Glengyle Research Group

First Gregor and the chiefs of Clan Gregor

The chiefly line of Clan Gregor itself - the parent line above the Glengyle / Clan Dougal Ciar branch traced in the chieftaincy entry - runs from the eponym Gregor (~1275 - ~1350) down to Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor, the current chief. Twenty-four generations, and the route is far from a clean father-to-son chain: the senior line fails repeatedly across the medieval, proscription and revival periods, and the chiefship moves laterally through cadet houses each time.1

digraph G {
  rankdir=TB;
  ranksep=0.4; nodesep=0.5;
  // Preserve declaration order so siblings appear left-to-right as
  // declared. Edges below are declared eldest-first / youngest-last,
  // so the eldest son sits on the left at every fork (the standard
  // genealogical convention) and younger / cadet branches sit on the
  // right.
  ordering=out;

  node [shape=box, style="rounded,filled",
        fontname="Helvetica", fontsize=11,
        color="#888", fillcolor="#cfe6f5"];

  Alasdair  [label="Alasdair\n~1375, d. bef. 1402\n(second son of III)"];
  Eoghan    [label="Eoghan\n~1400, d. bef. 1488"];
  EoinDubh  [label="Eoin dubh nan Lurach\n~1569 - Feb 1603\n(brother of XI)"];
  EwinTutor [label="Eoghan / Ewin the tutor\n~1540 - bef. 1601\n(brother of IX, X)"];
  DuncanMcE [label="Duncan McEwin\n~1572 - 1649"];
  MalStuk   [label="Malcolm of Stukinroy\n~1620"];
  EoghKilm  [label="Eoghan / Ewin\n1st of Kilmanan\n~1621"];

  // Balhaldies cadet line: a long descent from founder Gregor's younger
  // son via the Malloch / Lurg / Comrie cadets down to chief XVII.
  GregYg   [label="Gregor\n~1316\n(younger son of I)"];
  JohnYg   [label="John\n~1350"];
  JohnLurg [label="John Gregorson of Lurg\n~1380"];
  EwenMall [label="Ewen Malloch\n~1410"];
  EoinMall [label="Eoin malloch\n~1446 (witness 1495)"];
  DonnBreac [label="Donnchadh breac\n~1470 (Comrie)"];
  GrigBalh  [label="Griogair\n~1510"];
  DonnBalh  [label="Donnchadh\n~1540 - 1617"];
  PatBalh   [label="Patrick Drummond\nalias McInvallich\n~1595 - 1646\n(charter of Balhaldies 1642)"];
  DunBalh   [label="Duncan Drummond of Balhaldies\n~1624 - 1685"];

  // Glencarnaig / Lanrick cadet line: from chief IV Malcolm through
  // the Donnchadh Ladasach / Donnchadh Abrach branch down to the
  // post-proscription chiefs. The link from John (heir of Padraig
  // Abrach) to Iain og beag is the one segment Glen Discovery flags
  // as not fully evidenced and is drawn dashed below.
  PatMalc   [label="Patrick Malcolmson\nd. 1518\n(younger son of IV)"];
  GrigPat   [label="Gregor Patrickson\nd. 1547"];
  DonnLada  [label="Donnchadh Ladasach\n~1485 - exec. 1552"];
  DonnAbr   [label="Donnchadh Abrach\n~1545 - 1604"];
  PadAbr    [label="Padraig dubh Abrach\n~1570 - alive 1629"];
  JohnAbr   [label="John\n(son of Padraig Abrach)"];
  IainOg    [label="Iain og beag\n~1668 - 1744"];
  EvanMur   [label="Evan Murray\n~1717 - 1778"];

  // Heads of the principal pre-1604 cadet houses, shown as side branches
  // off the chiefly chain at the point where each house diverges.
  node [style="rounded,filled,dashed", fillcolor="#efe7d6"];
  Roro     [label="Donnchadh mor\n~1360\n→ Roro branch"];
  McAnec   [label="Gregor McAnecham\n~1341 - 1415\n→ McAnecham / Brackley"];
  DubhCiar [label="Dubhgall Ciar\n~1458 (or ~1430)\n→ Clann Dubhgall Cheire (Glengyle)"];
  node [style="rounded,filled", fillcolor="#cfe6f5"];

  // Chiefs use HTML labels with a colored badge cell on the left
  // carrying the Roman numeral. margin=0 lets the inner table sit
  // flush against the rounded box.
  node [margin="0,0"];

