Highland Clans vs Border Clans 

I'm Welsh, I speak Welsh, but I have notice a sad cruelty that Highland Scots and Americans who descend from Highlanders seem to derive joy in telling Lowlanders that they're mere "Anglo-Saxons" or "Anglo-Norman", etc. DNA has shown us that having a Norman name does not always mean that the modern Norman-names Scot has any Norman or French, or Danish DNA. There were various types of surnames that came in vogue at different points. A MacFarlane may be a descendant of someone who was adopted into a clan - they may very well be from Viking roots. Conversely, a modern Armstrong is often the descendant of Brythonic-speaking Celts/Britons. I do a lot of Genetic Genealogy and have seen this time and again. Even modern English are more likely to directly descend from a native Briton/Celt than a Dane - which is why English are not that blonde, compared to Scandinavians. Also I've noticed that when a Highlander discovers he comes from Nordic stock, they like to claim they Vikings, whereas they refer to lowlanders as mere "Anglo-Saxons". Also the Gaelic thing: it was a Western Scottish thing really. My friend's Murdochs were from Ayrshire, and were surprised that some of their records were in Gaelic, but Western Scotland used Gaelic, just not as recently as the North. Many lowlanders and people descended from Picts have ancestors who spoke Brythonic, but had to speak English, due to their proximity to England. The Welsh (Cymraeg) Celts do not seem to have the same hostility and weird inferiority complex, likely because many of us still speak our language (unfortunately not enough) so our sense of self is not so derived from the idea that our great-great Grandfather wore a tartan; when in reality, we know from the Greeks and Romans that tartans were NOT specific to Scotland so much as that was a common way non animal skin clothing was made in the post Bell Beaker Hallstatt, La Tene, etc. eras. Peace be with you

The biggest difference between the two for me is their skill as horsemen in the Borders. Really isn't enough emphasis on how well they could travel hilly boggy ground on ponies and evade soldiers sent to capture them. Still to this day many people ride horses in the Borders, many taking part in the annual common riding festivals.

I am a Hay. My great grandfather. Robert Hay and great grandmother Mary johnstone emigrated from glasgow in early 1930s and came to the west coast of the USA. OREGON. Nice video I enjoyed it. Good information

I just found this channel and find it extremely informative! As Clan Logan I love the deep dive as Logan is split between highland and border groups.

The Border way of living didn't end or begin at the Anglo-Scottish Border, the Northumberland folk of Tynedale, Coquetdale, Redesdale and the various dales and valleys of Cumberland and Westmoreland all lived under similar conditions and had a similar lifestyle to those north of the Border, and in a lot of cases were related by blood and marriage. If anybody is really interested George Mcdonald-Fraser authored a good book - called the 'Steel Bonnets' - about this particular part of the world. Be warned though, Mcdonald-Faser's account pulls no punches and while he does recount the romantic episodes of derring do, he also recounts the other side of the coin, the murders, burnings and summary justice dispensed by the locals and by the Wardens of the Marches. This part of the world had been used for centuries by the relevant Monarchs of Scotland and England in a callous and cynical way to apply pressure across the Border in both directions, so the people were a very hardy and - let's not skip about the bush here - a very vicious lot, used to dealing with guerrilla raids and also no stranger with dealing with the various armies that tramped through this part of the world, heading North or South, depending on the nationality. Funnily enough, the meeting between the Highlanders and the Borderers did occur in 1513 at a place called Flodden.

First time being here. Thank You for sharing. Have a fantastic day

Was great to run in to you at the Payson Games this year. I found this channel from a DNA project I am involved at FTDNA. Great info on your channel, btw!

The borderers on both sides had _surnames_ which were often on both sides of the border.

If you have a Reiver Clan surname, your more likely to be descendents of people from the Kingdom of Norhumbria rather than Scotland. Newcastle upon Tyne had the Armstrong, Ridley and Scott families running the town in the 11th century Peter Scot was Mayor from 1245-1251, one of the first in history to go by that surname, and chances are you will have Brigantine ancestors. DNA tests on descendents still living in the Border area saw a significantly higher proportion of Ancient DNA than anywhere else in the UK, basically if you're a descendent of the Reivers your roots could in the Dark Ages or Roman British.

If You are interested in what activity your family name was apart of. it is worth reading the Book ''The Steel Bonnets''. the index tells you what pages refrence your family name. Beattie is my family name and if it wasnt for the book, i wouldent of found out that they used to take part in raids done by the Armstrong's. Loved the video, thanks for making it!

