Morrisons Of Ness
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Clan Morrison is a
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 ...
. The Highland Clan Morrison is traditionally associated with the Isle of Lewis and Harris (Leòdhas) around
Ness Ness or NESS may refer to: Places Australia * Ness, Wapengo, a heritage-listed natural coastal area in New South Wales United Kingdom * Ness, Cheshire, England, a village * Ness, Lewis, the most northerly area on Lewis, Scotland, UK * Cuspate ...
(Nis), Dun Pabbay, and
Barvas Barvas (Scottish Gaelic: ''Barabhas'' or ''Barbhas'', ) is a settlement, community and civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. It developed around a road junction. The A857 and A858 meet at the southern end of Barvas. North is the road ...
(Barabhas), lands in
Sutherland Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...
around
Durness Durness () is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north coast of the country in the traditional county of Sutherland, around north of Inverness. The area is remote, and the parish is huge and spar ...
, and in
North Uist North Uist (; ) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Etymology In Donald Munro's ''A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides'' of 1549, North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist are described as one isla ...
. There are numerous Scottish clans, both Highland and Lowland, which use the surname ''Morison'' or ''Morrison''. In 1965, the
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 ...
decided to recognise one man as
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 ...
of all Morrisons, whether their clans were related or not.


MacGilleMhoire clan of Lewis

The Morrison clan centred on the Isle of Lewis derived their surname from ''MacGilleMhoire'', a name said to mean "son of a servant of Mary". ("Mhic" meaning son, "Gille" meaning servant and "Mhoire" meaning Mary). Morrison 1880:pp 26. In time this Gaelic surname was
Anglicised Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
as ''Morrison''. The chiefs of the clan were the Morrisons of
Habost Habost () is the name of two crofting townships on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. One is in the Ness area at the northern tip of the island at and is home to an arts and music centre. It is a traditional area of the Clan M ...
and
Barvas Barvas (Scottish Gaelic: ''Barabhas'' or ''Barbhas'', ) is a settlement, community and civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. It developed around a road junction. The A857 and A858 meet at the southern end of Barvas. North is the road ...
, and held the hereditary office of brieve. On consequence of this position the clan was also known as ''Clann-na Breitheamh''. The Morisons held this office until 1613; and by the 19th century it was considered impossible to trace their descendants. The original spelling of the name is "Morison" with one "r", but in the early 19th century the spelling "Morrison" became popular. Morrison 1880:pp 2021. There are also alternative spellings, or septs, such as
Gilmore Gilmore or Gillmore may refer to: *Gilmore (surname) Places Australia *Gilmore, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb in the Canberra district of Tuggeranong * Gilmore Avenue, a road in southern Perth, Western Australia *Division of Gilmore, a ...
. They were a numerous clan in Lewis, the population in 1861 numbered 1402, or one fifteenth of the population. These numbers indicate a domination of the island for many centuries. Besides areas around the north of the
Isle of Lewis The Isle of Lewis () or simply Lewis () is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The t ...
, many Morrisons traditionally live in the north-west Highlands, in the county of
Sutherland Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...
around
Durness Durness () is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north coast of the country in the traditional county of Sutherland, around north of Inverness. The area is remote, and the parish is huge and spar ...
(Scottish Gaelic: Diùranais), together with their traditional allies, the
Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
. "Many sanguinary battles, still recounted by tradition, were fought between the Mcleods and Macaulays on one side and the Morisons on the other. At last the Morisons were forced to leave Lewis and take refuge with that part of their clan which was settled in Duirness and Edderachyllius, Sutherland, where still, in 1793, the natives were all, except a few, of the three names of Mac Leay, Morison or Mcleod." Morrison 1880:pp 31.


Ó Muircheasáin clan of Harris

A group of the bardic Ó Muirgheasáin clan settled on the isle of
Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...
around 1600 under the service of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan. At around this time, the '' file'' Ó Muirgheasáin replaced the ''
bard In Celtic cultures, a bard is an oral repository and professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's a ...
'' Mac Gille Riabhaich, to the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan. McLeod 2004: p. 73. The Ó Muirgheasáins ultimately had roots in the north of Ireland, within "O'Neill's country". The clan is thought to have established itself in the
Inner Hebrides The Inner Hebrides ( ; ) is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which experience a mild oceanic climate. The Inner Hebrides compri ...
, on the isle of
Mull Mull may refer to: Places *Isle of Mull, a Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides ** Sound of Mull, between the Isle of Mull and the rest of Scotland * Mount Mull, Antarctica * Mull Hill, Isle of Man * Mull, Arkansas, a place along Arkansas Highwa ...
, by 1512, likely patronised by the MacLeans of Duart. Despite their long service to the MacLeans and MacLeods, not one Ó Muirgheasáin poem, written for the MacLeans of Duart, exists to this day, and the earliest piece of poetry written for the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan only dates to 1626. In time the Harris Ó Muirgheasáins
Anglicised Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
their surname to ''Morrison''. Moncreiffe of that Ilk 1967: pp. 64–65. The
Irish Gaelic Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigeno ...
''Ó Muirgheasa'' means "descendant of ''Muirgheas''". The personal name ''Muirgheas'' may be derived from the Gaelic elements ''muir'', meaning "sea", and ''geas'', meaning "taboo", "prohibition".


