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Clan Grant

Clan Grant is the clan of Strathspey, with branches in Glen Urquhart and Glenmoriston by Loch Ness. Its chief is Lord Strathspey and its rallying cry is 'Stand fast, Craigellachie'.

History

Nobody can say for certain where the Grants came from, and the Clan Grant Society itself sets out three rival accounts. One makes them Norse, descended from a Haakon Grandt who settled in Scotland around 960. One makes them Gaelic, kin to the MacGregors within the Siol Alpin group of clans that claims descent from Kenneth MacAlpin. The third makes them Anglo-Norman incomers of the 13th century, with a name from the French le grand. The evidence for any of them is thin.

The documents begin in the 13th century. Sir Laurence le Grant was Sheriff of Inverness in 1263, and the family held land in Stratherrick. John le Grant acquired part of Inverallan in Strathspey in 1316. In the 15th century Sir Duncan le Grant inherited Freuchie, and Strathspey has been the home of the chiefs ever since. In 1509 the Grants received the lands of Urquhart on Loch Ness as a barony. The Grants of Glenmoriston, the senior cadet branch, held the neighbouring glen.

The chiefs were consistent supporters of government. Ludovic Grant backed William of Orange, and Grants fought against the Jacobites at Cromdale in 1690. In 1725 a Grant company was among the independent companies that General Wade set to police the Highlands. These became the Black Watch, and the dark government tartan has been linked with the Grants since. In 1715 and 1745 the chiefs again sided with the government, though both times they pulled their men back before the end. The Grants of Glenmoriston went the other way. They were committed Jacobites and fought for Prince Charles at Culloden. Many Glenmoriston men were captured and shipped to Barbados as indentured servants.

Sir James Grant, remembered as the Good Sir James, founded the planned town of Grantown-on-Spey in the 1760s, hoping to give his people work and keep them from emigrating. He also organised famine relief. In 1793 he raised the Grant Fencibles.

In 1811 the chief inherited the earldom of Seafield, and for a century the two went together. When the 11th Earl died in the First World War in 1915, the earldom and the chiefship parted. The chiefship passed to the Lords Strathspey, who hold it today. The Clan Grant Society was founded in 1897 and keeps a clan centre at Duthil. The war cry, 'Stand fast, Craigellachie', refers to the hill behind Aviemore that looks over upper Strathspey.

Clan Grant tartans

Names and reference numbers follow the Scottish Register of Tartans. Mills sell most setts in modern, ancient and weathered colourways. The pattern is the same; only the shades change.

Get the kilt

When you order a kilt, ask for the tartan by its full name — for example “Grant” — and say which colourway you want. “Modern” is dark and strong, “ancient” is lighter, “weathered” is muted. The sett is the same in each.

We are choosing retailers we trust and will list them here soon.

Wear the colours

Our own Grant range is on its way: the name, the tartan and the motto on a heavyweight tee, a hoodie and a mug. About the shop.

Lands and seats

  • Castle Grant. The historic seat of the chiefs in Strathspey.
  • Urquhart Castle. On Loch Ness. James IV gave the barony of Urquhart to the Grants in 1509. The ruin is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

Surnames

The clan name and its spellings

  • Grant

Names associated with Clan Grant

  • Allan
  • Allen
  • MacAllan
  • Bisset
  • Bowie
  • Buie
  • Gilroy
  • MacGilroy
  • MacIlroy
  • MacKerran
  • MacKiaran
  • MacKessock
  • Pratt
  • Suttie
  • Allan: A common surname. Clan Grant sources list it only among names 'considered by some' to be septs.
  • Allen: A common surname. Clan Grant sources list it only among names 'considered by some' to be septs.
  • Bisset: Also appears on Fraser of Lovat lists.

“Associated” means the name appears in published sept lists for this clan. It does not prove descent, and many names are linked to more than one clan. Where your family lived is often the better clue.

Questions people ask

What is the Grant tartan?

The Grant tartan is a red sett with green, black and light blue, which the Register traces to an 1819 pattern by Wilsons of Bannockburn. The Register also holds 'Grant (Official)', the version the chief has confirmed as his preferred clan tartan, and the Grants wear the Black Watch as their hunting tartan.

What is the Clan Grant motto?

The motto is 'Stand Fast'. The full war cry is 'Stand fast, Craigellachie', after the hill above Aviemore where the clan gathered. The crest shows that hill on fire.

Where is Clan Grant from?

Strathspey in the central Highlands, around Grantown-on-Spey, with branches at Glen Urquhart and Glenmoriston beside Loch Ness.

Which surnames are associated with Clan Grant?

Names that some lists treat as Grant septs include Allan, Bisset, Bowie, Buie, Gilroy, MacIlroy, MacKerran, MacKessock, Pratt and Suttie. Clan Grant sources describe these as 'considered by some' to be septs, so treat them as associated names only.

Sources

  1. Members: chiefs of clans and names — Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (clanchiefs.org.uk)
  2. Clan History — Clan Grant Society (clangrant.org)
  3. Grant Ancestral Lines — Clan Grant Australia
  4. Urquhart Castle: History — Historic Environment Scotland
  5. Clan Grant — Electric Scotland
  6. Clan Grant — Wikipedia (supplementary check)
  7. Scottish Register of Tartans: Grant — tartanregister.gov.uk
  8. Scottish Register of Tartans: Grant (Official) — tartanregister.gov.uk
  9. Scottish Register of Tartans: Grant Hunting or Black Watch — tartanregister.gov.uk

Clan histories are contested and sources disagree. If you can correct something here with a source, write to hello@tartanflag.com. Last updated 17 September 2026.