Clan Lamont

Clan Lamont is a highland Scottish clan originating in the Cowal district of Scotland. According to legend the family was descended from an Irish prince of the O’Neill dynasty named Anrothan O’Neill. The first recorded history of the Lamonts was in 1235 when Sir Laumon signed a charter granting lands in Cowal to Paisley Abbey. It is believed that the surname Lamont is derived from an Old Norse name Logmaor.

The motto of the clan is Ne Parcas nec Spernas which means neither spare nor despise. The Clan crest features a hand couped at the wrist.

This historic seat of the clan is Toward Castle located on the Cowal peninsula. Toward Castle was built by the Lamont family in the 15th century and was owned by the clan until 1809. In 1646 the castle was attacked by Clan Campbell and abandoned.

The Lamonts were considered to be a very powerful clan in the Cowal peninsula up until the 17th century. Their power was greatly diminished after the 1646 Dunoon massacre where over 200 members of the clan were slaughtered by the Campbell clan and there chief was imprisoned for five years.

The Clan Lamont Society was formed in 1895 with the goal to “preserve and promote the written history of the Clan Lamont”. The society’s museum is located in Inverchaolain on the Cowal peninsula in a building donated to the society in 1958 by Augusta Lamont.

Septs. and Dependents – Lamb, Lannnie, Lamondson, Landers, Lamond, Lucas, Luke, MacIlduie, MacClymont, MacGillegowie, MacLucas, MacLymont, Meikleham, Toward, Turner, Whyte.