About

This is a site about Clan Charteris, a Scottish clan with origins in Dumfriesshire and Perthshire.

It is maintained by some descendants of the clan for the information of clan members, the relatives of clan members, and anyone else with an interest.

What is a clan?

According to the Court of the Lord Lyon, a clan is all the extended ‘family’ of a clan chief. The chief’s family includes anyone bearing his surname, or even anyone who ‘all those who profess allegiance to that Chief and wish to demonstrate their association with the Clan’.

A clan chief is, according to the Court of the Lord Lyon: the ‘individual [who is] entitled to bear the undifferenced arms of the clan or family (i.e. the principal arms of the clan or family that descend from one chief to the next in undifferenced form through the generations) and so be “Chief of the Name and Arms” of the clan or family.’ You can read more about the history of the Charteris arms here.

What is the difference between a clan and a family?

The word clan is typically applied top family groups in Scotland with a chief (present or past) who bore undifferenced arms. Clans are typically associated with a certain geographical area, particular castles and great houses, and feuds with other clans. However, there are some who prefer to describe the families of Lowland chiefs as ‘families’ and Highland chiefs as ‘clans’.

Whether we describe Clan Charteris as a clan or a family makes no difference to its history, and the pride we can take in its better moments. You can read all about that history here.