign 1214-1249) on the 25th of August 1236. In 1296, six Logans paid homage to

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...

within the

Ragman Rolls The Ragman Rolls are the collection of instruments by which the nobility and gentry of Scotland subscribed allegiance to King Edward I of England, during the time between the Conference of Norham in May 1291 and the final award in favour of Ball ...

of 1296. They were Andreu de Logyn (from Wigtonshire), Phelipp de Logyn (burgess from Montrose), Thurbrandus de Logyn (from Dumfriesshire), Walterus Logan, and Wautier Logan (from Lanarkshire). In addition to appearing on the

of 1296, Wautier Logan's arms were described as:

blazoned In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...

''a stag's head cabossed, between the antlers, a shield with three piles''. There is speculation that he may have been an early Lowland Chief of Name and Arms. The Lowland Logan family divided into two main branches, Grugar,Balfour Paul, James (1882). ''The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1424 - 1513'' (Vol. 2 ed.). Edinburgh: H.M. General Register House. p. 290. (later

) and the Ayrshire Logans who include George Logan of that Ilk (~1635 - aft. 1701) being the first to register arms at 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 ...

. The Logan DNA project, managed by pre-1800 Logans, has built a Y-DNA descent tree identifying origins in Ayrshire, the Highlands, Ireland, England, Northeast Lowlands by Banff. There are still a few Y-DNA clusters that need to be identified.

Ancient Logans of renown

From 1200 to 1500, there are records of Logan landholders in the Southwest Lowlands from Ayrshire to Edinburgh. A few notable Logans include: * Walter Logan, Lord of Hartside and Sheriff of Lanark * Sir Walter and Sir Robert Logan - Early in the spring of 1330 they accompanied Sir James Douglas in his quest to take the heart of

King Robert I of Scotland 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 Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against England. He fought successfully dur ...

to the

Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...

.Bain, pp. 138-139. Douglas and his company had joined

Alfonso XI of Castile Alfonso XI (11 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ...

, who was campaigning against the

Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...

, in the

Kingdom of Granada The Emirate of Granada, also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was an Islamic polity in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Late Middle Ages, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty. It was the last independent Muslim state in Western Europe. ...

. Alfonso's army laid siege to the castle of Teba. During the fighting Sir James Douglas and most of his men were killed. According to the poet John Barbour, Sir Robert Logan and Sir Walter Logan were among the dead.

Highland Logans

Highland Logan Clan members are reported to be buried in Kilmuir Kirkyard, though the headstones are faded and difficult to impossible to read. It is believed that they lived in and around Drumdeurfit, in the

Black Isle The Black Isle (, ) is a peninsula within Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish Highlands. It includes the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose, and the villages of Culbokie, Resolis, Jemimaville, Rosemarkie, Avoch, Munlochy, Tore, and North Kesso ...

in Easter Ross-shire. This branch is steeped in mystery with three oral traditions as follows: # A clan conflict took place on the Black Isle in the late 1300s when the MacLennans invaded the eastern part of Ross-shire. While camping on the ridge now called Drumderfit, the Frasiers of Inverness counterattacked and all the MacLennans were killed except one who hid under a cart or a "Lopan". His descendants occupied the farm of Druim-a-deur (Drumderfit). From this derived the name Loban which over time modernized into Logan. # The second story is much the same as the one above, but the invader was Gilliegorm, Chief of the Logan Clan. They were defeated and the MacLennans emerged while a separate Logan line remained that eventually farmed in Drumderfit. # The line of Logan Chiefs ended in an heiress who married Eachan Beirach and carried the Logan estates into his possession. As a result, a new head of the clan was selected who settled at Druim-na-clavan.

Logans of that Ilk

The Logans of that Ilk were the Chiefs of Name and Arms for the Logan family. They were located in historical parish of Old Cumnock, Ayrshire. This parish occupies roughly ten by two miles of land in the valley where the Lugar and Glaisnock Waters meet. The name likely comes from the British words “Cwm” (a hollow) and “Cnoc” (a hill) or the corresponding Celtic words “Com” and “Cnoc,” thus meaning the hollow, i.e., valley, of the hill. The first identified Chief of Name and Arms was Alexander Logan of that Ilk who lived in the early 16th century. In 1672, George Logan of that Ilk registered arms at the

. His arms are described as follows: ''"Mr. George Logan of that Ilk Bears Or three passion naills the twa outmost bendwayes & the midlemost paleways all meeting at the points & pearcing throug a mans heart placed in the ase} all gules: On ane helmet befitting his degree with a mantle gules doubled argent And [torseof [his collours">orse">ase} all gules: On ane helmet befitting his degree with a mantle gules doubled argent And [torseof [his colloursis set for his cret a passion naill pearcing a heart proper The motto in ane escroll Hoc majorum virtus."'' The last Chief was Hugh Logan of that Ilk who died in 1802 without heir. Hugh was a renowned character who inspired a book titled "The Laird of Logan, 'Anecdotes and Tales illustrative of the Wit and Humour of Scotland'".

