Somerled, a Celtic chief, acquired the Western Isles in the mid-1100s and assumed the title “King of the Isles”. His son Reginald was the first whose title "Lord of the Isles" is attested in a contemporary document. Although Angus the fourth Lord was the first to acknowledge the subjection of the Isles to the kings of Scotland, no Scottish peerage over the region was created until 1476[1354]. The title "Lord of the Isles" was later one which was vested in the first-born son of the king of Scotland. *http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#Reginaldson...

Brother [and sister], parents not known:

• 1. SOMERLED (-killed in battle 1164). Balfour Paul says that the first reference to Somerled records him as living in the district of Morven with his father Gillebride, but he does not cite the precise source[1019]. Lord of Argyll. He acquired control of the Western Isles and assumed the title "King of the Isles". The Chronicle of Melrose records that Somerled Lord of Argyll landed at Renfrew in 1164, after 12 years of rebellion against Malcolm IV King of Scotland, with a large army from Ireland but was defeated and killed with his son[1020]. The Extracta ex Cronicis Scocie records that "Sumerlendus regulus Ergadie" rebelled against King Malcolm for 12 years, landed at Renfrew from Ireland, and was killed "et filium suum Gillecolanem", among passages dealing with events in 1164[1021]. The Annals of Ulster record that "Somharlidh Mac Gilla-Adhamhnain and his son were killed" in 1164[1022]. The Book of Clanranald records that that no battle was fought and that Somerled was killed in his tent, after which his followers dispersed[1023]. m --- of Man, illegitimate daughter of OLAV King of Man & his mistress ---. The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum records that “Olavus filius Godredi Crovan” had many concubines by whom he fathered “filios tres…Reignaldum, Lagmannum et Haraldum et filias multas”, adding that one daughter married “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel”[1024]. Balfour Paul names her "Ragnhildis" but he does not cite the corresponding primary source[1025]. Somerled & his wife had five children:

• a) DUGALD (-after 1175). The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum names “Dulgallum, Reginaldum, Engus et Olavum” as the four sons of “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel” and his wife the daughter of Olav King of Man[1026]. SEE BELOW
  
• b) REGINALD . The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum names “Dulgallum, Reginaldum, Engus et Olavum” as the four sons of “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel” and his wife the daughter of Olav King of Man[1027]. The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum records that Engus, son of Somerled, defeated his brother Reginald in 1192[1028]. SEE BELOW
  
• c) ANGUS (-killed 1210). The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum names “Dulgallum, Reginaldum, Engus et Olavum” as the four sons of “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel” and his wife the daughter of Olav King of Man[1029]. The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum records that Engus, son of Somerled, defeated his brother Reginald in 1192, adding in a later passage that Engus was killed in 1210[1030]. Balfour Paul states that Angus inherited "Bute, with a part of Arran, and the Rough Bounds (Garmoran) extending from Ardnamurchan to Gleneig"[1031]. m ---. The name of Angus’s wife is not known. Angus & his wife had one child:
  

• i) JAMES . Balfour Paul names James as son of Angus, but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1032]. Lord of Bute and Arran. m ---. The name of James’s wife is not known. James & his wife had [one child]:
  

• (a) JEAN . Balfour Paul names Jean as daughter of James Lord of Bute and Arran, and records her marriage to Alexander Stewart, but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1033]. Andrew McEwen suggests that there is no evidence to indicate that the wife of Alexander Stewart was the daughter of James Lord of Bute[1034]. Heiress of the isles of Bute and Arran. m ALEXANDER Stewart High Steward of Scotland, son of WALTER FitzAlan High Steward of Scotland & his wife Beatrice of Angus (-1283).]
  

• d) OLAV . The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum names “Dulgallum, Reginaldum, Engus et Olavum” as the four sons of “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel” and his wife the daughter of Olav King of Man[1035].
  
• e) GILLECOLAN (-killed in battle 1164). The Chronicle of Melrose records that he was killed in battle with his father[1036]. The Extracta ex Cronicis Scocie records that "Sumerlendus regulus Ergadie" rebelled against King Malcolm for 12 years, landed at Renfrew from Ireland, and was killed "et filium suum Gillecolanem", among passages dealing with events in 1164[1037].
  
