Quote Originally Posted by Sketraw View Post
May I add a correction to this thread?

They are not Clan Donnachaidh Arms, or Arms or Donnachaidh, they are Robertson Arms. They may wish to style themselves Donnachaidh but they are Robertsons.

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I guess you are somewhat correct. they are not the arms of Clan Donnachaidh or Clan Robertson, if one prefers, they are the arms of the chief of Clan Donnachaidh.

I believe you are incorrect in other matters. Clan Donnachaidh, as the Standing Council of Clan Chiefs says the clan is "properly called," being Gaelic, is much older than the Robertson name. And, surnames were not a part of traditional clan practice until the English influence made it so, a long time after the clan was a clan. In fact, the standing council doesn't list a Clan Duncan at all.

So, to assert that Robertson is the name--and clan--as opposed to Donnachaidh or Duncan (with the implication that there is a different clan) seems to be incorrect. The common clan name--and chief's name--of Robertson is a result of Clan Donnacaidh's chief, whose name was Robert, capturing the murderer of the king.

The historic clan has been extant and well documented for quite some time--centuries in fact--and asserting that it and its chief are not the descendent of King Duncan is not really accurate, I think. It is certainly a rewrite of all the history I've read.