Family Name and Clan

[gilmore]

I think one would do well to err on the side of caution in making connections between families based on the same or similar names that just may not be there.

E.g., There is a common Chinese name, "Li" or "Lee," that sounds almost exactly like the British name "Leigh." Are they related? If so, prehistorically, before the coming of surnames. Likewise, "Grey" and "Gray" are not at all unusual names in both Scotland and England. It would take more than similarity of name to establish a connection between Lady (and sometime Queen) Jane Grey and the Scottish MacGashans.

My own surname is said to be a sept of two clans. One connection is extremely dubious, and the other is merely quite doubtful. I have a tartan in neither. It just has not been shown to my satisfaction that we are related to either of these groups of people. We may be related to neither. I am hesitant to invest hundreds of dollars in a kilt, fly plaid, clan badge, argylle hose, and all the other knicknacks that are offerred by the merchants of highland gear until I have more proof. If I did and found I was misinformed, I would feel that I would only have to sell it all. Until then I am happy with district tatans.

Making claims about "belonging to a clan" that just aren't true may boost one's ego and perhaps even impress friends and neighbors, but for relatives who rely on this misinformation it can be not only irritating but lead serious genealogical researchers to waste years of effort that could have gone into more fruitful areas of research.