• f) GALL Macsgillin . Balfour Paul names "Olave and Gall Macsgillin" as two other possible sons of Somerled, but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1038]. Olav is named in the Chronicon Manniæ (see above) but not Gall.]
  
• g) BEATRICE . Balfour Paul names "Beatrice prioress of Iona" as the daughter of Somerled, but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1039]. Olav is named in the Chronicon Manniæ (see above) but not Gall.]
  

• 2. -- . Her parentage and marriage are confirmed by John of Fordun’s Scotichronicon (Continuator) records that "Summerledus regulus Ergadiæ et sui nepotes, filii…Malcolmi Macheth" rebelled against King Malcolm IV in the first year of his reign[1040]. This assumes that the term "nepos" should be interpreted as "nephews" in that source. Her marriage date is estimated assuming that it is correct that her husband was imprisoned from 1134, before which his two children must have been born. There would be no such restriction on the date if Malcolm son of King Alexander I and Malcolm MacHeth were two different persons as suggested by Duncan[1041]. m ([1130]%29 MALCOLM MacEth … ([1105/15]-23 Oct 1168). He was created Earl of Ross in 1162 or before.] NOW BELIEVED SHE MARRIED MALCOLM MAC ALEXANDER. See Malcolm MacEth vs Malcolm MacAlexander Project [Sharon Oct 2020]
• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#_ftnref1019

  ---

DUGALD, son of SOMERLED Lord of Argyll & his wife --- of Man (-after 1175). The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum names “Dulgallum, Reginaldum, Engus et Olavum” as the four sons of “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel” and his wife the daughter of Olav King of Man[1042]. The Obituario of Durham records that "Dusgal filius Sumerledi et Stephanus capellanus suus et Adam de Stanford" donated two gold rings to St Cuthbert in 1175[1043]. The Liber Vitæ of Durham names "Dunegal filius Sumerledi, et filii sui, Olaf et Dunechal et Raynald et Adam de Stanford. Stephanus Capellanus"[1044]. m ---. The name of Dugald’s wife is not known. Dugald & his wife had four children:

• 1. OLAF . The Liber Vitæ of Durham names "Dunegal filius Sumerledi, et filii sui, Olaf et Dunechal et Raynald et Adam de Stanford. Stephanus Capellanus"[1045].
  
• 2. DUGALD "Screech" . The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son records that "the kings of the Hebrides were Dugald Screech and his brother Duncan, the father of John who was king afterwards…the sons of Dungal, Somerled’s son"[1046]. Malcolm IV King of Scotland with "Uhtred filio Fergi et Gilebto fratris eius et Rad filio Dunegal et Duuenaldo fratris eius" confirmed the donation of "terra de Dunroden" to Holyrood abbey by undated charter[1047].
  
• 3. DUNCAN (-[1237/48]). The Liber Vitæ of Durham names "Dunegal filius Sumerledi, et filii sui, Olaf et Dunechal et Raynald et Adam de Stanford. Stephanus Capellanus"[1048]. The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son records that "the kings of the Hebrides were Dugald Screech and his brother Duncan, the father of John who was king afterwards…the sons of Dungal, Somerled’s son"[1049]. m ---. The name of Duncan’s wife is not known. Duncan & his wife had three children [says Cawley, but then only includes one]:
  

• a) EWEN of Argyll (-after 4 Apr [1268]). The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son records that "the kings of the Hebrides were Dugald Screech and his brother Duncan, the father of John who was king afterwards…the sons of Dungal, Somerled’s son"[1050]. The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son records that "John, Duncan’s son, and Dugald, Ruadri’s son" met Alexander II King of Scotland in 1248 and "endeavoured…that the king should give them the title of king over the northern part of the Hebrides"[1051]. "…Domino Ewgenio de Argadia, Domino M. avunculo nostro…" subscribed the charter dated 4 Apr "1218" (suggested redating to 1268 by the editor of the cartulary) under which "Malisius comes de Stratheryn" donated property at Abircarnich to Inchaffray[1052]. m ---. The name of Ewen’s wife is not known. Ewen & his wife had three children :
  