Could some of the words come from the Picts

I believe I am a highlander ... glad to run across this channel, it has all been very confusing and am also a visual learner so sounds fun.

As an American my ancestry is mostly Scottish and English. I have many, many border names on my family tree but I also have highlanders as well. A mix of both. Something that is interesting to me is how these cultures and ways of living shaped our families and us to this day. The Scotts Irish or Ulster Scotts came from the lowlands and borders of Scotland and when they came to the American colonies they brought that culture with them. The more I study the border culture the more I understand my own family. Why they think the way they do. Why they did things the way they did. It is very insightful. Whether I like how things were or not; now I know why.

My people were Border Reivers.

I was trying to explain this very same thing to some relatives. Clan Hall were border reivers who did not think of themselves as Scottish. They most certainly did not wear kilts. However because of the efforts of one Atlas Hall we now have our very own official tartan (eye roll).

I grew up surrounded by my mother's side of the family (Horsley surname found in old Northumbria). They were the miners who became moonshiners and raced their getaway cars just like those Appalachian people that Nascar was born out of (we live in the Alabama foot hills). We have relatives who are Armstrongs. There are Kerrs nearby as well as Kerr Road. My cousin had a couple red haired children with a MacPherson. On this same side of the family my ancestors' surnames also include Peoples, Pickens, Wallace, Gilmore, and Kendricks which I believe are all first recorded in southwest Scotland. However, on my dad's side of the family we are mostly English. My 2nd great grandpa Richard Rouse went down with the Titanic.

Awesome job dude glad this popped up in my recommendations. I also own a great kilt from USA kilts still trying to figure out how to pleat it lol.

Is there a difference between Mac and Mc names?

The Bells are Boarder Reivers from the boarder of both Scotland and England. They originated in Flanders, and came over with William the Bastard.

I'm from the north east of Scotland, Aberdeen. The last Gaelic speakers died out in the 1980s. Angus, Aberdeenshire, Fife, all have a predominance of Gaelic place names, and people names. My own family is a mix of Highland and Border clan names. Scott from the Border, the rest are Stewarts, MacDonalds, MacKays etc

Pretty safe to say most of what we think of as “Scottish” are modern inventions that owe a lot to the English royals.

Really enjoyed your video. I come from a Border “riding family “,who occupied lands on both sides of the border and fought with or fought against any threat from both England and Scotland. Nationality was of little concern. Indeed they would steal horses from armies of both nations without compunction. The Highland clan system,however,was a brutal dictatorship,where the clan member was forced to fight and possibly die for his chief on pain of the burning of his house and the destitution of his family, and had to pay for the privilege in taxation. Forced loyalty.

scottish history in a nutshell, each clan robbed/stole as much as they could get away with, no matter its location, and switching sides was key to survival, whether that be with an english, or scottish overlord.

True the border Reivers didn't wear kilts and tartans back then. But here in modern times the border clans have officially recognized tartans that can be worn at Highland Games or Burns Night. And many have recognized tartans for over a hundred years now. Clan Armstrong's tartan was created in 1842. But they were clans and considered clans by the government . The Armstrong's at one time could raise 3000 horsemen for battle or raiding. I've got a Border Reiver name Armstrong and this is modern times so I can wear a kilt and play Highland Pipes if i want. I do have Highland Macentire's on my mother's side . The kilt started with the Highlanders but it has become a Scottish symbol and anyone can wear a kilt to show pride in their Scottish ancestry no matter what part of Scotland they came from. The astronaut Neil Armstrong proudly took a piece of Armstrong tartan to the moon . Plus if you wanted to wear authentic border reiver clothing you'd probably have to have it custom made and it would probably cost more than a kilt and be difficult to get it to be accurate.

I'm from Dumfries and Galloway scotland and I can tell you, there is far more history in the Lowlands than the highlanders like to believe. We are all Scottish. Be proud of iy

Most Border families don’t think of themselves as clans but rather families. Galloway Gaelic wasn’t the same as highland Gaelic. The two types were Q and P Gaelic. One of the people who moved into Scotland from the 11th century that is overlooked were the Flemish. Often they changed their names to something Scottish like the Grahams, Murray’s and others. In the eastern shire of Berwickshire there are still a lot of families called Fleming because a lot of weavers came there because we had no weavers in Scotland at the time. David 1 founded Berwick to export cloth to the Low Countries. Of course, Berwick is pronounced Berick, leave the w unvoiced.

