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I
have been asked to give a brief outline on the correct use of
territorial designations as a certain amount of confusion has arisen
over this subject. First of all, what is a territorial designation?
A designation is that part which follows an individual's surname.
This is normally derived from ownership of a named piece of land or
historic property (outwith a Burgh), e.g. a castle, in
Scotland. Any
one owning such property can call themselves "of" that property but
this is not a title in itself, and should not be treated as such. A
tenant would have been termed as "in" that property.
Once a designation has been recorded at the Court of the Lord Lyon
King of Arms, it becomes inseparable from the surname. Only then,
the designation becomes a title as an inseparable part of the
nomen dignitatis , when the individual is recorded in
the "Name and Arms of" e.g. MacTavish of Auchenshoogle.
These styles are protected by Scots law under the Statute 1672. Cap.
47. The Lord Lyon will not automatically accept any designation, for
instance a designation will not be accepted if there is non-familial
joint ownership of a property. There may also be a conflict with a
chiefly title. If a David Ross bought Ross Castle, he would not be
able to style himself "David Ross of Ross", as this would indicate
that he was chief of Clan Ross. He would be given the option of
being accepted as "David Ross of Castle Ross" or "David Ross, Baron
of Ross". When the Glengarry estates were sold, McDonell of
Glengarry had a proviso put into the deeds that no succeeding owner
was to use the "Glengarry" designation.
Once a designation is established, it becomes a heritable property
of the head of that family (together with the Arms). If the land or
castle is sold, the designation can still be used, but a distinction
is made in official documents. The individual becomes "representer
of' e.g. Sir Alexander Macdonald, Baronet, is "Representer of the
Family of Macdonald of Sleat".
Territorial designations have come down to us from the beginning of
the feudal system, and also influenced by our Celtic ancestors who
bore a genealogical second name, the bun sloinn. The
system was widespread in the middle ages. Adam de Balfour would come
from Balfour in Fife ( Balfour:= settlement at the mouth of the Ore,
where the river Ore flows in to the river Leven), William de Couper
would come from the Royal Burgh of Cupar. These territorial names
became permanent surnames. To differentiate between several people
of the same name, a territorial designation was appended to the
surname, thus David Balfour of Dovan was easily distinguishable from
James Balfour of Denmiln.
Once a territorial designation has been recognised by the Lord Lyon
(who, in all matters to do with titles and heraldry in Scotland,
uses the Royal prerogative), it must be used and not played with.
James MacTavish of Auchenshoogle cannot be James MacTavish through
the week and MacTavish of Auchenshoogle at the weekend or at
Highland Balls. The whole name should be used as the daily
signature, on notepaper, visiting cards, cheques, credit cards etc.
Similarly, anyone writing to him should give his full style, to
style him as "Mr. MacTavish" or "James MacTavish, Esq." is not only
incorrect, it is rude and disrespectful.
There are those who claim that designations make the name too long,
and yet the same individual accepts hyphenated names. The most
widely used mouthful (in text books) is "Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Morgan-Grenville".
After this example, territorial designations are extremely simple.
Lord Justice General, Lord Clyde, clarified the matter on the 4th of
May 1961, in the Scottish Justiciary Appeal Court. He stated "To
state that your name is "A" when it is in fact "B" is obviously a
false statement: indeed it seems to be that nothing could be plainer
in common sense, apart altogether from legal principle. It is quite
true that except for persons holding public office, people in
Scotland are free to change their names without obtaining judicial
authority for doing so, but they cannot have two names at the same
time". It should be stated that to change a territorial designation
as a nomen dignitatis does require approval from the Lord
Lyon, either by Matriculation or a Certificate of Change of Name.
The styles for Laird, Baron, Chieftain and Chief are the same. There
are Chiefs who bear designations that do not stem from a named piece
of land e.g. Macdonald of Clanranald. In the middle ages, Chiefs
reigned over their people as if they were Kings or Princes, thus the
Chief was the feudal superior over the clan. The word "reign" is
recorded in Privy Council records in connection with Chiefs. Some
Clan Chiefs are accepted in Europe as being equal in status to
Princes. Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, sometime Lord Lyon King of
Arms, in his 'Scots Heraldry', says "Chiefs and Lairds reigned
in their ancestral estates like Princes, their castle forming a
little court, of which the ceremonial reflected in miniature that of
Falkland and Holyroodhouse".
Under Scots Law a Chief is Laird of
his people, thus John MacLeod of MacLeod is Laird of MacLeod (as
well as Baron of Dunvegan), and Kenneth Urquhart of Urquhart is
Laird of Urquhart. Ranald Macdonald of Clanranald is Captain of
Clanranald, in this instance Captain is a mediaeval term for a Chief
This should not be confused with Campbell of Dunstaffnage, who is
Captain of Dunstaffnage. In this instance a Captain is Captain of a
castle, who would be responsible for order within and outwith the
castle. The style of "of that Ilk", e.g. Sir lain Moncreiffe of that
Ilk, Bt., is the old way of styling the Chief of a Name. By the
18thC. the Highland chiefs began to duplicate their name in order to distinguish themselves
from their Lowland neighbours. Some Chiefs have abbreviated their
style and use the initial prefix of "The" e.g. "The Macnab". Other
Chiefs use "The", e.g. "The Macneil of Barra" or "The MacKinnon of
MacKinnon".
