Colquhoun Clan

COLQUHOUN Clan Origin: Malcolm, Earl of Lennox granted the lands of Colquhoun to Humphrey of Kilpatrick during the time of Alexander II. These lands are located in the county of Dunbarton. The old Earls of Lennox continued to possess Luss until, Sir Robert Kilpatrick of Colquhoun, wed the only daughter and child of the laird of Luss. Thus, their leader has since been referred to as Chief of Colquhoun and of Luss.

Clan Location: Luss/Loch Lomond

COLQUHOUN Clan Motto: If I can (Si Je Puis)

The Great Battle: In 1602 the Colquhouns battled the MacGregors in Glenfruin. The Colquhouns had 500 men, 300 of them on horseback. The MacGregors came with only 400 men, but split up into two groups attacking the Colquhouns from the front and the back. Only two MacGregors were killed in this battle, one of them being the chief’s brother, Iain glas. Over 200 Colquhoun men were lost in that battle.

The wives of those killed made a plea to King James and he outlawed the MacGregor clan of attacking the Colquhouns again. Chief of Colquhoun/Luss survived the battle, but was later killed in the castle he sought safety. In the 18th century the two clan chiefs made amends by meeting at the battle site and shaking hands.

Clan Colquhoun Geneology: Luss had only one daughter, therefore his brother Alexander became Chief. King Charles I named Alexander’s son John a baronet of Nova Scotia. When Sir Humphrey 18th chief sat in parliament in 1707 (various historians date this event around 1703 and 1704) he created a patent for resigning his baronetcy in order to leave his estate within his family. This patent held that the clan name would be passed to his daughter Ann and her husband, James Grant of Pluscardine. When Sir Humphrey passed, James Grant took the name Sir James Colquhoun, of Luss, until his brother died and Sir James Colquhoun took the Grant name again. The Colquhoun of Luss title went to Ann and James Grant’s second son, Ludwick. When Sir James Grant passed, Ludwick Colquhoun of Luss took his father’s name of Grant and passed his title to his brother James. At the death of James Colquhoun, his oldest son took the title James Colquhoun but later gave up the patent for baronetcy. From this line comes the current Luss family.

Famous Colquhouns

SIR MALCOLM COLQUHOUN: At its peak, before the second World War, the Luss Estate covered some 70,000 acres. Today, it extends to around 45,000 acres. Luss Estate is thriving operating in traditional areas such as farming & forestry as well as tourist & leisure which include holiday rental cottages, a holiday park & a hotel. A newly-opened 1 MW hydro-electric scheme in Glen Douglas will make a significant contribution to renewable energy, with none of the visual pollution associated with wind farms. The estate also has 2 championship golf courses, including the world famous Loch Lomond Golf Club. 

Are you a Colquhoun?

If your surname is listed below you can claim to be a Colquhoun.