my maiden name is Mcdonald when it comes to history…..I’m sure you know Descendents from Donald the grandson of Somerled. When I was small, my father used to tell a stories of our ancestors, leaving the Highlands at night and going down into the lowland, stealing sheep and cattle, and then going back up into the Highlands. I know my maternal grandmother’s maiden name was Brown. I have the memoirs of Elizabeth Brown written in 1894 (which also contains a list of partial descendants of Matthew Brown. Along with his lineage all the way down to my paternal grandmother). And her memoirs begins “as near as I can learn, there was a religious persecution in the 17th century in the reign of King James, the second in Scotland. My great grandfather, Matthew Brown, who lived in the Highlands of Scotland… went to Glenstall near the river Bann in the parish of Bellamy.” she describes her trip, leaving Ireland getting a ship and sailing to the Americas where she settled in New England. I Just don’t know where in the highlands of Scotland Matthew Brown’s family came from. Or where in the Highlands my McDonald Ancestors were portion of the Mcdonald clan. I have not been able to trace my Mcdonald ancestors beyond 1850-70 possible records in Canada.

I wish I wasn't so late to this party here, but, I can't help but notice you said Clan MacFarlane Hunting. That warms my heart as my ancestors, the Callanders, were clansmen. I also like that you mentioned the Septs. Clansmen who might not have been related (so far as anyone knows) but were loyal nonetheless.

I think part of the confusion comes from the fact that the word clan is often associated with the terms family and house. It doesn’t help that the clan name is often used as a surname for its constituents. A definition that makes sense for me is “a tight-nit community bound by blood, marriage, culture, religion and having a common cause”

I am a Cameron and I am very proud of my Clan and its history ,I am nearing 84 ,I live in New Zealand but was born in Scotland ,I still have an accent of which I am proud . Alba gu brach

Really enjoyed this. Thank you!

I have seen it written that my clan was considered a border clan in away. Though we are coastal Galloway what I’ve read says that we were considered a border clan because we were essentially a border not between England and Scotland but between Viking Ireland and Scotland. It was that our clan chief could muster upwards of 500 men at any given time to protect the coast from Irish and Viking raiders. Not sure if that would be considered really the same as a traditional border clan, but I would love your input on that?! Clan MacCulloch of Myrton, Cardoness.

I’m not positive about this, but the idea of kin groups probably didn’t just end at the border with England.

I'm half Italian (other half Scots Borderers). The kinship system of the Borderers reminds me of Italian mafioso, but instead of chief we call them dons or coppos.

Just found your channel. In the future can you put the links in the description box. Thank you. Alberta Canada

Thank you for a little more clarification as to the highlands vs. the lowlands, and where the 'line' is between them. (I've been trying to figure out from which side of the line I descended. As to the question of Laird or Chief, if you don't mind a little levity, in the Scottish song sung by The Corries, "Bonnie Dundee", there is a line "Be there Lairds in the south, there are Chiefs in the north". Thanks again for the perspective.

I'm curious of those in the lowlands, I'm clan Lindsay, if I can say the word clan?! Being that they were close to the highlands, in the Angus area, would there be influence overflow in regards to hierarchical "clan" structure?

On the pronunciation of Buccleuch / Buccleugh - it depends. If it has the 'ch' ending, you're nearly there (apart from it's 'byu' - rhymes with yew) - if it has the gh ending, its 'byu-cluff'. Which you use will largely depend which part of the borders you're from.

As an ancestor of the Bell clan, I can appreciate much of what you said here. The Bells were so small in number they got absorbed into a larger clan. And yes, we were reivers. ;-)

My fathers family are from the Ridley’s of Haltwhistle in the English Borders which is Northumberland. My mothers side being the Laidlaws and Grieve’s from Jethart in the Scottish Borders. Rich Reiving history.

The border reavers crossed the border , England and Scotland. They associated with kin more than which nationality. This could change depending what suited them at the tine.

My ancestor was Robert, King/Earl of Dunbar later the Marches and his family were the Gospatricks of Dunbar and very involved in the Borders, sometimes they sided with England and others with Scotland. The history of the border is complex with many strategic marriages and alliances. The ancient kingdom of Bernicia stretched both sides of the border and was a major power in the early medieval period.

22:12 Chief may have been a loanword from the Bretons, Flemish or Norman's who came to Scotland.

