Clan Boyd

Clan Boyd is a lowland Scottish clan originating in the Ayrshire district of Scotland. The origin of the surname Boyd is unknown with some scholars believing that it is a Gaelic term, others believe the name is Norman or Saxon.  The first recorded use of the surname Boyd is in 1205 when Robert de Boyd witnessed a contract between the Lord of Eglinton and the burgh of Irvine.

The clan’s motto is Confido which means I trust.  The Clans crest features a hand with the outer fingers bowed inwards.

The historic seat of the Boyd’s is Ean Castle located in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire.  Robert the Bruce awarded the property, where the castle now sits, to the Boyd clan as a reward for their support in the 1314 battle of Bannockburn.  Sir Thomas Boyd began the construction of the castle in 1350.  The castle was damage in an accidental kitchen fire in 1735 and was sold in 1746 due to financial difficulties.

The House of Boyd Society was formed on October 15, 1988 at the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Georgia.  The goal of the society is to preserve and promote the Scottish heritage of the clan members.  The Society holds an annual AGM and publishes a newsletter named the Dean Road.  Many Boyd artifacts can be viewed at a Dean Castle collection exhibit in East Ayrshire.