  Ch1  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>I</b></font></td><td align="left">Gregor (founder, eponym)<br align="left"/>~1275 - ~1350</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch2  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>II</b></font></td><td align="left">Iain Cam (John Cam)<br align="left"/>~1315 - 1390</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch3  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>III</b></font></td><td align="left">Iain dubh MacAnecham<br align="left"/>~1350 - 1415</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch4  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>IV</b></font></td><td align="left">Malcolm<br align="left"/>~1378 - 1440</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch5  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>V</b></font></td><td align="left">Patrick of Glenstrae<br align="left"/>~1410 - 1461</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch6  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>VI</b></font></td><td align="left">Iain dubh of Glenstrae<br align="left"/>~1445 - 1519<br align="left"/>(no surviving male heir)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch7  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>VII</b></font></td><td align="left">John MacEwin<br align="left"/>~1445 - 1528</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch8  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>VIII</b></font></td><td align="left">Alasdair of Glenstrae<br align="left"/>~1515 - 1547</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch9  [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>IX</b></font></td><td align="left">Iain ruadh<br align="left"/>~1540 - 1554<br align="left"/>(died young)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch10 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>X</b></font></td><td align="left">Griogair ruadh<br align="left"/>~1541 - 1570</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch11 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XI</b></font></td><td align="left">Alasdair ruadh of Glenstrae<br align="left"/>~1567 - executed 1604</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch12 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XII</b></font></td><td align="left">Gregor (of Glenstray)<br align="left"/>~1599 - ~1639</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch13 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XIII</b></font></td><td align="left">Padraig ruadh (Patrick Roy)<br align="left"/>~1600 - 1648<br align="left"/>(brother of XII)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch14 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XIV</b></font></td><td align="left">James MacGregor of that ilk<br align="left"/>1647 - 1679</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch15 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XV</b></font></td><td align="left">Gregor of Stukinroy<br align="left"/>~1660 - 1693</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch16 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XVI</b></font></td><td align="left">Archibald of Kilmanan<br align="left"/>~1659 - 1726<br align="left"/>(cousin of XV)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch17 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XVII</b></font></td><td align="left">Alexander Drummond of Balhaldies<br align="left"/>~1663 - 1749<br align="left"/>(elected 1714)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch18 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XVIII</b></font></td><td align="left">Sir John Murray-MacGregor of Lanrick<br align="left"/>1745 - 1822<br align="left"/>(1st Bt. 1795; elected 1787)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch19 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XIX</b></font></td><td align="left">Sir Evan John Murray MacGregor<br align="left"/>1785 - 1841 (2nd Bt.)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch20 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XX</b></font></td><td align="left">Sir John Athol Bannatyne MacGregor<br align="left"/>1810 - 1851 (3rd Bt.)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch21 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XXI</b></font></td><td align="left">Rear Admiral Sir Malcolm MacGregor<br align="left"/>1834 - 1879 (4th Bt.)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch22 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XXII</b></font></td><td align="left">Captain Sir Malcolm MacGregor, RN<br align="left"/>1873 - 1958 (5th Bt.)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch23 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XXIII</b></font></td><td align="left">Brigadier Sir Gregor MacGregor<br align="left"/>1925 - 2003 (6th Bt.)</td></tr></table>>];
  Ch24 [label=<<table border="0" cellborder="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6"><tr><td bgcolor="#8a2e21" cellpadding="10" align="center" valign="middle"><font color="#faf8f4"><b>XXIV</b></font></td><td align="left">Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor<br align="left"/>(7th Bt., current)</td></tr></table>>];

  edge [color="#666", arrowsize=0.6, fontsize=9];
  // Edges are declared eldest first, youngest last at every fork so
  // that ordering=out lays out the eldest son (chiefly heir, where
  // applicable) on the left and younger / cadet branches on the right.

  // Ch1's children: Ch2 (eldest) -> GregYg (younger, Balhaldies cadet)
  Ch1 -> Ch2;
  Ch1 -> GregYg -> JohnYg -> JohnLurg -> EwenMall -> EoinMall -> DonnBreac;
  GrigBalh -> DonnBalh -> PatBalh -> DunBalh -> Ch17;

  // Ch2's children: Ch3 (eldest) -> McAnec -> Roro (youngest)
  Ch2 -> Ch3;
  Ch2 -> McAnec;
  Ch2 -> Roro;

  // Ch3's children by birth: Alasdair (~1375, eldest, predeceased III)
  // -> Ch4 Malcolm (~1378, the chiefly heir).
  Ch3 -> Alasdair -> Eoghan;
  Ch3 -> Ch4;
  // Eoghan's children: Ch7 (eldest) -> DubhCiar (younger, Glengyle)
  Eoghan -> Ch7;
  Eoghan -> DubhCiar;