• i) MARY (-[28 Sep 1300/10 Oct 1303], bur London, Grey Friars Church). The Extracta ex Cronicis Scocie records the death of "Rex Mannie" and the marriage of "eius relictam, filiam comitis Ergadie Eugenii" to "Malisius comes de Stratherne", among passages dealing with events in 1268[1053]. The Liber Pluscardensis records the marriage of "regulus Manniæ…viduam…filiam domini de Arcadia" and "comes de Strathern Malisius"[1054]. "Maria Regina de Man quondam uxor domini Willelmi filii Warini" is named in the Wardrobe Accounts in Dec 1299[1055]. The deaths of “dñs Willm Fizwarryn Baro et Isabella ux sua quoda Regina Man” are recorded in Grey Friars Church, London[1056]. m firstly MAGNUS King of Man, son of OLAV King of Man & his third wife Christina of Ross (-24 Nov 1265, bur Rushen St Mary). m secondly ([1268]%29 as his fourth wife, MALISE Earl of Strathearn, son of ROBERT Earl of Strathearn & his wife --- (-[in France] [before 23 Nov] 1271, bur Dunblane). m thirdly (post nuptial dispensation 5 Apr 1281) HUGH Abernethy of that Ilk, son of --- (-[28 Jun 1291/10 Feb 1292]). m fourthly (before 10 Apr 1299) as his second wife, WILLIAM FitzWarin, son of --- (-before 1 Dec 1299, bur London, Grey Friars Church). His relationship, if any, to the FitzWarin family who is shown in UNTITLED ENGLISH NOBILITY has not yet been established. The deaths of “dñs Willm Fizwarryn Baro et Isabella ux sua quoda Regina Man” are recorded in Grey Friars Church, London[1057].
  
• ii) ALEXANDER Macdougall ). m --- Comyn, daughter of JOHN Comyn Lord of Badenoch & his first wife Eva ---. Andrew Wyntoun’s Cronykil records that "the Red Cwmyn" had four daughters, of whom the third married "Alysawndyr off Argayle" by whom she had "Jhon off Lorne…Ewyn off Lorne"[1058]. Alexander & his wife had two children:
  

• (a) JOHN . Andrew Wyntoun’s Cronykil records that "the Red Cwmyn" had four daughters, of whom the third married "Alysawndyr off Argayle" by whom she had "Jhon off Lorne…Ewyn off Lorne"[1059].
  
• (b) EWEN . Andrew Wyntoun’s Cronykil records that "the Red Cwmyn" had four daughters, of whom the third married "Alysawndyr off Argayle" by whom she had "Jhon off Lorne…Ewyn off Lorne"[1060].
  

• iii) JULIANA .
  

• 4. RAYNALD . The Liber Vitæ of Durham names "Dunegal filius Sumerledi, et filii sui, Olaf et Dunechal et Raynald et Adam de Stanford. Stephanus Capellanus"[1061]. Malcolm IV King of Scotland with "Uhtred filio Fergi et Gilebto fratris eius et Rad filio Dunegal et Duuenaldo fratris eius" confirmed the donation of "terra de Dunroden" to Holyrood abbey by undated charter[1062].
  

Dugald had one [illegitimate] son by an unknown mistress:

• 5. USPAK HAAKON . The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son names "Uspak…who had long been with the Birchlegs" adding that "it came out that he was a son of Dungal", which from the context indicates "Dungal, Somerled’s son" who is named in the previous passage[1063]. The rather convoluted phrasing suggests that Uspak was illegitimate. m ---. The name of Uspak’s wife is not known.] Uspak & his wife had [one child]:
  

• a) RUDRI .
  

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#DugaldsonSo...

