Clan MacLeod

The Clan MacLeod Project

This project is for users researching the Scottish clan MacLeod, its history, and descendants.

Clan MacLeod

• Current Chief: Hugh Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod
• Gaelic Name: Clann Mhic Leòid
• Crest Badge: A bull's head cabossed sable, horned Or, between two flags gules, staved at the first
• Plant Badge: Juniper
• Motto: Hold fast
• War Cry:
• Lands: Inner Hebrides

A full size image of this this map is available - use the magnifier for an even larger image.

Origin of the Name

The name Leod is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic name Leòd, which is thought to have been derived from the Old Norse name Ljótr, meaning ugly.

Names Associated with Clan Gunn

• Name Variations:
• Septs: Clan MacLeod of Harris: Beaton, Bethune, Beton, Beaton, Grimmond, Harold, MacCaig, MacClure, MacCrimmon, MacGuiag, MacHarold, Macraild, MacWilliam and Norman. Clan MacLeod of Lewis: Callum, Lewis, MacAskill, MacAulay, MacCallum, MacCAskill, MacCorkindale, MacCorquodale, MacLewis, MacNicol, Malcolmson, Nicholl, Nicol, Nicoll, Nicholson, Nicolson, Tolmie.
• Other Names: Bay, Beath, Beathune, Beathy, Beaton, Beatoun, Beattone, Beattoun, Bethon, Bethune, Betoin, Beton, Betone, Betoun, Betown, Betowne, Betton, Bettune, Beutan, Bey, Bittoune, Caig, Caskey, Caskie, Casskie, Kaskie, Leach, Leatch, Lech, Leche, Leech, Leeche, Leetch, Leiche, Leitch, Leitche, Leyche, Liche, Liech, Lietch, Litch, MacAig, MacAige, MacAiskill, MacAsgaill, MacAsgill, MacAsguill, MacAskel, MacAskie, MacAskill, MacAskin, MacAskle, MacCabe, MacCaibe, MacCaig, MacCaige, MacCasgill, MacCasguill, MacCaskall, MacCaskel, MacCaskell, MacCaskie, MacCaskil, MacCaskill, MacCaskin, MacCaskle, MacCaskull, MacChrummen, MacCleod, MacCleoyd, MacCleud, MacCloaud, MacCloid, MacCloide, MacCloor, MacCloud, MacClour, MacCloyd, MacCluir, MacCluire, MacClure, MacCoag, MacCoage, MacCoaig, MacCrimmon, MacCruimein, MacCrumen, MacCuaig, MacCuiag, MacCuthaig, MacGaskell, MacGaskill, MacGlade, MacGrimen, MacGrimmon, MacGuaig, MacHarold, MacHarrold, MacIloure, MacKaig, MacKaige, MacKaigh, MacKaiscal, MacKaiskill, MacKascal, MacKaskil, MacKaskill, MacKaskin, MacKcaige, MacKeag, MacKeeg, MacKegg, MacKeig, MacKigg, MacKleod, MacKluire, MacLeoad, MacLeod, MacLeoid, MacLeot, MacLeud, MacLeur, MacLewd, MacLode, MacLoed, MacLoid, MacLoir, MacLoor, MacLoud, MacLoyde, MacLude, MacLuir, MacLur, MacLure, MacRaild, MacRaill, MacRailt, MacRalte, MacRimmon, Makcloid, Makcluir, Makeeg, Makhaig, Makkloud, Maklure. MacLeod of Assynt: Assynt MacLeod. MacLeod of Gesto: Gesto MacLeod. MacLeod of Lewis & Raasay: Aulay, Auleth, Callam, Callum, Challum, Corquodale, Kerkyll, MacAla, MacAlay, MacAliece, MacAllay, MacAlley, MacAllum, MacAuihlay, MacAula, MacAulay, MacAule, MacAuley, MacAuliffe, MacAulla, MacAullay, MacAully, MacAwla, MacAwlay, MacCala, MacCalla, MacCallay, MacCalley, MacCallie, MacCallome, MacCallow, MacCallum, MacCally, MacCalme, MacCaluim, MacCalume, MacCaula, MacCaulaw, MacCaulay, MacCauley, MacCauly, MacCawley, MacCleod, MacCleoyd, MacCleud, MacCloaud, MacCloid, MacCloide, MacCloud, MacCloyd, MacColem, MacCollom, MacCollum, MacColum, MacCorcadail, MacCorcadale, MacCorcadill, MacCordadill, MacCoren, MacCorkell, MacCorker, MacCorkil, MacCorkill, MacCorkindale, MacCorkle, MacCorley, MacCorqudill, MacCorquell, MacCorquhedell, MacCorquidall, MacCorquidill, MacCorquidle, MacCorquodale, MacCorquodill, MacCorquydill, MacCowley, MacCullom, MacCullum, MacGawley, MacGilcallum, MacGillechallum, MacGillechaluim, MacGillichalloum, MacIllechallum, MacKalla, MacKallay, MacKaula, MacKauley, MacKleod, MacKlowis, MacKorkitill, MacKorkyll, MacKurkull, MacLeoad, MacLeod, MacLeoid, MacLeot, MacLeud, MacLewd, MacLewis, MacLode, MacLoed, MacLoid, MacLoud, MacLoyde, MacLude, MacOrkill, MacOrquidill, MacOrquodale, MacQuorcadaill, MacQuorquhordell, MacQuorquodale, MacQuorquordill, MacThorcadail, MacThorcuill, MacThurkill, MacTorquedil, Makalley, Makallum, Makally, Makcalla, Makcaulay, Makcloid, Makcocadill, Makcorcadell, Makcorquidill, Makcorquydill, Makkalay, Makkloud, Mikcorcadill, Molcallum, Thorcull, Tolmach, Tolme, Tolmi, Tolmie, Torquil.

