The Clan History

The name Henderson or MacKendrick (Henry's son) is the same as Henryson or in Gaelic MacEanruig. The legendry ancestor of the Hendersons is Eanruig Mor Mac Righ Neachtan "Big Henry, son of King Nectan", said to be a Pictish King who reigned from A.D. 700 to 720. Unfortunately, it is impossible to substantiate this claim and it is more probable that the clan is descended from one Dughald MacEanruig who flourished in the 1300's. The principal family came from Glencoe, and were hereditary pipers to Clan Abrach. However, the male line came to an end when the heiress of Clan MacEanruig married into the MacDonalds of Glencoe through Iain Abrach of the MacIains of Glencoe. This clan of MacIain is long remembered as being the clan who was massacred at Glencoe in 1692. Another branch of the Hendersons in the north was a sept of Clan Gunn descending from Henry, a son of the chief George Gunn who was coroner of Caithness. There were also Hendersons of Fordell who resided at Fordell Castle near Inverkeithing in Fife. The castle was built in the 16th Century after the lands were acquired by James Henderson in 1511. The most distinguished of this branch was Alexander Henderson, leader of the Reformation who, with Archibald Johnstone, drew up the historic National Covenant of protest in 1638. This branch of the Hendersons is now the chiefly line although the present-day chief no longer lives in Scotland but in Queensland Australia.

Motto: Sola virtus nobilitat (Latin : Only virtue ennobles)
Names associated with the clan: EANRUIG EANRIG ENRICK HENDERSONNE HENDERSON HENDERSOUN HENRYSON HENRISOUNE HENDERSOUNE HENDRISOUNE HENRYESSON HENRISOUN HENDERSONE HENERSOUN HENREYSOUN HENRYSOUN HENRESOUN HENDIRSONE HENNERSOUNE HENDIRSOUNE HENNRYSON HENRISONE HENRIESOUN HENRISON INRICK INRIG KENDRICK KENRICK MACCANRIG MACCANRIK MACENRICK MACEANRUIG MACHENDRY MACHENDRIC MACHENRIK MACHENRY MACHENRIE MACHENDRIE MACKANRIG MACKENRICK MACKENDRIC MACKENDRY MACKENDRIE MACKENDRICK MACKENDRICH MACKENDRIG MAKANRY MAKHENRY ENRIG HENDRY HENDERY HENDRIE HENRY ENDHERSON ENDIRSONE ENDERSON