____________

REGINALD, son of SOMERLED Lord of Argyll & his wife --- of Man (-after 1192). The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum names “Dulgallum, Reginaldum, Engus et Olavum” as the four sons of “Sumerledo regulo Herergaildel” and his wife the daughter of Olav King of Man[1355]. Balfour Paul states that Reginald inherited "Kintyre and Isla" but drove his brother Angus out of Bute and Arran, but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1356]. Lord of the Isles. "Reginaldus filius Sumerled dominus de Inchegal…et uxor mea Fonie" donated cows and other revenue to Paisley monastery by undated charter[1357]. Balfour Paul dates this charter to [1180], although he does not state the basis for this speculation[1358]. The Chronicon Manniæ et Insularum records that Engus, son of Somerled, defeated his brother Reginald in 1192[1359]. The Book of Clanranald records the death of Reginald in 1207[1360]. m FONIE, daughter of ---. "Reginaldus filius Sumerled dominus de Inchegal…et uxor mea Fonie" donated cows and other revenue to Paisley monastery by undated charter[1361]. Reginald & his wife had [three] children:

• 1. DONALD (-Island of Kerrara 1249, bur Iona). He succeeded his father as Lord of the Isles. "Douenaldus filius Reginaldi filii Sumerled…et uxor mea" confirmed his father’s donation of cows and other revenue to Paisley monastery by undated charter[1362]. The Annals of Ulster record that "the sons of Raghnall, son of Somurlech” fought "the men of Sciadh" [Skye] in 1209 "wherein slaughter was inflicted on them"[1363]. The Chronicle of John of Fordun records that King Alexander II led an army into Argyll, dated to 1221 from the context, and subdued the land[1364]. Balfour Paul states that Donald died "in the island of Kerrara in 1349" and was buried "in Iona", but he does not cite the corresponding primary source[1365]. m --- Stewart, daughter of WALTER FitzAlan Stewart High Steward of Scotland & his wife ---. Balfour Paul states that Donald married "a daughter of Walter High Steward of Scotland", but he does not cite the corresponding primary source[1366]. Donald & his wife had [three] children:
  

• a) ANGUS Macdonald (-[1296]). He succeeded his father as Lord of the Isles. A charter dated 1292 records safe conduct granted to "Anegus filius Dovenaldi et Alexander filius eius"[1367]. "Angus filius Douenaldi" donated revenue to Paisley monastery by undated charter, witnessed by "Alexandro fratre meo…"[1368]. Balfour Paul says that the Lord of the Isles became the vassal of the Scottish king under the terms of the treaty with Magnus IV King of Norway in 1266[1369]. m --- Campbell, daughter of COLIN Campbell of Lochow & his wife ---. Balfour Paul says that Angus married "a daughter of Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow" but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1370]. Angus & his wife had three children:
  

• i) ALEXANDER Macdonald (-after 1308). A charter dated 1292 records safe conduct granted to "Anegus filius Dovenaldi et Alexander filius eius"[1371]. He succeeded his father as Lord of the Isles. He opposed Robert Bruce and was appointed Admiral of the Western Isles under the English crown[1372]. A charter dated [Jun 1297] records the crimes committed by "Alexandrum de Ergadia" against the English, signed by "Julianæ sponsæ nostræ"[1373]. m JULIANA, daughter of --- (-after [Jun 1297]). A charter dated [Jun 1297] records the crimes committed by "Alexandrum de Ergadia" against the English, signed by "Julianæ sponsæ nostræ"[1374]. Balfour Paul says that Alexander married "Juliana of Lorn, and by her had six sons John Dubh, Reginald, Somerled, Angus, Godfrey and Charles", adding that "these sons found their way to Ireland where they left numerous descendants", but does not cite the corresponding primary sources[1375].
  