Morrisons of mainland Scotland

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 ...
''
Morrison Morrison may refer to: People * Morrison (surname), people with the Scottish surname Morrison * Morrison Heady (1829–1915), American poet * Morrison Mann MacBride (1877–1938), Canadian merchant Places in the United States * Morrison, Colorad ...
'' is derived from the
patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...
form of the
personal name A personal name, full name or prosoponym (from Ancient Greek ''prósōpon'' – person, and ''onoma'' –name) is the set of names by which an individual person or animal is known. When taken together as a word-group, they all relate to that on ...
''
Morris Morris may refer to: Places Australia * St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Man ...
''.'' Dictionary of American Family Names'' This personal name is a variant of ''Maurice'', and was quite popular in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. The mainland Morrisons descend from a
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
named Maurice.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). Pages 280 - 281. The senior line of the mainland Morrisons were the Morisons of Bognie in
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
. Many of the mainland and
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 ...
Morrisons derived their name this way. The Morrisons of
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
and Lennox derive their surname in this way. Innes of Learney 1971: pp. 252–253. Within the north-east of Scotland, the Morisons of Bognie, in
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
, are the principal Morison family. They are thought to be unrelated to the west coast (and Hebridean) Morrisons. The British
royal family A royal family is the immediate family of monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papal family describes the family of a pope, while th ...
can claim direct descent from the early Morisons of Bognie through the maternal line of Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales. In the aftermath of the infamous Fire of Frendraught, Alexander Morison acquired the lands of Bognie from Sir James Crichton of Frendraught in 1635, becoming the 1st Baron of Bognie. His son George Morison, 2nd Baron of Bognie, married Christian Urquhart, Viscountess Frendraught (the widow of James Crichton, 2nd Viscount Frendraught). The current representative of the family is Alexander Gordon Morison, 14th Baron of Bognie and Mountblairy. His son, Conner Morison, holds the Arms of the Younger of Bognie and Mountblairy. The
coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...
of the Morisons of Dersay (or Darcie), in
Fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...
; and the Morisons of Bognie; and the Morisons of Prestongrange utilise Moor's heads. This is a pun on the surname; an example of
canting arms Canting arms are heraldry, heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name (or, less often, some attribute or function) in a visual pun or rebus. The expression derives from the latin ''cantare'' (to sing). French heralds used the term (), ...
. According to the 19th-century historian William C. Mackenzie, it is uncertain whether or not these Morisons have any connection with the Lewis Morisons. Mackenzie noted that in the beginning of the 17th century, a son of the laird of Darcie went to Lewis to negotiate for the release of the Fife adventurers who had been held hostage. Mackenzie 1903: pp. 61–64.


Traditional origins


According to the 'Indweller' of Lewis

In the late 17th century, the origin of the clan was documented within an historical account of Lewis written by John Morrison of
Bragar Bragar (, ) is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, from the island's only town, Stornoway. Bragar is within the parish of Barvas, and is situated on the A858 between Carloway and Barvas. Residents ...
, 'Indweller' of Lewis. The Indweller wrote this account sometime between about 1678 and 1688 and stated that the early inhabitants of Lewis were three men from three separate races. The 19th-century historian F. W. L. Thomas noted that the Indweller's traditional account was partly at odds with the traditions current in the 19th century. The 19th century tradition was that the heiress of the Morrisons would only marry a Morrison, and that Cain, who was a Macdonald from Ardnamurchan, passed himself off as a Morrison and consequently became her husband and thus brieve. Thomas noted that it was claimed that Iain Sprangach, founder of the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan, came to
Uist Uist is a group of six islands that are part of the Outer Hebridean Archipelago, which is part of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. North Uist and South Uist ( or ; ) are two of the islands and are linked by causeways running via the isles of Ben ...
and married a daughter of Macleod of Harris, and had a son named Murdo. Thomas considered that it was from this son that the Indweller's ''Makurich'' was derived. Thomas also noted that it was claimed that
Aonghus Óg of Islay Aonghus Óg Mac Domhnaill (died 1314 × 1318/ 1330), or Angus Og MacDonald, was a fourteenth-century Scottish magnate and chief of Clann Domhnaill. He was a younger son of Aonghus Mór mac Domhnaill, Lord of Islay. After the latter's apparent ...
married a daughter of Guy O'Kaine. He also showed that this marriage is confirmed by the 17th-century Irish genealogist
Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius ( fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, histo ...
, who wrote that the mother of John Mac Angus of Islay was Aine, daughter of Cumhaighe O'Cathain. Thomas maintained that it was through this marriage that the name ''Cain'' passed to the Macdonalds, and through them to the Lewis Morrisons, who still used it in the 19th century. Thomas concluded that the Indweller's ''Kenannus whom the Irish historiance call Makurich'' equated to ''Cathan Mac Mhurich''. He considered that this man was the son of the Murdo who was the son, or grandson, of Iain Sprangach, founder of the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan. It was from Cathan Mac Mhurich, Thomas stated, that the chiefly line of the Lewis Morrisons descended. Thomas also noted that the Harris Morrisons claimed to descend from the original stock of Morrisons. Thomas 1876–78: pp. 508–510.