Heidsman... that was the name of the head of a Border family. Pronounced Heedsman. Yes there were family groups that answered to a Heidsman on the English side. For example, the Heidsman of the Dodds was the Great Dod. The Fenwicks to Lord Fenwick. But they also grouped by valley... so, the Men of Tynedale supported each other and reivered together, ditto Redesdale. The biggest Reiver families of Tynedale included the Dodds, Charltons, Robson, Milburns... they were the bad boys. In Redesdale there were the Halls, Hedleys, Andersons, Potts, Reades, Dunnes, Milburnes...

Try and think of the Borders as distinct from either Scotland or England and very much a culture that is blend of both. Border clans had alliances and rivalries across the borders often having branches of their families in England and Scotland. An English Reiver clan would have far more in common with a Scottish Reiver clan than with people in the rest of England. A Scottish Reiver clan would have far more in common with and English Reiver clan than with Scottish clans further north. Remember that the Kingdom of Northumbria that pre-dated the formation of England or Scotland stretched across what would become Northern England and Southern Scotland and the border people could probably be viewed as a Northumbrian people stuck between these two newer kingdoms.

Awesome video, it is very helpful! Ive read online that most people surnamed Gracey can trace their lineage to Argyll, however my paternal line is Scots-Irish and can only be traced as far back as the 18th century in Northern Ireland (specifically Belfast, Ulster). Most my fathers autosomal dna is Scottish and French, not Irish. So my question is, did all people in Scotland originally belong to a Clan? Or were there other Scots that did not belong to any clan and eventually took names that are not related to pre-existing Scottish surnames/clan names? I know there is a Gracie surname in Scotland, and they belong to Clan Farquharson. We have the exact same family crest, a Lion Rampant (black and yellow). People online link Gracey and Gracie to a common source, however my paternal haplogroup is RM222 and the Gracie family is ancestral to RM222, RM269. This suggests we are not directly related, although it is possible that the tests done on the Gracie samples were of low quality and could not test more SNPs to arrive at a result of R-M222. I just want to know who my ancestors were prior to being surnamed Gracey. I tried asking chatgpt about my surnames origins and it says it comes from the Irish Gaelic term Gradaigh, meaning "Noble". It also says the family originates in Dal Riata, but there is no documentation of us from back then and chatgpt keeps contradicting itself. It even said we are an offshoot of the McGregors. Interestingly, mytrueancestry says the clan closest related to me on a patrilineal line is Clan McNab. They supposedly descend from Abraruadh, a younger son of Kenneth MacAlpin. Well, McGregors claim descent from Kenneth MacAlpin. Considering my name pops up after the McGregor name was banned, and is tied to Argyllshire where the McGregors had quite a lot of land, do you think that what chatgpt said is plausible at all? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

My last name is Burns. I really can’t figure out if it was a highland clan associated with clan campbell or a lowland clan or border clan. Anyone know?

The Burrell are an ancient family of Northumbria. We are said to be Boernician (Viking, Pict, Angle mix) I just found out that the Boernician's are a Border Clan. Is that correct?

I have one line I almost definitely trace back to one of the smaller, but oft mentioned border families.

Very good wee video. From a Glaswegian Border reiver

Well done, Clint. Nice mustache as well.... will you do your next podcast/video with your best Scottish accent the whole time? I'm thinking "Angry Scot Accent"...

I’m 8% Scottish. On my father’s side, I’m a Chisholm, on my mother’s side, it’s speculating that I can pretty much be Kirkland (a clan sept from Maxwell and Douglass). It’s possible I can be of those clans considering of my Scottish ancestry and the resemblance is strong. But I want to research more for further proof.

In the clan. Some people gave there kids to the chief of clan to bring up. To keep the clan. Strong

My Great Grandfather was from Hellensboro Scotland. He came to America on the Caledonia, a ship that was in the same cruise line as the titanic. I found out that I have Scottish on my fathers side as well. I can trace back to the Hamiltons and the Stewarts.

At 25:43 that image looks like Flemish cavalry.

A highland clan had a presumed common ancestor. In the case of new (external) member the kinship was symbolic. The non-kindred members of a boarder family had a client relationship. Like some one owing a favor to a Mafia don. Any pre-state society was kin based, but clan refers to a specific ethnicity. The borders did share this ethnicity, with the Highlanders. The kinship groups in Zulu society are referred to as clans, they have a chief (head of family), a nominal common ancestor, and a common ethnicity (Zulu). But they are cannot be referred to in the Highland sense of clans. They do not have a Gaelic ethnicity.

I am a Stringfellow, out of Armstrong (Strong-Fellow, Strong-Armed) and we were Border Reivers. (Sadly but that's what it was) Until the late 1500 and my actual ancestors fell inline with the English for about 100 years, but moved to the new world in 1660 when Charles II took the throne.

