The Clan History

The name Campbell seems to come from the Gaelic Cam Beul, which translates as Crooked Mouth. The users of this name are known to have been around as a powerful family even in the time of the ancient kingdom of Dalriada, though the earliest Campbell to be found in written records is Gillespie of east-central Scotland, who had lands in this area granted to him in 1263.
Descent is claimed to be from the comely Ossianic fighter Dairmaid, and so the Campbells are called Clan Dairmaid. The Dalriadan lands in which they lived evolved into Argyll and Lorne.

In 1296 the Campbells were under the jurisdiction of the MacDougal Lords of Lorne. The MacDougals killed the Campbell chief and founder of the Argyll family, Sir Cailean Mor of Loch Awe. Since then, all Campbell chiefs have taken the patronymic of ‘MacCailean Mór’.

When his son Sir Neil so greatly supported Robert the Bruce, a marriage with Bruce’s sister was allowed. Sir Neil had his revenge for his father’s murder when he was given, for his patriotism, extensive lands taken from the Lords of Lorne and others in Argyll who had been Bruce’s enemies, and the increases in Campbell power and supremacy accelerated from here.

The family home had been the strong castle covering an entire, small, Loch Awe island called Innis Chonaill. Behind it climbs the peaks of Cruachan Beann, the hills from which the Campbells took their war cry. The 1st Earl of Argyll, however, moved in 1474 to Inveraray on Loch Fyne. He was instrumental in destroying the power of his long-time rivals the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles.

By the time of the 8th Earl the Campbells were aiding the Calvinists in their persecution of Highland Catholics. Then in 1644 Montrose arrived, and with the Catholics, MacLeans, MacDonalds and other victims of the Campbells behind him, turned the tables for a time.

At Inverlochy the following year, the clan suffered its greatest single defeat in history. William of Orange, brought in by 1688, restored the family estates and raised the 10th Earl to dukedom.

