Clayhills Genealogy and Clayhills Family History Information

CLAYHILLS, a surname belonging to an old family in Forfarshire,Scotland, possessing the lands of Invergowrie, which were acquired by their ancestor David Clayhills, son of Robert Clayhills of Baldovie, near Dundee, on the 22d May 1664. In 1586 Andrew Clayhills was admitted by the General Assembly minister of Jedburgh, and his name appears in Calderwood’s History of the Church of Scotland, to this and following years, as taking an active part in church matters.

Thomas Clayhills emigrated from Dundee Scotland to Riga in 1626.

The name “Clayhills” derives from a company name “Thomas Clayhills & Son”. The company is believed to be the oldest trading company in Estonia and one of the oldest in Europe. Thomas Clayhills & Son was established around 1633 by a Tallinn (Reval) merchant, Thomas von Drenteln. After his death the company was through marriage left to the Clayhills family, which originated from Dundee, Scotland and found their way to Tallinn in the 17th century. The name of the company was changed to "Thomas Clayhills & Son" and in 1729 Johann Clayhills bought the house on Pikk 13 and opened one of the first merchant stores (kaubamaja) in Tallinn. Thomas Clayhills & Son traded from 1633 up to 1940/41, when the company became nationalized during the Soviet period.