Davidson Clan Crest
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CREST: A stag’s head erased Proper MOTTO: Sapienter si sincere TRANSLATION: Wisely if sincerely VARIATIONS: N/A TARTAN: Green ground, Blue and Black Checks, Red line. |
| The history of Scottish Clan Davidson is a fascinating one that dates back to the early 14th century. The clan is believed to have originated from the marriage between Donald Comyn and Slane Mackintosh, daughter of the sixth Mackintosh Chief. The Comyn name was prescribed around 1320, and the family and their followers became known as Clan Dhai, with the Davidsons being virtually wiped out as a fighting force at the Battle of Invernahaven in 1370. | |
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| Despite this setback, the surviving members of the clan moved north and gave rise to the Davidsons of Cantray and Tulloch. By the sixteenth century, the name Davidson could be found throughout Scotland, with the armorial motif of a running deer transfixed through the body with an arrow, or the more stylized three arrow heads with a lying deer, all pointing to a supposed common stock and origin.
The Davidsons were also known to be wild and unruly families in the debatable lands, and the name was associated with various places such as Samuelston in the Borders, as well as coastal towns like Perth, Dundee, and Aberdeen. One of the best-known Davidsons was Sir Robert, named variously as Davisooun and David Filius in civic records of the day. He was the alderman and customary of Aberdeen and led a contingent from the burgh to fight at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, where he was killed. The Davidson clan continued to play an important role in Scottish history, with Alexander Davidson, known as Clerk Davidson, serving as the town clerk and a writer in Fortrose. He married Elizabeth Bremner, second daughter of a burgess of Fortose, and had two sons: Henry, first Laird of Tulloch, who became a merchant in London, and Duncan, who became a Member of Parliament and was a great favorite of Queen Victoria. He even served as her Lord Lieutenant of Ross-shire. Today, the Davidson clan is still active, with the Clan Davidson Association first formed in 1909. Though it was inactive for some time, it has recently been revived and seeks to unite Davidsons throughout the world. A direct descendant of the Davidsons of Tulloch, now living in New Zealand, is seeking to matriculate arms in the Court of the Lord Lyon and claim the chiefship. Tulloch Castle, which was extensively restored in 1922 by the renowned architect Sir Robert Lorimer, remains an important focal point for Davidson traditions, along with other relics such as the suit of armor of the Provost of Aberdeen killed at Harlaw, which is still preserved by the City Council. Despite the challenges faced by the clan throughout its history, the Davidsons continue to hold a special place in Scottish heritage and culture. |
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