Clan Arthur/Clan MacArthur

Clan Arthur or Clan MacArthur is a highland Scottish Clan originating in the Argyll District of Scotland.  The surname Arthur is derived from the Gaelic term Artuir, meaning bear or bear man.  The Arthur’s and the Campbell’s share a common origin. The early Arthur chiefs even challenged for the leadership of the Campbell Clan.  The Arthur family sided with Robert the Bruce during the War of Independence and received a large amount of the MacDougall Clan’s forfeited territory after Bruce’s victory.

The motto of the clan is Fide Et Opera which means “By fidelity and labour”, and the clan’s crest features a laurel wreath.

In 1309 the Arthur’s were given the title, “Captains of Dunstaffnage Castle” .  Dunstaffnage Castle , located in Argyll, was originally built and occupied by the MacDougall Clan who forfeited the castle to Robert the Bruce.  The Arthur’s held on to the title and castle until the MacDougall Clan, under the leadership of Alan MacDougall, briefly retook the castle in 1470.  King James III of Scotland was able to quickly oust the MacDougall’s and awarded the title, “Captain of Dunstaffnage” to Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll.

The Arthur’s were considered to be a very powerful clan until 1427, it was said that they could gather an army of 1000 fighting men.  In 1427 James I called all chiefs to meet him in Inverness on the pretext of reviewing their land deeds.  John MacArthur along with two other chiefs were beheaded at the behest of the King, who believed that they were threatening his authority.  The Arthur’s clan holdings were forfeited to the crown.  A much less powerful branch of the Arthur Clan, the MacCailinmor branch, took over the chiefdom-ship of the clan.

After the Jacobite revolt and during the time of the Highland Clearances, much of the clan emigrated out of Scotland.  In 1780 the last chief of the clan for 220 years died in Jamaica, without a male heir.  In 2002 after an extensive research by the clan society, Canadian-born James Edward Moir MacArthur was recognized by the Lord Lyon as the rightful chief.

The Clan Arthur Society is a growing organization claiming members from all over the world.

Septs and Dependents – Arthur, MacCartair, MacCarter.

Further Reading:

The Top Ten Brutal Scottish Clan Massacres
Top 10 Haunted Scottish Castles
Top 10 Surprising facts you may not know about Scottish Clans