• ii) ANGUS Macdonald (-Finlaggan Castle, Isla 1330). He succeeded his brother as Lord of the Isles. He fought for Robert Bruce at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. m AGNES, daughter of GUY of Cathan of Ulster & his wife ---. Angus & his wife had [three] children:
  

• 1. JOHN Macdonald (-1387). He succeeded his father as Lord of the Isles. David II King of Scotland granted "Yle insulam de Geday insulam de Jura insulam de Colinsay" to "Johannem de Yle consanguineum nostrum" by charter dated 1344[1390]. Robert II King of Scotland granted "insulam de Colowsay" to "Johanni del Yle…et…filis nostre Margarete sponse sue" by charter dated Jul 1376[1391]. m firstly (Papal dispensation 4 Jun 1337, divorced) EUPHEME, daughter of RODERICK MacRuare of Garmoran & his wife ---. m secondly Lady MARGARET Stewart, daughter of ROBERT II King of Scotland & his first wife Elizabeth Mure (-after 8 Jan 1401). Robert II King of Scotland granted "insulam de Colowsay" to "Johanni del Yle…et…filis nostre Margarete sponse sue" by charter dated Jul 1376[1392].
  

Lord John & his first wife had one child:

• a) JOHN Macdonald of the Isles (-before 30 Mar 1373). m as her first husband, ELLEN Campbell, daughter of ARCHIBALD [Gillespie Campbell] & his [second] wife [Isabel Lamont] (-after 1434). She married secondly Duncan Earl of Lennox.
  

Lord John & his second wife had eight children:

• b) DONALD Macdonald (-Ardtornish, Morven [1423][1393]). He succeeded his father in 1387 as Lord of the Isles. He claimed the Earldom of Ross, de iure uxoris, and fought the battle of Harlaw in 1411 to enforce his rights. m MARY Leslie Ctss of Ross, daughter of WALTER Leslie & his wife Eupheme Ctss of Ross (-[1435]). Donald & his wife had one child:
  

• i) ALEXANDER Macdonald (-May 1449). He succeeded his father as Lord of the Isles, and his mother as Earl of Ross.
  

• c) JOHN "Ian Mor Tanisteir" (-1427). m MARJORIE Bisset, daughter of HUGH Bisset & his wife ---.
  
• d) ALEXANDER "Alastair Carrach" . m ---.
  
• e) ANGUS .
  
• f) HUGH . Thane of Glentilt. m ---.
  
• g) MARCUS .
  
• h) MARY . m LACHLEAN Maclean of Duart.
  
• i) ELIZABETH . m (contract 8 Jan 1401) ANGUS Duff Mackay of Strathnaver, son of ---.
  

• 2. ALEXANDER Macdonald .
  
• 3. MARY Macdonald. m (Papal dispensation 25 May 1342) WILLIAM Earl of Ross, son of HUGH Earl of Ross & his first wife Matilda Bruce (-Delny 9 Feb 1372).
  

• iii) JOHN Macdonald . Balfour Paul names "John known as Iain Sprangach" as the third son of Angus and his wife, adding that he was the ancestor of "the Macdonalds of Ardmamurchan", but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1376].
  

• b) ALEXANDER Macdonald . "Angus filius Douenaldi" donated revenue to Paisley monastery by undated charter, witnessed by "Alexandro fratre meo…"[1377. Balfour Paul says that Alexander was known as "Alastair Mor" and was ancestor of "the Alexanders of Menstrie, Earls of Sterling, and the Alexanders, Earls of Caledon, the MacAlisters of Loup, with their cadet families of Strathaird, Glenbarr and Torrisdal", but he does not cite the corresponding primary sources[1378].
  
• c) MURCHAID Macdonald .
  

2. RUAIRI . Balfour Paul states that "Roderick" inherited "North Kintyre, Bute and the lands of Garmoran, extending from Ardnamurchan to Gleneig", previously the possessions of his paternal uncle Angus, but does not cite the corresponding primary source[1379]. The Annals of Ulster record that "the sons of Raghnall, son of Somurlech” fought "the men of Sciadh" [Skye] in 1209 "wherein slaughter was inflicted on them"[1380]. m ---. The name of Ruairi’s wife is not known. Ruairi & his wife had two children:

• a) DUGALD (-1268). The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son records that "John, Duncan’s son, and Dugald, Ruadri’s son" met Alexander II King of Scotland in 1248 and "endeavoured…that the king should give them the title of king over the northern part of the Hebrides"[1381]. The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son names "king Dugald, Alan Dugald’s brother, Angus and Murchaid" among those who met Haakon IV King of Norway when he invaded in 1263, adding in a later passage that the king gave "to [Dugald] the dominion that king John had had"[1382]. The Icelandic Annals record the death in 1268 of "Dubgallus rex Hebudum"[1383]. m ---. The name of Dugald’s wife is not known. Dugald & his wife had one child:
  

• i) ERIK .
  