Logans of Restalrig

The leading Logan family's principal seat was in Lestalrig or

, near

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig married King Robert III of Scotland's sister. Some have attributed the name of Katherine to this sister, but her name remains unknown. Robert Logan received the lands of Grugar from

King Robert III Robert III ( – 4 April 1406), born John Stewart, was King of Scots from 1390 to his death in 1406. He was also High Steward of Scotland from 1371 to 1390 and held the titles of Earl of Atholl (1367–1390) and Earl of Carrick (1368–1390) be ...

on the 3rd of November 1394. Later in 1400 Sir Robert was appointed Admiral of Scotland. Sir Robert Logan was one of the hostages given in 1424 to free

James I of Scotland James I (late July 1394 – 21 February 1437) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III of Scotland, Robert III and ...

from being held in England.Anderson, pp. 687-688. Robert's son or grandson, John Logan of Restalrig, was made principal sheriff of Edinburgh by

James II of Scotland James II (16 October 1430 – 3 August 1460) was King of Scots from 1437 until his death in 1460. The eldest surviving son of James I of Scotland, he succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of six, following the assassination of his fathe ...

. In 1555 Logan of Restalrig sold the superiority of

Leith Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith. The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...

(the principal seaport of Edinburgh) to the queen regent

Mary of Lorraine Mary of Guise (; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V. She was a French noblewoman of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House ...

, also known as Marie de Guise. The last Sir Robert Logan, Seventh and Last Baron of Restalric, Baron of Grugar, Baron of Fast Castle, Baron of Hutton, Lord of the Manor of Gunsgreen, son of Lady Agnes Gray, born in 1555 and died on 28 Jan 1607. He was a wealthy man and left his children a large estate.

Robert Logan of Restalrig Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig (1555-July 1606) was a Scottish knight who was allegedly involved in the Gowrie House affair of 1600. Family background Robert Logan's father and grandfather were also called "Robert Logan of Restalrig". In 1547, ...

was described by contemporaries as "ane godless, drunkin, and deboshit man".

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

described him as "one of the darkest characters of that dark age". Sir Robert Logan did not pass away way without controversy, as he was put on trial for the Gowrie Conspiracy against King James VI in 1609, 3 years after his death, as Scottish Law required his body to be in the courtroom. The verdict was that King James VI was the injured party, and Logan's children were forfeited, outlawed, and ruined, with his large estate going to the King.

Clan Logan Society International

Source: The original Clan Logan Society was founded in 1913 by Thomas Logan, Esq., Provost of Partick, in Glasgow. Two successful Clan Logan Gatherings were held in Glasgow in 1913 and 1914. But with the advent of World War I, Clan Gatherings were placed in abeyance. Many clansmen laid down their lives for king and country during this war and so the original Society disbanded. The new Clan Logan Society International was established in 2002 under the leadership of Vernon E. Logan of North Carolina, USA, to carry on the efforts of the original Society. Vernon led this reformation of the Society nobly, and with a passion for a successful future of Clan Logan. In 2018, at the unexpected death of Vernon, James C. Logan was confirmed the second President of the Society by the Board of Directors in accordance with the bylaws of the Society. Under James' leadership, the Society experienced exponential growth in membership and now includes members from Scotland to the USA, to Guam, New Zealand, and Australia. The Society also maintains a close affiliation with the Clan Logan Society of Canada with its Commissioner, Steven Logan, serving on the Society’s Board of Directors for nearly a decade.

The Chief Restoration Project

Clan Logan currently does not have a Chief of Name and Arms. After an exhaustive search failed to produce a hereditary heir, it has been decided to have
Family Convention in Edinburgh Scotland
It will be held in April 2025 and supervised by the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms. The purpose of the convention is to confirm a Commander to represent the Logan Family and Clan. The main role of the Commander will be to find a living heir to title the Chief of Name and Arms of Logan.

Shared tartans

Today both clans Logan and MacLennan share the same

tartan Tartan or plaid ( ) is a patterned cloth consisting of crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming repeating symmetrical patterns known as ''setts''. Originating in woven wool, tartan is most strongly associated wi ...