The present chief is the twenty-sixth, and the twelfth Duke of Argyll

Motto: Ne obliviscaris - "Forget not"
Badge: A boar's head.
Septs of the Clan: Bannatyne, Burns, Burnes, Burnett, Connochie, Denoon, Denune, Harres, Harris, Haws, Hawson, MacConnechy, MacConochie, MacGibbon, Macglasrich, MacIssac, MacIver, MacIvor, KacKellar, MacKessock, MacKissock, MacLaws, LacLehose, MacNichol, MacOran, MacOwen, MacPhedran, MacPhun, MacUre, Ure. Clan Campbell of Breadalbane: MacDiarmid, MacDermid. Clan Campbell of Cawdor: Caddell, Calder. Clan Campbell of Loudoun: Hastings, Loudoun.
Names associated with the clan:
Campbell: DENUNE DENOWNE DENOUNE DENOUN DENNOUN DENOONE DENOON DENONE DUNNOWN DUNNON DUNNONE DUNNUNE DUNON DUNOON DUNOUN DUNOWN DUNUNE DONON GINSOUNE HAWSON HAWS HAWSONE HAWES MACLAWS MACQUHARRANE CAMBEL CAMMELL CAMBELE CAMBALE CAMBAL CAMBELL CAMBELLE CAMBLE CAMPBELE CAMPBLE CAMPBILL CHAMBELLE KAMBAIL KAMBAILE KAMBAYL KEESACK KISSOCK KILLICHOAN KISSACK KISSICK KUMPEL MACCEASAG MACCEASAIG MACCISAIG MACCUSACK MACESAYG MACFUNN MACFUN MACGILLOCHOAINE MACFUNIE MACGILHOSCHE MACGILLECOAN MACGILCHOIS MACGILLEQUHOAN MACGILLEQUHOANE MACGILLHOIS MACGILLICHOANE MACGILLICHOAN MACILCHOMHGHAIN MACILCHOAN MACILCHOEN MACILCHOANE MACILHOUSE MACILHOSE MACILHOISE MACILLHOS MACILHOIS MACILLHOSE MACILHAOS MACILFUN MACILLHOIS MACILLICHOAN MACKILQUHONE MACKILLHOSE MACKILLICHOAN MACKILHOISE MACKLEHOIS MACLEHOAN MACLEHOSE MACPHUNN MACPHUNEY MACPHUN MACPHUNIE MACPHUNE MACPHUNY MAKILLICHOAN MAKGILHOIS MAKILQUHONE MAKGILLICHOAN MAKGILLECHOAN MAKGILHOISE MICKLEHOSE MUCKLEHOSE CRAIGNISH MACCULLION MACCALZEAN BANAUTHYN BANAGHTYN BANNACHTYN BANNACHTY BENNACHTYNE BANAUCHTYN BENNOTHINE BANNOCHTYNE BANNATYNE BENAUTY BENOTHYNE BANNANTYNE BANNATINE MACAMELYNE MACAOMLIN MACAMLAIN MACEMLINN MACOMELYNE PINCARTONE PINKERTOUNE PYNCARTOUN PINKCARTOUNE PINCRITON PINCARTOUNE PINKERTON PINKARTOUN PYNCARTOUNE PYNKERTONE PYNKERTOUN PYNKERTOUNE PENKERTON GLASS MACCALLION MACCALLIEN CAMPBELL GLASSE GLAS GEIB GEBBIESON BERNIS BERNES BERNYS MACFEDRAN MACFEDERAN MACCAISHE MACCAISH MACASH MACCASH HORIE MACGLASRICH MACGLASSERIG MACGLASSRICH ELLAR KELLAR KELLER MACALAR MACCALLAR MACALLAR MACCELLER MACCELLAIR MACELLERE MACEALAIR MACELLAR MACKALAR MACKELLAR MACKELLOR MACKILLOR MACKELLAYR MACKELAR MACKELLER MAKELAR MAKALLAR MAKKELLAR MACNICHOLL MACNICKLE MACNICCOLL MACNICHOL MACNICHOLE MACNICOL MACNICAIL MACNICOLL MACNYCHOLL MACNYCHOLE MACNYCHOL MAKNYCHOLL MAKNYCHOL MAKNICHOL MAKNICOLL NECLASSON NECOLSON NICLASSON NICOL NICOLL NICHOL NICOLE NYCHOLAY NYCHOLSOUN NUCKLE NYCHOLSON NUCHOLL NICKLE NICOLSON NICHOLSOUN NYCHOLL NUCKALL NUCCOL NICOLLSOUN NUCOLSON NICHOLSONE NICHOLSON NICHOLL NICHOLE NICHOLAY MACAVES MACAVIS MACAWIS MACAWISHE MACAVISH MACCAUSE MACCAUEIS MACCAVISH MACCAWIS MACCAVIS MACCAWS MACCAWEIS MACCAUISH MACCAVSS MACKAWES MACTHAMAIS MACTAWYS MACTAWISCH MACTHAMHAIS MACTAVISH MACTHAVISH MACTAUSE MACTAVEIS MACTAMHAIS MACTAEVIS MAKCAUS MAKCAWS MAKCAWYS MAKCAWIS MAKAWIS MAKAVHIS NECLASON HURRAY HURRIE HURRY BURNS BURNIS BURNICE BURNESS BURNES BURNACE BURNASSE MACQUABEN MACUBIN MACUBEIN MACUBINE MAKCUBYN MAKCUBEYN MAKCUBYNG GIBBINSON GIBBIE GIBBISONE GIBBESON GIBBON GIBB GIBBONS GIBBIESON GIBBS GIB GIBSON GIBSONE GIBSOUN GIBSOUNE GIPSON GIPSONE GIPSOUN GILBERTSONE GILBERTSON GILBERT GYBSONE GYBBESONE GYBSOUN GYPSONE GYBSON MACQUIBBON MACQUIBEN MACQUIBBEN MACCUBBON MACCUBBIN MACCUBBING MACCUBINE MACCUBEIN MACCUBYNE