• b) ALAN (-after 1263). The Saga of Eirspennill’s Hakon Hakon’s son names "king Dugald, Alan Dugald’s brother, Angus and Murchaid" among those who met Haakon IV King of Norway when he invaded in 1263[1384]. m ---. The name of Alan’s wife is not known. Alan & his wife had three children:
  

• i) CHRISTIANA . Robert I King of Scotland confirmed land "de Knodworache" to "Roderico filio Alani" by charter dated to [1320], which names "Cristina de Mar filia quondam Alani filii Roderici"[1385]. m DUNCAN of Mar son of ---.
  
• ii) RUAIRI . Robert I King of Scotland confirmed land "de Knodworache" to "Roderico filio Alani" by charter dated to [1320], which names "Cristina de Mar filia quondam Alani filii Roderici"[1386].
  
• iii) LACHLAN .
  

• 3. [[NN (Helen?) ---] (-before 1209). Balfour Paul says that Alan Lord of Galloway married first "a lady unknown, said to be a daughter of Reginald Lord of the Isles by whom he had two daughters"[1387]. He cites Chalmers’s Caledonia, but that says only that “the name of the first [wife] is unknown” without providing any indication of her family origin[1388]. Balfour Paul repeats his suggestion under the Lords of the Isles where he notes a daughter of Reginald Lord of the Isles "said to have married Alan of Galloway", without citing any source[1389]. There is no indication of the basis for Balfour Paul’s statements and no primary source which confirms this person’s parentage and marriage has been identified. Her existence should presumably be treated with caution until some such source emerges. If she did marry Alan, she was not the mother of his daughter Ellen. She was either married before his marriage to “--- de Lacy” or before he married Margaret of Huntingdon: she is shown here, for presentational purposes only, as Alan’s possible second wife. m as his [second] wife, ALAN Lord of Galloway, son of ROLAND Lord of Galloway & his wife Helen de Moreville (-[2] Feb 1234, bur Dundraynan).]
  

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#Reginaldson...

DNA Research

The Descendants Of Somerled: DNA Evidence
The genealogy of the present Clan Chiefs is well known. It is presented in Peerage books such as the current Burke's [Burke's 2001]. Sellar [Sellar 2000] discusses the details of the first few generations. The genealogy of large numbers of lesser lines is presented in the 1904 book on the Clan Donald by the Revs. A. and A. MacDonald [MacDonald 1904]. In addition we have received well to fairly well documented lines all the way to Somerled from several of our participants, one being Allan Douglas MacDonald, Chieftain of Vallay. These are presented in the following descendant chart. Names of near ancestors of living participants who are not clan Chiefs have been removed for privacy reasons, but we have them in our records. The three Chiefs are Sir Iain, &CXYIE, Aeneas Ranald &5XOBA, and Ranald Alexander &ED4CL. The two Chieftains are Allan Douglas &BATPB of Vallay and David Foster &5SFKF of Castle Camus.

Recent SNP results from BigY tests have superceded STR profiles, which are much less reliable, for deternining Clan branches. Those who have tested by BigY can be seen on our BigY DNA page. Castle Camus is probably the only group that can be distinguished with STR haplotypes.

The key person in our discussion is John, Lord of the Isles, who died in 1386 ( John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles.) He is often known as "Good John". He was progenitor of most but not all of those Somerled descendants we have in our study. The calculated haplotype of Good John is the same as participant &PGTBN to 37 markers. We have descendants of four of John's sons. Fourteen of these have excellent paper trail pedigrees and four more a near-perfect one, verified by SNP DNA tests. From these men's pedigrees and haplotypes we can measure a mutation rate of 0.0043±.0009 (one standard deviation) per marker per birth. The value calculated by the Webmaster from all available data, both academic papers and surname studies, is 0.0031, only slightly more than one standard deviation off from our Clan Donald value. This is well within the expected range. Two other statistical tests are possible to perform on our data. One test compares the number of mutations observed for each marker in our study to the known mutation rates; these should be compatible, and are. The number of mutations in each of our lines is actually expected to be different: it should follow a Poisson distribution, and it does, to a remarkable degree of accuracy. Similar calculations have been done using the SNPs measured in our BigY tests, and these agree very well in the ages of the branch points.