Do you know anything about the snowdon family around the borders?

According to my knowledge on the history, the clans worked as Households, which is the official meaning of the word Tribe. The Clans originally were all a unified whole: the chieftains were the fathers or heads of the body of each household. Some of the Clans had to act as beneficiaries to others, where they may provide certain things: wheat, cattle, resources, trade, work, protection, or herding and so on. What led to their demise, where they degenerated into crookedness was lack of effective policing, judiciary or justice another word for charity was lack of law enforcement. There's no other logic to conclude as to how they got by with their lives; unless people believe in false facts or secondhand info. The lands they lived in were very inhospitable; dark, cold and gritty; where they may have been gruesome encounters to survive between each household, where they acted desperately. Nevertheless, they were human beings. Most history displayed about the Reivers or their correct name: the Boarder Clans, is mostly gloomy cowboyish bravado and perhaps not at all accurate.

Galloway had more recent Irish admixture, the scots came to scotland around the 5th century and the Norse-Gaels invaded Galloway at around 12th century. Galloway means "land of the foreign gael" and also explains why the RM222 genetic marker is found in Galloway. It also sounds a lot like Galway which is in Ireland.

Speaking of Armstrong's my mothers maiden name is Elliott were all Armstrong's and Elliott's here boarders were a brutal place IV been blown away by some of the stories likes of little jock Elliott and red Hugh's red cap matters not boarderir highland to have Scottish history is amazing it's a feeling of belonging that no other lineage encaptures the same way (Livingstone) the bagpipes have always given me goosebumps even before I started learning none the less .thankyou

i served in the kings own scottish borderers infantry

My ancestry is Highland AND Lowland clans. What would you call clans that aren't in the Borders but not in the Highlands.? (Lowlands?) Wallace and Ochiltree groups both come to mind. One clan , Turnbull, I know is very close to the border, (they are also famous for stealing cattle) My highland clans are McFarland an Calhoun (Cowan is a sept of Calhoun)

So, my dna shows 61% Scottish. Both my parents were over 50%. On my paternal side the name is Wilson and it looks like they immigrated to the US in the 1800's. On my maternal side the name is Hall, her maiden name, and the Halls have been here since 1630. There is also a Douglas. My grandmother's line is Orem (is that Scottish?). This information is new to me so I know nothing about clans. Could someone point me in the direction to explore any or all those lines histories? Just an aside, both my parents were Rh negative blood types as am I. Seems Scots have a much higher percentage of that type than any population other than the Basque.

I am not sure why, but my family I think originated in the Hebrides, North Uists, I believe. We ended up in the Galloway area. I often wondered why we have a highland name, MacLellan, living in the Lowlands. We landed in Nova-Scotia in the mid 1700,s when England kicked all the Acadians out of Nova-Scotia and replaced them with Scottish Clans. We are related to Cameron, Lindsy, and Grahams. Great video, thank you.

Interesting. My grandmother was a Cummings or Comyn, Norman/Highlander and my grandfather, surname Fairbairn (Clan Armstrong) from the boarders.

Do you know how the Nixon's came to be in Cumberland? I am a Nixon, I have traced back to 1500's. It seems they were possibly clan MacNicol from Skye. The chief sent warriors to the borders in the 1300's, and it seems this is how Nix/Nixon attained their family seat in Cumberland. My other theory is that they were there since Strathclyde. Which would still remain a mystery how they got named sons of nicols. The haplogroup is r1b1b2a1b p-312. My Nixon paternal line was definitely not Anglo, or Norse.

Where is the division between Borderlanders and the Lowlanders. I'm of Clan Duncan (Donnchaidh) and was surprised by DNA to find out my haplogroup was from the Lowlands or Lothian Scott's,Gallaway,Stathclyde, Berwick and Ulster in Ireland and not the Highlands or around Argus and Aberdeen area.

I have Border Reivers on both sides of my family. Forsters and Maxwells

English reivers and scot reivers where related usually in the area of where they lived, there where 77 surnames which are the main reivers names english reivers like Dodds and Milburn love knocking off Armstrong sheep 25:50

My Clan Gow has no chieftain but have sworn loyalty to clan MacPherson so follow their chieftain

members of clan households - servants , soldiers etc would often adopt the clan name even if not related.

