Clan MacLean

The name MacLean is derived from the Gaelic "mac gille Eoin" - son of the servant of John. The spelling "MacLaine" is perhaps a better guide to how it should be pronounced. In its early days, the clan was known as Clan Gillean (which gave rise to the surname Gilzean, more often found in the Lowlands). "Gillean of the Battleaxe" is said to be the founder of the clan and he fought at the Battle of Largs against the Vikings in 1263. His great-great-grandson settled in Mull and in 1390, Donald, Lord of the Isles gave land to his two brothers-in-law, thus starting the two main branches of the clan - MacLean of Duart and MacLaine of Lochbuie (both on the island of Mull where the name is still frequently found). The clan extended its influence to other Hebridean islands such as Tiree and Islay and onto the mainland. "Red Hector of the Battles" from Duart fought for the MacDonald Lord of the Isles at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 and Lachlan of Duart was killed at the Battle of Flodden.

The Macleans of Dochgarroch are descended from Charles, son of Maclaine of Lochbuie, a major branch in Mull of Clan Maclean. The family arrived in the area in 1394 and became known as the ‘Macleans of the North’.

Hector Maclean or Hector Torlackson, had a third son styled Ferchar Auchanson, or more commonly as Farguhar, who witnessed a contract of friendship between Sir Alexander Dunbar of Westfield and Farquhar Mackintosh, son of the Clan Chattan Chief, in 1492, and was later styled as Ferquhar McCattin a follower of Mackintosh of Mackintosh. Hector "Tearlach" Maclean was Constable of Urquhart Castle, but after the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, his family sought the protection of Mackintosh and Clan Chattan. Ferquhar had one nautural son by way of a sister of Alexander MacGillemartin. This son was legitmized in 1544 but resigned his statue in favor of his brother, Donald MacLean of Dochgarroch, by a marriage of his father Farguhar Auchanson to the youngest daughter of Lachlan Badenoch Mackintosh.

Donald MacLean of Dochgarroch may have married a daughter of Baillie of Dunain and by her had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Alexander, signed the Clan Chattan Bond as Chieftan of Clan Tearlach on April 4th, 1609. From this point in history to current times the Maclean's of Dochgarroch and the Mackintosh's of Mackintosh and Clan Chattan continued to intermarry thus further cementing the earlier bonds, both by friendship and by blood.

From this family connection also decends the Fraser-Mackintosh of Drummond line wherein John Og MacLean of Dochgarroch, grandson of John MacLean and son of Alexander the Younger of Dochgarroch, had a 5th daughter, Janet, who married, on the 26th of December 1723, William Mackintosh, the son of Duncan, the son of William Mackintosh of Borlum.

John Og' s aunt, Janet, married , May 19th , 1665, Malcolm Mackintosh the son of William

Mackintosh of Holme.

John Og's Grandson William, the son of of his eldest son John, married Mary, daughter of Lachlan Mackintosh of Knock ngael, the brother of Brigadier William Mackintosh of Borlum, and by her had further issue.

See the Wm Mackintosh of Borlum page of this site.

The third son ( Charles born March 1718) of John MacLean of Dochgarroch, and grandson of John Og, was the Burgess of Inverness and married Marjory, the daughter and eventual co-heiress of Angus Mackintosh of Drummond. Their 1st daughter Janet, married Captain Alexander Mackintosh , Master of West Indianman, tacksman of the Mains of Dochgarroch and had further issue. The grandson Charles Frser-Mackintosh ( 1828-1901 ) was a member of Parliment.

The current Chief is, The Very Rev. Allan Murray Maclean of Dochgarroch, Vice President ( since 1999) of the Clan Chattan Association by way of his title as the hereditary Chief of Clan Tearlach , who now lives in Oban.