. This tartan was first recorded in 1831 by the historian James Logan, in his book ''The Scottish Gaël''. Later in 1845 ''The Clans of the Scottish Highlands'' was published, which consisted of text from Logan, accompanied by illustrations from

R. R. McIan Robert Ronald McIan (1803 – 13 December 1856), also Robert Ranald McIan, was a Scottish actor and painter. He is best known for romanticised depictions of Scottish clansmen, their battles and domestic life. His wife, Fanny McIan, was a p ...

. This work was the first which showed the MacLennan's sharing the same tartan as the Logans. The text on the history of Clan Logan pointed to an ancient link between the Logans and MacLennans. The plate for MacLennan, shows a man from this clan wearing the Logan tartan, but no name is given to it unlike every other clan tartan shown. Given the style of writing at the time and subtleties used by both the artist and writer, this is not a surprise and allows them to pay homage to the story of the origin of MacLennan. Until the early nineteenth century, tartan patterns were probably based on locally available dyes, rather than being specific to surnames.

Clan symbols

Today Scottish clans use crest badges,

clan badge A clan badge, sometimes called a plant badge, is a badge or emblem, usually a sprig of a specific plant, that is used to identify a member of a particular Scottish clan. They are usually worn affixed to the bonnet behind the Scottish crest badge ...

s (plant badges) and

as symbols to represent themselves. The crest badge suitable for members of Clan Logan contains the

heraldic crest A crest is a component of a heraldic display, consisting of the device borne on top of the helm. Originating in the decorative sculptures worn by knights in tournaments and, to a lesser extent, battles, crests became solely pictorial after t ...

of ''a passion nail piercing a human heart, Proper''; and the

heraldic motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organization. Mot ...

''HOC MAJORUM VIRTUS'', which translates from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

as "this is valour of my ancestors". The plant badge (clan badge) associated with Clan Logan is

furze ''Ulex'' (commonly known as gorse, furze, or whin) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The genus comprises about 20 species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are na ...

(gorse). According to Robert Bain, the slogan of Clan Logan is ''Druim-nan-deur'' (translation from Scottish Gaelic: "the ridge of tears"). The tartan most commonly associated with the surname ''Logan'' is identical to that of Clan MacLennan. The sett was first published by James Logan's ''The Scottish Gaël'' of 1831. There are however earlier dated tartans which are attributed to the name ''Logan''. One such tartan is usually known as a

Skene Skene may refer to: * Skene, Aberdeenshire, a community in North East Scotland, United Kingdom * Skene, Mississippi, an unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States * Skene, Sweden, a village now part of Kinna, Sweden * Skene (automobil ...

tartan, though it has sometimes been known as a

Rose A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...

tartan. The official state tartan of

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

is based upon this tartan, in respect of Ephraim Logan who is considered the first American of Scottish descent who left a permanent mark on Utah.

Notes

References

*R.R. McIan, "The Clans of The Scottish Highlands" () *International Clan Logan Society, Inc. *Our Valour©, newsletter of the International Clan Logan Society, Inc. *Anderson, William. ''The Scottish Nation; Or The Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, And Biographical History Of The People Of Scotland''. (vol.2).

: A. Fullarton & Co., 1862. *Bain, Robert. ''The Clans And Tartans Of Scotland''. London and Glasgow: Fontana and Collins, 1983. * Barrow, G W S. ''Robert Bruce, and the Community of the Realm of Scotland''. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1965. *Black, George Fraser. (1946). ''The Surnames of Scotland : Their Origin, Meaning and History''. (New York). *Stewart, Donald C. ''The Setts of the Scottish Tartans, with descriptive and historical notes''. London: Shepheard-Walwyn, 1974. *Thompson, Thomas. (1834). ''Publica Sive Processus Super Fidelitatibus Et Homagiis Scotorum Domino Regi Angliæ Factis A.D. MCCXCI-MCCXCVI''. (

Bannatyne Club The Bannatyne Club, named in honour of George Bannatyne and his famous anthology of Scots literature the Bannatyne Manuscript, was a text publication society founded by Sir Walter Scott to print rare works of Scottish interest, whether in history ...

). *Major G. J. N. Logan-Home, (1934). "THE History of the Logan Family".

External links

*
Clan Logan Society International on FacebookClan Logan Society International on InstagramClan Logan Society Canada
{{DEFAULTSORT:Logan Scottish clans Armigerous clans