According to the ''Bannatyne Manuscript''

The ''Bannatyne Manuscript'' dates from about 1830 and is thought to have probably been written by Dr.
William MacLeod Bannatyne Sir William Macleod Bannatyne, Lord Bannatyne FRSE (26 January 1743 – 30 November 1833) was a distinguished Scottish advocate, judge, antiquarian and historian. Life The son of Mr. Roderick Macleod WS and Isabel Bannantyne, daughter of He ...
. Within the manuscript is an account of the origins of the Lewis Morrisons:


History

The first Morrison on record is Hutcheon (
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
: ''
Ùisdean Ùisdean is a Scottish Gaelic masculine given name. Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 410. Variant forms include ''Uisdean'' and ''Hùisdean''. The names are derived from the Old Norse personal name ''Eysteinn'', *''Aystein'' (later ''Øysteinn' ...
''), a contemporary of Rory MacLeod, the last chief of
Clan MacLeod of Lewis Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis (), is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the be ...
. Hutcheon held the hereditary office of brieve, on Lewis. The Morrisons were also dominant in
Durness Durness () is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north coast of the country in the traditional county of Sutherland, around north of Inverness. The area is remote, and the parish is huge and spar ...
(within "
Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
Country"). Frank 1970: pp. 276–277. According to tradition, Ay Mac Hormaid (Aodh Mac Thormoid) married a daughter (or sister) of the
Bishop of Caithness The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Ai ...
, who bestowed on the couple the whole of Durness, with Ashir. Aodh then brought over a colony of about 60 families, mostly of his clan. In the 16th century, Hutcheon Morrison confessed on his deathbed to being the biological father of Torquil MacLeod who had been assumed to be the son of the MacLeod chief. As a result, Torquil was disinherited and the office of chief of the MacLeods passed to another. Torquil, having been raised a MacLeod his whole life, viewed himself as the legitimate chief and made an alliance with the previously peaceful Morrisons and the more aggressive
Clan Mackenzie Clan Mackenzie ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with Kintail and Ross-shire. Its chiefs trace their lineage to the 12th century, though the earliest recorded chief is Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail, who died after 1471. The clan suppo ...
. However, after defeating the MacLeods, Torquil declared himself a MacLeod and turned on the Morrisons and Mackenzies, forcing them from their lands and possessions. The Morrisons later returned to settle in Ness but, remaining enemies of the MacLeods, never achieved any status or power. The Morrisons tried to live at peace with their more aggressive neighbours. The Macaulays of Lewis, who were centred in
Uig Uig is a placename meaning "bay" (from Norse) and may refer to: Places * Uig, Coll, a hamlet on the island of Coll, Argyll and Bute, Scotland * Uig, Duirinish, a hamlet near Totaig, on the Isle of Skye, Highland Scotland * Uig, Lewis, a civil par ...
, killed Donald Ban, the brother of John Morrison the Brehon, at Habost. When the Morrisons retaliated by raiding Uig, the MacAulays appealed to their allies, the
Clan MacLeod of Lewis Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis (), is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the be ...
. The Morrisons were soundly defeated at the Caws of Tarbert, whereupon a strong force of MacAulays and MacLeods invaded the Morrison lands. The chief was captured and imprisoned at Rodil. He managed to escape, but the MacLeods used their influence with the king to have him declared an outlaw. As every man's hand was now turned against him, Morrison resorted to desperate measures and kidnapped one of the Macleod heiresses. He agreed to surrender her in exchange for a royal pardon. The girl was released, none the worse for her ordeal. The feud was carried on by the next chief Uisdean, or Hucheon, who invaded north Harris. Once again, the
Clan MacLeod of Lewis Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis (), is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the be ...
intervened, and Iain Mor MacLeod engaged the Morrisons at Clachan on Taransay. It is said that Hucheon was the only Morrison to survive the battle, swimming over two miles to the mainland despite serious wounds.


