The Clan History

Legend has it that the first Graham was one Gramus who forced a breach in the Roman Antonine wall known as Graeme's Dyke in 420 A.D. However, historians generally believe that the Grahams were of Norman descent. The first record of the name was William de Graham who received the lands of Aberdeen and Dalkeith from David 1 in 1127. From him descend all the Grahams of Montrose. They became numerous in Liddesdale and the Borders and later obtained lands in Strathearn and Lower Perthshi re, the area with which the clan is now associated. The main line of Graham chiefs were long and loyal supporters of the Scottish cause. Sir John Graham of Dundaff, a friend and follower of Wallace was killed at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. His son Sir David received the lands of Montrose for faithful service to King Robert the Bruce. The 3rd Lord Graham was created earl in 1504 and fell at Flodden in 1513. James, the 5th earl was created Marquis of Montrose. Two of Scotlands greatest generals have been provided by the Grahams of Montrose. James Graham, 1st Marquis led the war in Scotland on behalf of Charles I and John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee (Bonnie Dundee), led the highly successful campaign for James VII during which time he managed to organise the Highlanders into a strong single force and gain great victories, notably the Battles of Inverlochy and Killicrankie. He was so unreplaceable that the campaign collapsed without him. It was the Marquis of Graham, later, Duke of Montrose who moved the motion in parliament to repeal the Act of Proscription of the Highland Dress passed in 1782.

Clan Graham of Menteith
William de Graham witnessed the charter of the Abbey of Holyrood in 1128, and was presented the lands of Dalkeith by King David I. Towards the end of the twelfth century his descendant acquired the lands of Dundaff. Towards the end of the fourteenth century Sir Patrick Graham of Dundaff, second son of a chief of the Grahams, married Euphemia, heiress of Prince David, Earl of Stratherne, son of King Robert II. Their son, Malise Graham, had the earldom of Stratherne removed from him by King James I and given to his uncle, Robert Graham, on the grounds that his mother should not have inherited a title whose descent was strictly through the male line, but received the earldom of Menteith instead.

The Grahams of Esk, Netherby, and Norton-Conyers are descended from Malise Graham's second son.

Clan Graham of Montrose
The house of Graham of Montrose stems from the younger son of William de Graham, a descendant of whom acquired Old Montrose and lands around from Robert I (the Bruce) in 1325.

Approx in 1410, Sir William Graham of Kincardine married his second wife Mary Stewart, second daughter of King Robert III and widow of George Douglas (d. 1403), 1st Earl of Angus, and of Sir James Kennedy, by whom she had James Kennedy (1408-65), Bishop of St Andrews and Lord Chancellor of Scotland (after Graham's death she acquired a fourth husband). One of their sons, Patrick Graham (d.1478), succeeded Kennedy at St Andrews and persuaded Pope Paul II to promote the see to an archbishopric. James Graham (d.1747), 4th Marquis of Montrose, was created Duke of Montrose in 1707. Between 1712 and 1724, when he gave up in desperation, he prosecuted a running feud against Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734).

Motto: Ne oublie - "Do not forget".
Badge: A winged falcon attacking a stork.
Septs of the Clan: Airth , Allardice, Allardyce, Bonar, Bonnar, Bontein, Bontine, Buntain, Bunten, Buntine, Bunting, Graeme, Grahame, Grahym, Grim, Grymn, Hadden, Haldane, Macgibbon, Macgilvernock, Macgrime, Maharg, Menteith, Monteith, Pitcairn, Pye, Pyott.
Names associated with the clan: Graham of Menteith: ALIRDES ALDERDICE ALYRDES BONTEIN BUNTYNE BUNTYNG BONTINE BOUNTENE BUNTEYNE BUNTEN BUNTYNGE BUNTING BUNTAIN BUNTINE BUNTON BUNTIN BUNTYN BUNTENE BONTYNE MANTEETH MENTAYTH MONTEATH MONTECHT MENTHETH MENTEATH MONTEITH MYNTEITH MYNTETHE MUNTEITH MUNTETHE MYNTETH MACGILVERNOCK MENTEITH ARDES MACCURTAIN MACKEURTAIN ALLARDYCE ALLARDICE ALLARDES ALLYRDAS ALLYRDES ALLIRDAS ALLIRDASSE ALLIRDES ALERDICE ALERDYCE ALLERDES ALLERDAIS ALLERDAS ALERDES GRAHYM GRYM GREYM GRAHM GREYME GRAHEME GRAHEM GREME GRAHME GRAIHAM GREEME GRAM GRAME GRAHAME GRAEM GRAYME GRAEME GRAYM GREM GRIMM GRIM GREHME GRIME MACCRIME MACGRIME GRAHAM DOIG DOG Graham of Montrose: MONTROSE BONAR BONNAR Graham: GRAHYM GRYM GREYM GRAHM GREYME GRAHEME GRAHEM GREME GRAHME GRAIHAM GREEME GRAM GRAME GRAHAME GRAEM GRAYME GRAEME GRAYM GREM GRIMM GRIM GREHME GRIME MACCRIME MACGRIME GRAHAM AIRTH GRUAMACH Regent