MACCUBBINE MACCUBENE MACCUBEN MACCUBBEN MACCUBYN MACCUBEINE MACCUABAIN MACGIBBONE MACGIBON MACGIBBON MACGIBONESOUN MACGIBSON MACGIBOUN MACAWS MACCOAN MACCOWAN MACCOWEN MACCOWNE MACKOWEAN MACKOWNNE MACKOWNE MACKOWYNE MACKOWEN MACKOWIE MACKOWIN MACOWEN MACOWAN TAWESON TAISE TAIS TAISS TAWSE TAUS TAWSEON TAWESSON TAWS TAISH TAWIS TAWSESON TAWSON TAWST TAWUS MACPHEIDRON MACPHEADARAIN MACPHEDERAN MACPHEDEARAIN MACPHEDRAN MACPHEDREIN MACPHEIDRAN MACPHEDDRIN MACPHEDRON MACPHEIDEARAIN MACPHEIDIRAN IVIRACH IVERSON IVORY IVER IVAR IWUR IVOR MACAVER EWAR EVIR EVAR MACEIVER MACEVAR MACEVER MACGEEVER MACGIVER MACIVOR MACIVIRACH MACIVERACH MACIVER MACIVAR MACKEVORS MACKEVER MACKEEVER MACKEVOR MACKEIVER MACKEAVER MACKEEVOR MACKIVERS MACKIVIRRICH MACKIVER MAKIVER ORR ORRE YWAR YVIR YVAR MACURE EWERS EWER EUER MACCOWIR MACCUIR MACEWIR MACCUR MACEUIR MACEWER MACEURE MACEUR MACCURE MACEUER MACEWYRE MACKEWER MACKEWYR MACKEUR MACKURE MACKUIR MACUIR MAKCURE MACYUIR OURE URRY URE URIE URRIE URRI MAKEWER TOMSON TOMSONE THOMSOUN TAMSONE THOMSOUNE TAMSON THOMSONE THOMASSONE THOMSON THOMSSON TAM THOMPSON THOMESSONE TAMESONE THOMASON THOMASSON THOMASSOUN TAMESON
Campbell of Loudoun: LOUDEN LOUDOUN LOWDON LOWDEN LOUDON CAMBEL CAMMELL CAMBELE CAMBALE CAMBAL CAMBELL CAMBELLE CAMBLE CAMPBELE CAMPBLE CAMPBILL CHAMBELLE KAMBAIL KAMBAILE KAMBAYL KUMPEL CAMPBELL
Campbell of Cawdor: CATTALL CATTELL CATTLE CAUDER CATTAL CAULDER CAWDALE CAWDOR CAUDLE COWDALE O'DOCHARTY CADDELL CADELL CADALL CADDER CADDEL CADELLA CALDAILE CALDELL CALDOR CALDER TORRIE TORRY TORIE CAMBEL CAMMELL CAMBELE CAMBALE CAMBAL CAMBELL CAMBELLE CAMBLE CAMPBELE CAMPBLE CAMPBILL CHAMBELLE KAMBAIL KAMBAILE KAMBAYL KUMPEL CAMPBELL
Campbell of Breadalbane: MACINISKER MACINESKAIR MACINESKER MACINNESKAR MACINNESKER MACKINNESKAR MACNESKER MACNESKAR MACGARROW MACAVERY MACCRUMB MACCRON MACCROM MACCRUM MACCRUMIE MACCRUME MACDHOMHNUILL MACCONDIE CAMBEL CAMMELL CAMBELE CAMBALE CAMBAL CAMBELL CAMBELLE CAMBLE CAMPBELE CAMPBLE CAMPBILL CHAMBELLE KAMBAIL KAMBAILE KAMBAYL KUMPEL CAMPBELL MACDERMENT MACDEARMID MACDERMID MACDIARMOND MACDERMOTT MACDERMAND MACDHIARMAID MACDERMAID MACDARMID MACDEARMONT MACDERMONT MACDAIRMID MACDERMOT MACDAIRMINT MACDIARMID MACTARMAYT MACCHONACHY MACCONNAGHY MACCONDACHY MACCONACHY MACCONOCHEY MACCONOUGHEY MACCONCHE MACCONNACHIE MACCONQUHY MACCONNOCHIE MACCONOCHIE MACCONAGHY MACCONNICHIE MACCONECHY MACCONACHIE MACCONECHIE MACCONNOQUHY MACCONIQUHY MACCONDACHIE MACCONDOCHIE MACCONQUHIE MACCONNECHY MACCONDOQUHY MACCONCHY MACCONNECHIE MACCONNQUHY MACCONNCHYE MACCONKEY MACCONCHIE MACCONDACH MACCONQUY MACDONAGH MACDONACHY MACDONOUGH MACDONOCHIE MACDONCHY MACDONNCHAIDH MACDOUAGH MACDONQUHY MACDHONNACHIE MACDONNACH MACDONACHIE MACDONACH MACHONICHY MACINECHY MACKCHONCHIE MACKHONACHY MACKONOCHIE MACKUNUCHIE MACKONDACHY MACONDOQUHY MACONOCHIE MACONACHIE MACONECHY MACONCHIE MACONOHIE MACONACHY MACONDOCHIE MAKCONOCH MAKCONCHIE MAKCHONACHY MAKONOQUHY VCONCHIE MACOSTRICK MACOSTRICH MACCRONE MACKAIRLIE MACKAIRLY MAKARLICH MAKERLICHE MACCAIRLICH MACCAIRLIE MACARLICH MACARLICHE MACCAIRLY MACCARLACH MACCARLYCHT MACCARLIE MACCHERLICH MACCARLICH MACCARLICHE MACHERLOCH MACHERLICK MACKERLOCH MACKEARLIE MACKERLICH MACKERLICHE MACKARLICH MACKERLIE MACKEARLY MACKERLEY GERROW GARRO GARROW GARROCH CONNOCHIE CONNOQUHIE CONOCHIE COMBICH COMBACH MACCHOMICH MACCHOMBEICH MACCHOMBICH MACCOMBICH MACCOMICHE MACCOMICK MACILCHOMICH CHOMBICH CHOMBEICH