Two of these lines, those of Ardnamurchan and Dunnyveg, are of lower quality than the others. They depend on somewhat dubious links across the ocean.

[Our] analysis confirms that the main R1a Clan Donald line is indeed the line of Somerled's grandson "Donald the eponymous". The marker DYS458 appears, based on this limited data, to distinguish MacDonald from MacAllister. One R1a participant from Glencoe (whose line branches off from a brother of Lord John) also shares 15 at DYS458. We now beleive that we have sufficient data to show that the ancestral state was 15 at DYS458 and that the actual mutation occured with the birth of Lord John himself, or his father. While this is not absolute proof, we consider it reliable at the 98% or better level. DYS458 is a fairly fast marker, and we do see what are likely back and parallel mutations. The number we see is quite accurately in accord with the known mutation rate. The pattern of 11 at DYS442 and 12 at DYS438 is indicative of the name Alexander, though we do not know at all if this is a universal diagnostic. BigY results show another mutation, known as CLD56, that arose in Lord John himself. This ia not a SNP but a rather gigantic delete (thousands of bases) that occurred in a region containing large numbers of a 125 base pair repeat unit. So far CLD56 been testable only by BigY or other full sequence tests.

Proof of the line of Somerled himself has now become quite secure. The best evidence that he was the paternal grandfather of Donald comes from the BigY results of the MacEacharn/MacEachron lines and MacDougalls. MacEacharns have oral tradition of being descendants of Somerled near anceators, and interestingly these tales agree with the DNA results in their order of branching off. We now have obtained BigY results from several R1a persons born with the surname MacDougall. These men, one shown above, as well as on our BigY DNA page, match the McAlister pattern of STRs rather than that of Lord John, and have a unique SNP, YP5543. This is now excellent evidence that there really are living male line descendants of Dugall, another son of Somerled said to be a progenitor of the name MacDougall. But absolute proof of the line through Somerled to Donald still remains just beyond reach, as we consider that it requires a full paper trail back to Somerled's day, in addition to the DNA evidence.

By looking up the number of men in the USA, the UK, and Australia and estimating the number in Canada, whose surname is McDonald, MacDonald, or McDaniel (strangely, MacDaniel is exceedingly rare everywhere) and multiplying by the percentage in our project who are descendants of Somerled (19%) we estimate that Somerled has over 43,000 pure male line descendants worldwide.

• https://clandonaldusa.org/index.php/dna-after-somerled
• https://clandonaldusa.org/index.php/dna-before-somerled
• https://clandonaldusa.org/index.php/dna-other-ancestry
• https://electricscotland.com/history/articles/geneticstructureofahi...
• https://www.scotsman.com/news/dna-shows-celtic-hero-somerleds-vikin...

Somerled R1a1 (Y-DNA)

Map of the divided Kingdom of the Isles, about 1200 -Somerled's descendants in yellow.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Kingdom_of_the_...

In 2003 Oxford University researchers traced the Y-chromosome signature of Somerled of Argyll, one of Scotland's greatest warriors, who is credited with driving out the Vikings. He was also paternal grandfather of the founder of Clan Donald. Through clan genealogies, the genetic relation was mapped out. Somerled belongs to haplogroup R1a1. In 2005 a study by Professor of Human Genetics Bryan Sykes of Oxford University led to the conclusion that Somerled has possibly 500,000 living descendants.[ Sykes deduced that despite Somerled's reputation for having driven out the Vikings from Scotland, Somerled's own Y-DNA closely matched that of the Vikings he fought. [ DNA shows Celtic hero Somerled's Viking roots ; The Norse Code ]

Resources

• Medlands
• Clan Donald Book, Rev Macdonald
• Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage