Clan Mackie facts for kids
The Clan Mackie is a Scottish clan from the Lowlands. A "clan" is like a large family group that shares a common ancestor and a special name. Today, Clan Mackie does not have a chief who is officially recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. This means the clan does not have a formal standing under Scottish law. Clan Mackie is known as an armigerous clan. This means that at one time, they had a recognized chief, or a chief who had the special family crest for the name. However, no one holds that position today.
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What's in a Name? The Origins of Clan Mackie
The name Mackie is an English version of the Scottish Gaelic name MacAoidh. The old Gaelic name Aoidh means "fire." So, the name Mackie is like saying "Son of Fire."
A Look Back: The History of Clan Mackie
The Mackie family was very important in an area of Scotland called Galloway during the 1500s and early 1600s. The main family branch was the Mackies of Larg.
In the early 1600s, Sir Patrick Mackie of Larg was one of the first fifty Scottish people to help settle lands in Ulster, which is in Ireland. About 1,000 acres of his land near Donegal were later taken over by John, the Earl of Annandale. The Mackies of Larg also bought lands in Kirkcudbrightshire called Bargaly and Auchencairn near Castle Douglas. Even today, you can still find Mackies living in Kirkcudbright.
Another important branch of the family was the Mackie of Corraith.
Symbols and Stories: The Mackie Coat of Arms
The special family crest, or coat of arms, of the Mackies of Larg has a unique design. It shows two ravens hanging from an arrow that goes through their necks. Above them, there is a blue section with a lion walking.
There's a cool story that explains these symbols. Long ago, a Mackie of Larg was with King Robert II. He was bragging about how good he was at archery. The King, getting a bit tired of the boasting, pointed to two ravens on a faraway tree. He asked Mackie to prove his skill. To the King's surprise, Mackie of Larg shot one arrow and hit both ravens!
The story says that because of this amazing shot, Mackie of Larg was allowed to put two ravens pierced by an arrow on his shield. The lion on the shield is there to represent the King.
Another old book from 1906, The Book of Mackay by Angus Mackay, tells a similar story. It says that in 1306, Robert the Bruce was hiding near Loch Dee in Galloway. He met a widow named Anabel and her three sons, who were excellent archers: M'Kie, M'Clurg, and Muiredach. They welcomed Bruce. The next morning, the widow's sons showed off their archery skills. M'Kie shot one arrow and hit two ravens perched on a rock. His brother Muiredach shot down a third raven that was flying. Bruce was very impressed and asked the sons to join him.
This event is believed to be why the Mackie family crest has two ravens pierced by an arrow. The Mackies of Larg's crest was never officially recorded in the Lyon Register, but old writings describe it with the ravens and a lion. Their motto is Labora, which means "Toil."
Later, Robert the Bruce rewarded the loyal widow and her brave sons. He gave them land called Cumloden in Kirkcudbright.
A Possible Family Link: Mackies and Mackays
Some historians, like Angus Mackay, think that the Mackies of Galloway might be related to the Clan Mackay. The Clan Mackay is another Scottish clan whose name also comes from the Gaelic Aodh, meaning "fire."
Angus Mackay points out that in the 1600s, Sir Patrick Mackie of Lairg in Galloway was part of a military group led by Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay, who was a chief of Clan Mackay. He also mentions that Sir Robert Gordon, a historian, believed that the Mackay family of Strathnaver (Clan Mackay's area) and the Mackie family of Galloway were related through a person named Martin of Strathnaver. Gordon knew both Sir Donald Mackay and Sir Patrick Mackie, so he likely got information from them.
An old document from the Mackay of Strathnaver family also says that Martin of Strathnaver settled in Galloway. Angus Mackay also noticed that the family crests of a branch of the Strathnaver Mackays and the Galloway Mackies are quite similar. Both Sir Donald Mackay and Sir Patrick Mackie sometimes signed their names as Mackie. Angus Mackay believes that the Mackie form of the name was common in both the Clan Mackay area and in Galloway, but most people named Mackie would have been from Galloway.
See also
- Mackie (disambiguation)
- Clan Mackay, a separate Scottish clan which also derives its name from the Gaelic Aodh
