Clan Moncreiffe
The Moncreiffes take their name from the lands of Moncreiffe, beside the River Earn south of Perth. The name is also spelled Moncrieffe, Moncrieff and Moncreiff.
History
The Moncreiffes take their name from the lands of Moncreiffe, below Moncreiffe Hill, near Bridge of Earn in Perthshire. Clan writing offers several explanations of the place-name, but none is certain, so we do not offer one here as fact.
The family is one of the older landed names of the Perth area. Some accounts date its hold on the lands to the thirteenth century, and grander stories of far older descent circulate in clan writing. The early generations are thinly documented, so we would treat both as tradition rather than established fact.
In the seventeenth century the estate passed from the senior line to a cousin, Thomas Moncreiffe, whose working life was spent as a clerk serving the Exchequer and Treasury in Scotland. In 1685 he received a Nova Scotia baronetcy. Published accounts disagree on the year of the sale by Sir John Moncreiff, so we give no date for it. Later accounts present this as the family estate passing to a cousin within the name, not out of it.
According to Historic Environment Scotland, Moncreiffe first had a tower house, which gave way in 1679 to a mansion. Sir William Bruce is tentatively credited as its architect, though the listing is cautious about that. Fire consumed the house in November 1957, and the 10th baronet, Sir David Moncreiffe, was killed in it. William Kininmonth designed the replacement, completed in 1962, which reuses the old doorpiece, which carries the arms of Thomas Moncreiffe and his wife.
After the fire, Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk became chief. He was widely known in his time as a herald, genealogist and writer on the clans, and he died in 1985. The Council of Scottish Clans and Associations now lists a chief of the name, styled Moncreiffe of that Ilk, and a clan society exists.
The surname has many spellings. Moncrieff, Moncreiff and Moncrieffe all occur, and the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations lists several. Not everyone with a form of the name will descend from the Perthshire family, so sharing a surname is a clue to possible kinship and not proof of it.
Clan Moncreiffe 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 “Moncreiffe” — 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 Moncreiffe 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
- Moncreiffe House. Near Bridge of Earn in Perthshire. An older house of 1679 was destroyed by fire in November 1957; its doorpiece was kept and set into the replacement completed in 1962.
Surnames
The clan name and its spellings
- Moncrieffe
- Moncreiffe
- Moncreiff
- Moncreif
- Moncriefe
- Moncrieff
- Moncrief
- Mon Crief
- Montcrief
Names associated with Clan Moncreiffe
- Scott-Moncreiff
- Scott-Moncreiff: A compound surname listed by the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations. The link is not detailed here.
“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 Moncreiffe tartan?
The Scottish Register of Tartans lists a green and red check, recorded by the chief with the Lord Lyon in 1978. The Register notes that the same pattern appeared as Old MacLachlan in an 1819 pattern book.
What is the Moncreiffe motto?
Sur Esperance, French for 'Upon hope'. The crest is a red demi-lion rising from a coronet.
Where are the Moncreiffes from?
Perthshire. The name comes from the lands of Moncreiffe near Bridge of Earn, south of Perth.
Are Moncrieff, Moncreiff and Moncrieffe the same name?
They are spelling variants, and the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations lists several. A shared spelling is a clue to descent, not proof.
Sources
- Moncreiffe (ref. 2980) — Scottish Register of Tartans
- Moncrieffe — Council of Scottish Clans and Associations
- Moncreiffe Estate, Moncreiffe House including walls, ancillary buildings and gatepiers (LB4535) — Historic Environment Scotland
- Moncrieffe House — Historic Environment Scotland (Trove Scotland)
- History of the Clan — Clan Moncreiffe
Clan histories are contested and sources disagree. If you can correct something here with a source, write to hello@tartanflag.com. Last updated 9 October 2026.