"Si je puis"- I will if I can
Colquhoun Motto
Beginnings of the Colquhoun Clan
Bishop Robert Colquhoun effigy found in
The Luss Parrish Church
For years it was thought to be an effigy of St. Kessog
Colquhoun lands on the Kilpatrick Hills
"Many of the Highland clans had their origin in the Norman and Saxon adventurers who came north under the patronage of David I and obtained great estates, but the Colquhouns – pronounced ‘Ca-hoon’ or to some Co-hoon – may have descended from the ancient rulers of Lennox. They were the hereditary guardians of the Crozier of Saint Kessog, and may well have descended from the saint himself. Saint Kessog, who came to Scotland from Ireland at the beginning of the sixth century, had his headquarters on Monks Island in Loch Lomond, and was martyred in 520 AD."
"A different tradition of Coloquhoun beginnings has the progenitor of this family as a younger son of Conach, King of. Ireland, who came to Scotland in the reign of Gregory the Great, and obtained lands in Dumbartonshire, to which he gave the name of Conachon, corrupted into Golquhoun. I would like to think the name is from the Gaelic, denoting one who is brave, lively, quick, and furious in battle; from Colg, and chwoin, the genitive of Cu, a hound, a war-dog."
However, with all these theories, it does appear that the name of Colquhoun is taken from an area of land north of the Old Kilpatrick town. The lands were named ‘Cull Cumhann’ which became Colquhoun. The Kilpatrick Hills are found on the north side of the River Clyde and to the west of Glasgow. At a time in history where people used forenames and surnames were not used much and people were identified by their profession or where they lived. These lands were granted to Humphrey of Kilpatrick by Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, in the time of Alexander II. The seat of the Clan Colquhoun has been based on the banks of Loch Lomond since the 12th century, when the lands were granted to the clan by Robert the Bruce as a reward as support given during the Wars of Independence against the English. The Clan still has the original charter with his signature on it. In the 14th century, Sir Robert Kilpatrick married the “Fair Maid of Luss”, daughter of the Laird of Luss, and it is since then the chief of the Colquhouns has been known as Colquhoun of Colquhoun and Luss.
During the centuries that followed, the Colquhouns acquired more lands around this area. Over time, lands own by the clan included Stirlingshire, Ayrshire, Fife, and even parts of Ireland. These acquired land came and went but the influence of the Colquhouns continued past ownership. The Colquhoun name was changed to Cowan in some areas and Colhoun in others. In America, it became Cahoon, Cohoon, Calhoun and many others. However, for the purpose of this tour experience, we will focus on the Dumbartonshire area (east of Glasgow) and the lands and site surrounding the Loch Lomond area."
Clan Identifications includes:
BADGE: Braoileag nan con (arbutus uva ursi) Bear berry.
SLOGAN: Cnoc Ealachain (or Cnoc an t-seilich).
PIBROCH (music): Caismeacha Chloinn a’ Chompaich. Play here
Bear berry
Kilpatrick Hills seen from Dumbarton Castle
Colquhoun Chiefs
NAME Dates
Umfridus De Kilpatrick 1190-1260
Sir Robert 2nd of Colquhoun 1260-1280
Ingleramus 3rd of Colquhoun 1250-1308
Sir Humphrey 4th of Colquhoun 1308-1330
Sir Robert 5th of Colquhoun & 7th of Luss 1330-1390 (1)married ‘The Lady of Luss’
Sir Humphrey 6th of Colquhoun & 8th of Luss 1390-1406
Sir Robert 7th of Colquhoun & 9th of Luss 1406-1408
Sir John 8th of Colquhoun 10th & of Luss 1408-1439
Sir John 9th of Colquhoun 11th & of Luss 1439-1478
Humphrey 10th of Colquhoun &12th of Luss 1478-1493
Sir John 11th of Colquhoun & 13 of Luss 1493-1536
Humphrey 12 of Colquhoun & 14 of Luss 1536-1538 (2) married Catherine
Sir John 13th of Colquhoun & 15 of Luss 1538-1574
Sir Humphrey 14th of Colquhoun & 16th of Luss 1574-1592
Alexander 15th of Colquhoun & 17 of Luss 1592-1617
Sir John 16th of Colquhoun & 18 of Luss & 1st Baronet of Nova Scotia 1617-1647 (3) married Lady Lillias
Sir John 17th of Colquhoun & 19 of Luss & 2nd Baronet 1647-1676 “Black Cock of the West”
Sir James 18th of Colquhoun & 20th of Luss & 3rd Baronet 1676-1680
Sir James 19th of Colquhoun & 21 of Luss & 4th of Baronet 1680-1688
Sir Humphrey 20th of Colquhoun & 22 of Luss & 5th of Baronet 1688-1718 only had a daughter Anne
James Grant of Pluscardine became 6th Baronet of Luss SIL to Humphrey 1718-1724 (4) mar Anne Colquhoun
Sir Ludovick 22nd of Colquhoun & 24th of Luss 1719-1732 (5)
Sir James 23rd of Colquhoun & 25th of Luss 1732-1786 (6)
Sir James 24th of Colquhoun & 26th of Luss & 2nd Baronet of G.B. 1786-1805 (7)
Sir James 25th of Colquhoun & 27th of Luss & 3rd Baronet 1805-1836 (8)
Sir James 26th of Colquhoun & 28th of Luss & 4th Baronet 1836-1873 married Jane Abercrombie
Sir James 27th of Colquhoun & 29th of Luss & 5th Baronet 1873-1907
Sir Alan 28th of Colquhoun & 30th of Luss & 6th Baronet 1907-1910 (9)
Sir Iain 29th of Colquhoun & 31st of Luss & 7th Baronet 1910-1948 (10)
Sir Ivar 30th of Colquhoun & 32nd of Luss & 8th Baronet 1948-2008 married Kathleen Duncan
Sir Malcom 31st of Colquhoun & 33rd of Luss & 9th Baronet 2008- married Katherine Anne Mears
(1) Luss Line:
Madovan 1st of Luss 1150-1220
Gillemore 2nd of Luss 1220-1250
Maurice 3rd of Luss 1250-1280
Sir John 4th of Luss 1280-1315
Malcolm 5th of Luss 1315-1345
Godfrey 6th of Luss 1345-1385
‘The Lady of Luss’ married Sir Robert 5th of Colquhoun (see above)
(2) Catherine was the daughter of First Earl of Montrose
(3) Lady Lillias Graham was the sister of the 1st Marquis of Montrose
(4) Anne Heiress of Colquhoun
(5) Succeeded to Grant Estates and was succeeded by his Brother 7th of Baronet
(6) also 8th Baronet of Nova Scotia & 1st Baronet of G.B. married Lady Helen Sutherland
(7) married Mary Falconer of Monkton
(8) married Janet Sinclair of Ulster
(9) married Justine Henrietta Kennedy of Underwood
(10) known as ‘Knight of the Thistle’ married Geraldine Bryde Tennant
Land of Colquhouns seen from the River Clyde
Colquhoun
Colquhoun