  // Ch4's children: Ch5 (eldest) -> PatMalc (younger, Glencarnaig cadet)
  Ch4 -> Ch5 -> Ch6;
  Ch4 -> PatMalc -> GrigPat -> DonnLada -> DonnAbr -> PadAbr -> JohnAbr;
  IainOg -> EvanMur -> Ch18;
  Ch18 -> Ch19 -> Ch20 -> Ch21 -> Ch22 -> Ch23 -> Ch24;

  // Ch8's children: Ch9 (eldest) -> Ch10 -> EwinTutor (cadet)
  Ch8 -> Ch9;
  Ch8 -> Ch10;
  Ch8 -> EwinTutor -> DuncanMcE;
  // Duncan McEwin's children: MalStuk (eldest) -> EoghKilm (younger)
  DuncanMcE -> MalStuk;
  DuncanMcE -> EoghKilm;
  MalStuk -> Ch15;
  EoghKilm -> Ch16;

  // Ch10's children: Ch11 (eldest) -> EoinDubh (younger)
  Ch10 -> Ch11;
  Ch10 -> EoinDubh;
  // Eoin dubh's children: Ch12 (eldest) -> Ch13 (younger)
  EoinDubh -> Ch12;
  EoinDubh -> Ch13;
  Ch13 -> Ch14;

  // Edges where Glen Discovery itself flags genuine uncertainty:
  //  - Ch7 -> Ch8: page 5, "this remains open to debate" (VIII may be
  //    VII's son or grandson via VII's eldest son Gregor d.1526).
  //  - DonnBreac -> GrigBalh: page 86 doesn't attest a direct father-
  //    son link; possibly intermediate generations not named.
  //  - JohnAbr -> IainOg: pages 48 and 78, Lawrie cannot prove the
  //    descent and canvasses three alternative cadet routes.
  edge [style=dashed, color="#888", arrowsize=0.6, fontsize=9];
  Ch7 -> Ch8 [label=<<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>parentage<br/>debated (Lawrie)</td></tr></table>>];
  DonnBreac -> GrigBalh [label=<<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>link not<br/>attested directly</td></tr></table>>];
  JohnAbr -> IainOg [label=<<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>not pinned down<br/>(Lawrie)</td></tr></table>>];

  // Same-rank groups also listed eldest-first / youngest-last so the
  // horizontal placement matches the edge ordering above. Note that
  // Ch6 and Ch7 are second-cousins descending from Ch3's two sons:
  // Ch7 sits on the left because its line comes through Alasdair
  // (the elder son ~1375), Ch6 on the right because its line comes
  // through Malcolm IV (the younger son ~1378).
  { rank=same; Ch7; Ch6; }
  { rank=same; Ch9; Ch10; EwinTutor; }
  { rank=same; Ch11; EoinDubh; }
  { rank=same; Ch12; Ch13; }
  { rank=same; MalStuk; EoghKilm; }
  { rank=same; Ch15; Ch16; }
}

The succession order runs by the badge numbers, but the genealogical paths are spelled out: each chief is traced down from his actual father, even where the chiefship has hopped from one branch to a quite distant cadet. Edges that Glen Discovery's pages explicitly flag as debated or unproven are drawn dashed - three of them in this diagram, called out below in the lateral-by-lateral notes. A handful of further father-son links are implied by the chart structure on Glen Discovery without being directly attested in the page text - Eoghan → John MacEwin (VII), and chief X → Eoin dubh nan Lurach are the two clearest cases - and are drawn solid because there is no positive doubt, but worth keeping in mind when leaning on the diagram. The five lateral moves are visible in the shape of the tree rather than in dotted edges:

From chief XVIII the line settles into a clean father-to-son baronetcy that runs through to Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor, the present chief.

The dashed cream nodes mark the heads of the principal pre-1604 cadet houses, where they diverge from the chiefly chain. Three are shown:

Glen Discovery's genealogy carries pages on a number of further houses - among them Ardlarich (MacCondochy MhicAlasdair), Fortingall, Patricksons in Glenlednock, Inverlochlarig, the descendants of Ewin the tutor, of Alasdair galt, of Padraig Odhar, of Alasdair pudrach and of Duncan Glen.1 The fork points for several of these aren't explicit in the per-house pages and would need a closer pass before being placed on the diagram. The post-1547 cadet houses that supplied chiefs - Stukinroy (XV), Kilmanan (XVI), Balhaldies (XVII) and Glencarnaig / Lanrick (XVIII) - are already represented in the chain itself by the chiefs they produced rather than as separate branch heads.

Things to chase:

Footnotes

  1. Peter Lawrie, “The Genealogy of Clan Gregor”, Glen Discovery - the index page; the chiefly line above is drawn from pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 20, 49, 76 and 78. ↩︎ ↩︎