Clan MacDuff

Clan MacDuff or Clan Duff is a lowland Scottish Clan that originates in the historic county of Fife. It is believed that the Duff family was descended from the Gaelic tribes who inhabited the Scottish Highlands before Roman times. The surname Duff was derived from the Gaelic term “dubh” which means dark complected with dark hair. The patronymic form of the name is MacDuff which would translate into “son of Duff”. The original Chiefs of the Clan were the Earls of Fife, rulers of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland. The MacDuff Clan lost this title in the 14th century when it was absorbed into the crown, it was returned to the family in 1759 when William Duff proved his descent from the original Earls.

The motto of the clan is Deus Juvat which translates into “God assists” and the clan’s crest features a lion holding a sword.

The historic seat of the Clan is MacDuff Castle located near East Wemyss in Fife. It is believed that the castle was constructed by the MacDuff’s sometime in the 11th century during the reign of King Macbeth of Scotland. In the 14th century the castle passed to the Wemyss family, who were descendants of the MacDuffs. Since that time the castle has passed through several hands and was eventually purchased by Sir John Wemyss in 1651. The ruins of the castle still exist on the Wemyss estate and are considered a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The last Chief of Clan MacDuff was Alexander Duff who died in January 1912 without a male heir. Currently the clan has no recognized chief and therefore is considered an armigerous clan.

The Clan MacDuff Society of America was formed in 1973 and claims to have over 1000 members world wide. The society is open to anyone with the surname MacDuff or any of the 400 surnames septs of the clan located on their website. The Duff House in Banff, once owned by the Earl of Fife and now part of the National Galleries of Scotland, is a popular touring spot for clan members.