The Borderers never get a lot of attention in Scottish/English history books. It is strange to me given how many of my countrymen are descended of them. That said, Border Reiver history is my favorite part of British history and I am very proud to be able to trace many of my ancestral lines to border clans on both sides of the Anglo-Scottish border.

From UK, X British soldier, my regiment was The Black Watch, I identify as a Campbell. My lineage is Laurie, Kennedy and all I can say about my country is I am British. In my soul I am Scottish. Who dare meddle with me,

Another of my X great grandmothers was a Maxwell married a Irwin

My family name originated from the Scottish highlands as did our clan known as clan Gunn We were of Anglo Saxon and Celtic decent . It’s recorded that our clan was known as a fearsome warlike tribe that would fight against any threat against them. It’s recorded that the clan chiefs dawter was coveted by another clan member of another clan who she hated. So when he found out she would be marrying another who she loved from an allied clan of clan Gunn he killed several clan Gunn members and kidnapped the girl who killed her self by throwing herself off the ramparts of her kidnappers dwelling. That started a fued between the clan’s from roughly 1200 to sometime in the 1960s when a pact was signed ending the fued . As to what extent our family took part in the fueding isn’t known that being the Robson family. As an American I’m proud of my Scottish heritage and history. Finding out our family history has been difficult since much of the records have been destroyed or lost over the centuries. It’s not fully known either as to what extent our clan and family took part in the Scottish wars. One account claims we did not fight but instead sat upon a hill and watched the battles because it’s been claimed that our clan had family on both sides and neither side wished to kill there own family members. So it was agreed that the losing side would surrender to the winning side of the clan. How true that story is I don’t know. We haven’t found much on it . But records were poorly kept during the time or lost. It would be great to learn more if you have anything that you can share that would help.

If any problems. The lower farmers. Etc. Would go to chief to get weopons if need to fight

Genetic heritage of Highland vs Border?

Border clans (surnames) existed on both sides of the border and some had people on both sides.

Kinmont Willie Armstrong was rescued by William Redcloak Bell!

There were Riding Names in the Borders, led by a Riding Leader or Riding Captain.

I am a Haynes, but I was told by my paternal grandfather that our family name was Hay before coming to the American Colonies. Can someone tell me if that is probable?

USA casual kilts are good for daily wear or on the job, such as truck driver. I get the ladies attention!

BIG difference...Truely.

One one side I have Armstrong , the other Templeton that went back to alot of clans,MacDonald, Campbell, Ogilvy,Douglas,Colquhoun,Fergus, Ruthven, Ross, MacKay Kennedy, Sinclair and Bruce. I am a direct decendant of Robert De Bruce.

The word clan has too many connotations, and should should no be used for border 'families'. Protection was a major dynamic in the borders. Remember that scene in the Godfather, when a wronged man came to ask the Godfather for justice. That was what being a member of a border 'family' was mostly about. You needed protection from your thieving murdering neighbours, and the big man in the neighbourhood could provide it. As to everyone who has ever drank a tot of whisky having a tartan, this is what started the fad: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TV-KMVWXZ9g.html, and a Lowland eye for a business opportunity.

Is there a way to tell what clan settled in Kentucky

Clan Muirhead lost their Clan Chief in the early 1500s while backing the Scottish King against the English .

Ferniehirst Kerr/Carr. Came to the new world in 1630's.

If people listening to this are genuinally interested in the topic there are two essential books - The Steel Bonnets by MacDonald Fraser and Warriors of the Word by Michael Newton.

A Northumberland born Forster and proud of it

The kilts are from the 19 century this era

Low Scots, (think Robert Burns) is a lot like English, but is regarded as a separate language.

I have an intresting thought and i am very used to it that getting genuine feedback is very unusual however be there as it may here is my thought on history of the Clans.First of all i find the subject extremely intresting but,the trouble with any history at all is that the authors who write them make no complete account of what happened so we have a situation where one author says this and leaves out something important and another author who says that and leaves out something else important so what i am trying to get at is this there should be one author who should write down all the important things concerning the clans and not leave anything out in a word a complete book of the Scottish Clans. What i did was read all the histories of the Clans and compiled my own book not leaving anything out with all the facts and finding it very good i was completely satisfied and well worth the effort,this of course was my personal hobby and intended for my own use...

There are only a few documents that refer to Border reiving famlies as 'clans'...they certainly didn't refer to themselves as such.

I did a DNA test also and it's very interesting

Clan Bell of the west marches!

The narrator must be from clan McBald

Could it be that they were Pictish clans and great horsemanship was passed down?

Start at around 4 minutes if you want actual content.