17th century: last Macaulay-Morrison clan battle

According to local lore, on Lewis, the last great clan battle between the Macaulays and Morrisons took place in 1654. Local tradition gives several possible locations for the battle: two at Shader, one at Barvas, and one at Brue. One location, said to have been the battle-site is Druim nan Carnan ("the ridge of the cairns"), near
Barvas Barvas (Scottish Gaelic: ''Barabhas'' or ''Barbhas'', ) is a settlement, community and civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. It developed around a road junction. The A857 and A858 meet at the southern end of Barvas. North is the road ...
. The conflict is said to have arisen after a group of Uig Macaulays raided cattle from Ness Morrisons. The Macaulays were only able to escape with their plunder as far as Barvas, where the two sides took to battle. It is not known how many died in the conflict, though tradition states that the fallen were buried in the area, and that their graves were marked by cairns which have now since disappeared. In June 2009, it was reported that one of the traditional sites of the battle, and possibly the graves of the fallen, may be damaged by a proposed plan to erect three
wind turbines A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. , hundreds of thousands of large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each y ...
in the area. According to Moncreiffe of that Ilk, it is unlikely that the brieves had any judicial authority after about 1595. The last Lewis brieve to be mentioned is 'Donald MacIndowie Brieff'; when the Tutor of Kintail issued a ' Letter of Fire and Sword' against him.


Modern Clan Morrison

In 1965, the
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 ...
declared that there was then no traceable descendant of the chiefs of the Morrisons of Lewis. Lyon recognised Dr. John Morrison of Ruchdi as the 'principal chief of the whole name and clan of Morrison'. The Lord Lyon acknowledged that Morrison of Ruchdi could neither trace his descent from the Morrison brieves of Lewis, nor the Morrisons of Habost, nor the chiefs of the Morrisons of Lewis. The Lord Lyon acknowledged that Morrison of Ruchdi was chief of the Morrisons of Ruchdi; and that he could trace his lineage back about twelve generations, in a
Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...
pedigree, back to the Morrisons in the Dun of Pabbay on
Tarbert Tarbert () is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames that variously s ...
of Harris. Lyon also recognised John Morrison, 1st Baron of Margadale as an 'area chieftain' or 'regional chieftain' of the Morrisons of Islay, the Sundrays and South West Scotland (areas also described by Lyon as the "Strathclyde area") under Morrison of Ruchdi. Morrison of Ruchdi also later, ca 1972, recognized John Morrison, 2nd Viscount Dunrossil as a 'regional chieftain' of North America. Lyon declared that further area chieftains could be recognized in time. For example, chiefs representing the line of the Morrisons of Habost and the brieves, the Morrisons of Lothian, and of Merse. However, these chieftains would also be under Morrison of Ruchdi. Dr. Ian Martin Morrison of Ruchdi assumed the Chief's mantle from his father on 12 June 1974. Dr. Ian was succeeded at his death by his son Dr. John Ruaraidh (Ru) Morrison on 11 December 2010. The current clan chief, R. Alasdair Morrison assumed the Chief's mantle on November 7, 2020, upon the death of his father The Clan Morrison Society, which was established in 1909, bought
Dùn Èistean Dùn Èistean is a multi-period archaeological site on an inter-tidal sea stack on the north east coast of the Isle of Lewis, near the village of Knockaird (Cnoc Àrd, Nis) in the area of Ness, Western Isles, Nis (Ness) in the Hebrides, Western Is ...
and transferred ownership to John Morrison (great-grandfather of the current chief). Archaeological remains from the clan's history have been found on the island.


