The name MacRae or Macrae  began by being given to individual men in various places who were thought to be endowed with an unusual gift of sanctity and grace.  In Gaelic the MacRaes were called “Clann Mhicrath” (The descendants of Macrath) indicating that the name was a personal name and was not patronymic.  In the eleventh and twelfth centuries it was used as the personal name of lords, poets and  mostly, ecclesiastics.  Today the name has  many spellings, influenced by differences among the various places MacRaes have settled and  by the attempts of civil authorities to spell the name phonetically.

The first known home of a MacRath in Scotland was at Clunes in the Beauly District on the lands of Bissett, Lord Lovat,  sometime during the last half of the 13th century.  According to tradition,  his name was Maurice and he had four sons.  The Bissetts lost control of Lovat sometime between 1305 and 1333, when with no male heirs, their daughter Mary married a Fraser and he became Lord Lovat.  Mary and at least two succeeding generations of Fraser children were fostered (raised) in a MacRath home, and they developed such warm feelings for their foster family that the Frasers inscribed over the door at Beaufort Castle in Beauly the following:

            “Fhad ‘sa bhitheas Frisealach a stigh, na bitheadh MacRath a muigh”

            (As long as a Fraser lives within, let not a MacRath remain without.)

At some point for reasons unclear, the sons of Maurice left Clunes.  One son, Ian,  went to Kintail on the West coast of the Highlands where he was connected with the Mackenzies, who were just getting a foothold in the west having recently acquired Eilean Donan Castle.  Ian established a family which became one of the chief families of Kintail for approximately 200 years.   The second MacRae to go to Kintail was invited by Murdoch, fourth chief of the Mackenzies.  Other MacRaes likely migrated west to Kintail in succeeding years.  

However the founder of  Clan MacRae was Fionnla Dubh Mac Gillechriosd (Black Finlay, the son of Christopher.)  His courage and wise counsel in a time of crisis led Alexander, the Mackenzie Chief, to greatly increase his power and that of the Kintail MacRaes. The MacRaes were expert marksmen who served as archers  and warriors for the Mackenzie forces first in Kintail and also in Gairloch.  They were the official bodyguards of the Mackenzies who were themselves the official bodyguards of the King.   They became famous as the Mackenzies’ “shirt of mail.” 

There was a bond of trust and affection between the MacRaes, Mackenzies and Macleans perhaps initially because the three clans were of common ancestry.  During the ascent of the Mackenzies in the west, this bond between the MacRaes and the Mackenzies was cemented by the loyalty and distinguished service of the MacRaes who were instrumental in the Mackenzies’ acquisition of land and title.  Mackenzie Chiefs became Barons, then

eventually Lords and Earls of Seaforth.  In return, Mackenzie chiefs repeatedly appointed MacRaes to be Constables of Eilean Donan Castle. MacRaes also served as counselors to the chiefs, tutors of the chiefs’ sons, Chamberlains of Kintail and ministers of the local churches.  There were also poets, physicians and musicians among the MacRaes. But the times and circumstances dictated that they would be most known for their prowess in combat.  Two often quoted sayings were:

            “Little wat ye wha’s comin’

            A’ the wild MacRas are comin”

                        and

            “Of a’ the Heilan’Clans, MacNab is most ferocious, except the MacIntyres, the             MacRas and the Mackintoshes.”

The Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 was a disastrous event for the MacRaes.  The crucial battle was at Sheriffmuir, near Stirling.  The MacRaes formed the left flank and were left unprotected when the Jacobite cavalry was moved by error across to the right.  The Highland foot (Macraes) were charged by the Government cavalry, fell back and  rallied again and again, up to twelve times.  Of the 232 Jacobite casualties suffered in the battle, 60 were killed and 58 of those were MacRaes.  Among those killed was Duncan MacRa.  As a young man he was known for both his superior strength and his tender heart.  During the battle he killed at least seven men with his claymore before he was shot down by an English trooper.  His claymore was exhibited for many years in the Tower of London as “The great Highlander’s sword.”   Another MacRae  killed at Sheriffmuir was John of Conchra.  Distinguished in battle and esteemed in the Highlands, he was one of the “Four Johns of Scotland.”   Four years later in the battle of Glenshiel, Eilean Donan Castle was blown up from the inside by Government forces following the surrender of the castle by garrisoned Spanish defenders.  It remained in ruins for 200 years.

The Jacobite wars ended with a catastrophic defeat at Culloden Moor in 1746.   Afterwards, the people living on the lands of the Earl of Seaforth who had been the richest in the Highlands became impoverished as harsh reprisals were enforced against them.  In the process, the clan system was crushed.  Highlanders emigrated to places such as Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand.  Clan MacRae became the “Scattered children of Kintail.”  Among those who remained in Scotland was Lt.-Col. John MacRae- Gilstrap, a direct descendant of the founder of Clan MacRae, Fionnia Dubh Mac Gillechriosd.  He purchased the castle ruins and rebuilt it from 1912-1932.   Its beauty plus its spectacular setting has made it the most photographed castle in Great Britain and it draws many visitors every year.

During the 30 years following the end of the Jacobite wars, many MacRaes left Kintail bound for America, often for North Carolina where they and their descendants have contributed in many ways to the state.   (The following will serve as examples of the many contributions MacRaes have made wherever they chose to settle.)  In Cumberland county John MacRae was Mayor of Fayetteville from 1818 to 1853.  He published the newspaper, the “Carolina Observer.”  In 1833 he published a new map of the State of North Carolina.  William MacRae of Wilmington fought for the Confederate Army in almost all the battles of the Civil War and rose to the rank of Brigadier-General.  Elizabeth MacRae became a missionary worker who taught in Banner Elk at a school first known as the Elizabeth MacRae Institute.  It is now Lees-MacRae College.  Donald MacRae was director of the North Carolina Railroad Company and the Bank of Wilmington and was British Vice-Counsul for the State of North Carolina prior to the Civil war.

Hugh MacRae was a mining engineer and master developer who formed the Linville Improvement Company in 1889 and was responsible for the development of the village of Linville.  He also built the highway between Linville and Blowing Rock.  Grandfather Mountain became a tourist destination under his direction and his daughter, Mrs. Agnes MacRae Morton along with her family built the Scottish village at Invershiel and organized the Grandfather Mountain Games.  Louis T. Moore, New Hanover historian called him “Eastern Carolina’s outstanding citizen of the last 100 years.”  His son, Hugh MacRae II was organizer and first President of the Clan MacRae Society of North America.

Faye Moore, Director and Society Historian, Clan MacRae Society of North America

5/27/2005 

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