Clan History and Origins

Traditionally, the MacLeods are descended from Leòd, said to have been a younger son of Oláfr the Black, the Norse King of Man and the Isles, who died 18 June 1237.

Traditionally, Leòd was said to have been a younger son of Oláfr the Black, the Norse King of Man and the Isles, who died 18 June 1237.

However, this genealogy has been challenged by modern experts. Leòd is likely to have been a descendant in the female line from the family of Godred Crovan, but not a son of Olaf the Black. There is also disagreement among experts about his paternal line. For example, Matheson believes the family is descended Páll Bálkason, while Sellars believes their ancestor was Guillemuire / Olvir. See the Clan MacLeod project for details.

By tradition, Leòd inherited Lewis and Harris along with parts of Skye on his father's death in 1237. His lands included Sleat, Trotternish, Waternish, Snizort in Skye, Harris and North Uist, and later Glenieg. Through marriage to the heir of Norse seneschal of Skye, he acquired Dunvegan Castle, which remains in the family to this day.

This Leòd is said to have had two sons: Tormod, progenitor of the MacLeods of Harris, hence called the Siol Tormod, or race of Tormod; and Torquil, of those of Lewis, called the Siol Torquil, or race of Torquil.

What You Can Do Here

• Ask questions
• Collaborate on your research
• Share knowledge you have gained as you've done your own research in a specific area
• Problem finding an ancestors , open a discussion here and we all try to help
• Start your own related project
• Add your profiles
• Add information to this project
• Start or take part in a discussion

If you have any questions or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact the project manager, Justin Swanström

External Links

• Associated Clan MacLeod Societies
• Electric Scotland: MacLeod
• Scottish Register of Tartans
• Wikipedia: Clan MacLeod
• Wikipedia: Leod

Genealogy Links

• Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Baronage of Scotland (1798).
• Alexander Mackenzie, "The History of the Mcleods" in The Celtic Magazine, No. CXXI. Nov. 1885. Vol. XI.
• Andrew P. MacLeod, "The Ancestry of Leod" in Clan MacLeod Magazine, No. 91, November, 2000
• William Matheson, "The Ancestry of the MacLeods" in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Vol. LI (1978-80), 1981, pp. 68-80
• W. D. H. Sellar "Ancestry of the MacLeods Reconsidered" in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness,Vol. LV, 1997-1998, The Gaelic Society of Inverness, 2000, pp. 233-258
• YouTube: Scottish Clans: The story behind Clan MacLeod