Septs of Clan Cumming (Comyn)

Badenoch (and Variant: Baddenoch)

Surname Origin & Association: Badenoch is a territorial surname taken from the district of Badenoch in Inverness-shire, which was the power base of the Comyn lords in the 13th century.

Historical Context: After the Comyns’ fall, some descendants and former vassals adopted Badenoch as a surname, reflecting their connection to the old Comyn territory. The name became a sept of Clan Cumming due to its regional and feudal ties.

Buchan

Surname Origin & Association: Buchan is a territorial surname from the northeast Scottish region of the same name. The Comyn family acquired the Earldom of Buchan in the 13th century.

Historical Context: When the Comyns ruled as Earls of Buchan, local families under their lordship adopted the regional name. After Bruce’s campaign against the Comyns, some survivors took Buchan as a surname, aligning them historically with Clan Cumming.

Cheyne (and Variants: Chesney, Cheney, Chiene)

Surname Origin & Association: Cheyne is of Norman French origin, derived from Old French chesne (oak). The family came to Scotland in the 12th century and settled in the northeast.

Historical Context: The Cheynes allied with the Comyns through marriage and feudal service. Sir Reginald le Chen married into the Comyn family and served as Chamberlain of Scotland under Comyn rule.

Common (and Variants: Commons, Coman, Cowman)

Surname Origin & Association: These surnames are derived from Gaelic Comán or Ó Comáin, names phonetically similar to Comyn. They reflect Gaelicized or anglicized versions of the name.

Historical Context: After the fall of the Comyns, some branches and followers adopted these surnames to avoid persecution. They are recognized as septs due to linguistic and ancestral ties to Clan Cumming.

Cumming (and Variants: Comyn, Cumyn, Cummins, Cummings, Commyn)

Surname Origin & Association: Cumming is the modern form of the original Comyn surname, which came from the Norman family de Comines of Flanders.

Historical Context: This is the principal surname of the clan. The Comyns held three earldoms and were one of the most powerful families in 13th-century Scotland. After their fall, the name survived in various forms, with the Cummings of Altyre becoming the recognized chief line.

Lendrum (and Variant: Landrum)

Surname Origin & Association: A territorial surname from the lands of Lendrum in Aberdeenshire, adopted by a cadet of the Comyn family.

Historical Context: After the Comyn downfall, a younger son of the Buchan Comyns adopted the surname Lendrum to maintain his estates. The name is a known cadet and sept of Clan Cumming.

MacNiven

(and Variants: Niven, Nevin, Nevinson, Nivison) Surname Origin & Association: MacNiven comes from Gaelic Mac Naoimhín, meaning “son of the little saint.”

Historical Context: The MacNivens of Breachachie lived in Badenoch under Comyn protection. Their loyalty to the Comyns led to conflict with other clans, cementing their place in Cumming history.

MacSkimming (and Variants: MacSkimmon, Skimming)

Surname Origin & Association: Derived from Gaelic Mac Shimí or Mac Shimidh, meaning “son of Simon.”

Historical Context: Though not originally of Comyn descent, this family aligned with the Cummings in Galloway or the Highlands and became integrated into the clan structure.

Russell

Surname Origin & Association: Russell is of Norman origin, from Old French Rousel meaning “red-haired.”

Historical Context: The Russell family became linked to the Comyns through the marriage of Sir John Russell to the widow of Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith. Their descendants remained allied with Clan Cumming.

References (APA Style)

Adam, F. (1924). The Clans, Septs, and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: W. & A.K. Johnston.

Black, G. F. (1946). The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: The New York Public Library.

Clan Cumming Society of the USA. (n.d.). Surnames Associated with the Clan. Retrieved from https://www.clancumming.us/surnames.html

Electric Scotland. (n.d.). Clan Landrum (Lendrum) History. Retrieved from https://electricscotland.com/webclans/htol/landrum2.html

Reginald le Chen – Wikipedia. (2023). Reginald le Chen (d.1293). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_le_Chen_(d.1293)

Russell, J. – Wikipedia. (2023). John Russell (died 1270). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Russell_(died_1270)

Way, G., & Squire, R. (1994). Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. Glasgow: HarperCollins.