Highland Chiefs and Chieftains often have Gaelic Patronymics which
can be used when greeting or addressing an individual. Some examples
of these styles are Alexander Stewart of Ardvorlich who is the
"Mac Mhic Bhaltair", The Earl of Breadalbane is the "Mac
Chailein mhic Dhonnachaidh" and Lord Lovat is the "Mac Shimi".
There are a few Baronies erected by Royal Charter that are not
connected to land or a building. An example of this is the Baron of
the Bachuil, the Bachuil (or BachuilMor) is the Pastoral
Staff of St. Moluag who died in 592 A.D.. The Barony was
vested in the hereditary keepers or dewars of the Staff, the
Macleays, from the Isle of Lismore, who later changed their name to
Livingstone.
The correct prefix for a Laird, Baron, Chieftain and Chief is "The
Much Honoured". Thus our friend James could be either "The Much
Honoured James MacTavish of Auchenshoogle" or "The Much Honoured The
Laird of Auchenshoogle". The styles "Mr." and "Esq." should never be
used as these are below the status of a Laird. The designation is
also used by the Laird's wife who, in this instance, would also be
"Lady Auchenshoogle". The heir would be styled as "younger" e.g.
"David MacTavish of Auchenshoogle, younger". The accepted
abbreviations for "younger" are "yr." or "ygr.". The heir may also
be styled "the younger of Auchenshoogle". Younger sons do not bear
the designation, in the past they were expected to found their own
territorial Houses, in turn their sons would do the same. These
territorial Houses would form the family gilfine, effectively a
family parliament or privy council. The eldest daughter is styled
"Maid" e.g. "the Maid of Auchenshoogle" or "Miss MacTavish of
Auchenshoogle". The style of Maid had almost died out but it is
having a revival. The daughter of the late Lord Maclean (Maclean of
Duart and Morvern) is now using the style "Maid of Morvern".
Younger, unmarried, daughters use the designation e.g. "Miss Fiona
MacTavish of Auchenshoogle".
When speaking to a Laird he is addressed by his designation e.g. "Auchenshoogle",
or when being introduced to someone else "this is Auchenshoogle".
When writing, the envelope should be addressed with the full style
of the individual. If formal, the latter should begin "Dear Sir", or
more socially "Dear Auchenshoogle". As I said above, the wife of a
Laird etc. is styled "Lady" e.g. "Lady Auchenshoogle" and not "Lady
Margaret", which would imply that she is the daughter of an Earl,
Marquess or Duke. She should not be described as "Lady MacTavish of
Auchenshoogle", as this would imply that she was the wife of a
Knight or Baronet. This is a style which Knights and Baronets have
taken from the feudal system.
Originally the wife of a Knight was "Dame" e.g. "Dame Agnes Renton
or Leslie of Balgonie" (it was only in the 19thC that wives in
Scotland adopted their husband's surname, today in legal documents
they should still be styled by their maiden name followed by "or"
with their husband's surname and designation e.g. Margaret Robertson
or MacTavish of Auchenshoogle"). A letter would begin "Dear Lady
Auchenshoogle". In the 19thC. it became the practice for the wives
of Chiefs and Chieftains to adopt the Irish style of "Madam" (a
style accepted by Lyon Court)
e.g. "Madam Chisholm" or "Madam Maclean of Ardgour". In this
instance a letter would begin "Dear Madam" or "Madam", if formal, or
more socially "Dear Madam Maclachlan of Maclachlan". If she possess
a title, she should be addressed as such e.g. "Dear Dame Elizabeth".
These styles are also used by a woman who is Chief, Chieftainess or
Lady in her own right. The widow of a Chief, etc., would use the
style "Dowager Madam Maclean of Ardgour" or "Dowager Lady
Auchenshoogle".
The heir apparent to a Laird etc. is styled the "younger", as
mentioned above, on being introduced he is "the younger of" or
"young" , a letter would begin "Dear Auchenshoogle, younger". Some
textbooks say that "younger" or "yr" may be added between the name
and designation. I disagree with this. The nomen dignitatis
is one entity and, in my opinion can not be cut in half, so "MacTavish,
yr. of Auchenshoogle" is incorrect. He should be styled "David
MacTavish of Auchenshoogle, yr", but in the event of the heir having
a different Christian name from his father, "yr." may be omitted.
The wife of the heir would be styled "Mrs. MacTavish of
Auchenshoogle, yr.", until the younger succeeds to the title. The
correct form of address for a Maid is not covered in the accepted
text books. I would suggest that a letter begins "Dear Maid of
Auchenshoogle", otherwise the accepted "Dear Miss MacTavish of
Auchenshoogle".
By law, only Peers, Bishops and Chiefs are allowed to sign with one
name e.g. "Atholl". A Laird, Baron or Chieftain must use the
Christian name, surname and designation e.g. "James MacTavish of
Auchenshoogle", an initial can be substituted for the Christian
name.
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