Symbols

The
crest badge A Scottish crest badge is a heraldic badge worn to show allegiance to an individual or membership in a specific Scottish clan. Crest badges are commonly called "clan crests", but this is a misnomer; there is no such thing as a collective ''clan' ...
worn by members of Clan Morrison consists of the chief's
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 ...
and
motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...
. By wearing this badge, clan members show their allegiance to their clan chief. The chief's motto is TEAGHLACH PHABBAY, which translates from
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
as "Pabbay family". Way of Plean 2000: p. 246. This motto refers to the chief's descent from the Morrisons of Ruchdi, who claim to descend from the Morrisons of Dun Pabbay, on Harris. The chief's crest is ''issuant from waves of the sea Azure crested Argent a Mount Vert, thereon an embattled wall Azure, maisoned Argent, and issuing therefrom a cubit arm naked proper, the hand grasping a dagger hilted Or''. The plant badge of Clan Morrison is driftweed. There are several tartans attributed to the surname Morrison and Clan Morrison has an official clan tartan. This tartan was recorded by the
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 ...
on 3 January 1968. The tartan is based on a sett which was first found in 1935, when an old Morrison family bible was uncovered in a
blackhouse A blackhouse ( ; ) is a traditional type of house which used to be common in Ireland, the Hebrides, and the Scottish Highlands. Origin of the name The origin of the name blackhouse is of some debate. On the Isle of Lewis, in particular, it ...
which was to be demolished on Lewis. The piece of tartan was wrapped around the bible, and inside a note referencing the sett was dated 1745. The Clan Morrison Society (of Scotland) tartan is a variant of the ''Mackay'' tartan. This Morrison tartan dates from about 1908–1909. The society chose to base their tartan on the Mackay because of a historical link between Morrisons and Mackays. This link stems from the marriage of Ay Mac Hormaid and the daughter of the
Bishop of Caithness The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Ai ...
. The bride's dowry consisted of the lands of
Durness Durness () is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north coast of the country in the traditional county of Sutherland, around north of Inverness. The area is remote, and the parish is huge and spar ...
and subsequently sixty Morrison families emigrated there in the 17th century.


Tartans


See also

*
Dùn Èistean Dùn Èistean is a multi-period archaeological site on an inter-tidal sea stack on the north east coast of the Isle of Lewis, near the village of Knockaird (Cnoc Àrd, Nis) in the area of Ness, Western Isles, Nis (Ness) in the Hebrides, Western Is ...
, once the stronghold of the Morrisons of Lewis * Gilhemoire, progenitor of the Scottish Clan Morrison, and half-brother to Leod *
Isle of Lewis The Isle of Lewis () or simply Lewis () is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The t ...
, traditional island homeland of the Clan Morrison *
Ness Ness or NESS may refer to: Places Australia * Ness, Wapengo, a heritage-listed natural coastal area in New South Wales United Kingdom * Ness, Cheshire, England, a village * Ness, Lewis, the most northerly area on Lewis, Scotland, UK * Cuspate ...
, a traditional home of the Clan Morrison. *
Durness Durness () is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north coast of the country in the traditional county of Sutherland, around north of Inverness. The area is remote, and the parish is huge and spar ...
, associated Highland home of some of the Clan Morrison *
Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
, traditional allies of the Clan Morrison *
Clan Macleod of the Lewes Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis (), is a Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the beginning of the 17th ...
, the dominant clan on Lewis (pre 17th century) *
Clan Mackenzie Clan Mackenzie ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with Kintail and Ross-shire. Its chiefs trace their lineage to the 12th century, though the earliest recorded chief is Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail, who died after 1471. The clan suppo ...
, traditional allies of the Clan Morrison * MacAulays of Lewis, a rival clan on Lewis *
Pabbay, Harris Pabbay () is an uninhabited island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland which lies in the Sound of Harris between Harris and North Uist. The name comes from ''Papey'', which is Norse for "Island of the ''papar'' (Culdee)". The island was once ...
, a traditional home of the Clan Morrison *
Morrison (surname) The etymology of the surname Morrison is either Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman, commonly found throughout England, Scotland and Ireland, or from an Anglicization of Irish language, Irish ''Ó Muirgheasáin''. History Morrison in England is ...
, people with the surname ''Morrison'' *
Dùn Èistean Dùn Èistean is a multi-period archaeological site on an inter-tidal sea stack on the north east coast of the Isle of Lewis, near the village of Knockaird (Cnoc Àrd, Nis) in the area of Ness, Western Isles, Nis (Ness) in the Hebrides, Western Is ...
, a traditional stronghold of the Clan Morrison of Ness


Sources

;Footnotes ;References * * * Originally pub. by: W. & A. K. Johnston Ltd.,
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 ...
and
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, 1944
* * * * * * * * * * *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 ...
).


External links


Clan Morrison Society of North America
Clan Morrison Society of Australia disbanded in 2004. {{Scottish clans Aberdeenshire Harris, Outer Hebrides Isle of Lewis
Morrison Morrison may refer to: People * Morrison (surname), people with the Scottish surname Morrison * Morrison Heady (1829–1915), American poet * Morrison Mann MacBride (1877–1938), Canadian merchant Places in the United States * Morrison, Colorad ...
Gaelic families of Norse descent