Clan Rollo

History

The Rollos are a Perthshire family, and their story is tied to Duncrub, near Dunning. A charter of February 1380 (1380-1 by modern reckoning) confirmed lands to John de Rollo. Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, published in 1764, says it was dated at Methven and covered Findony, part of Dunning, Duncrub and Ledketty. Clan accounts treat this as the start of the family's long hold on Duncrub.

Later landmarks come from genealogical and clan accounts rather than from records we could read in full. They say William Rollo of Duncrub had his lands made a free barony by James IV on 26 August 1511. He is also said to have been killed at Flodden on 9 September 1513, perhaps with his elder son Robert. We treat both as likely, but not fully checked.

The peerage came in the seventeenth century. Sir Andrew Rollo, born in 1577 and sheriff of Perthshire from 1633, was raised to the Scottish peerage as Lord Rollo of Duncrub. Cracroft's Peerage gives the letters patent as dated 10 January 1651 (1650/1 in old-style reckoning). Accounts link the honour to his loyalty to Charles II. The title has passed down since, and the chief of the name is styled Lord Rollo. We do not name the present holder here.

Duncrub itself has altered greatly over time. Local history sources say William Burn extended and remodelled an older house there in 1836-7 for the 8th Lord Rollo, and that a larger Victorian mansion later took its place. After inheriting in 1946, the 12th Lord judged the building impractical to live in or keep warm, and it was pulled down in 1950. Only the chapel, a listed building, and part of the west wing survive, and both are now private homes.

Today the Council of Scottish Clan Associations gives Pitcairns House in Perthshire as the clan's historic seat. It records the French motto La fortune passe partout, which is usually given as 'Fortune passes everywhere'. Translations vary a little between sources, so treat any single English wording as an approximation.

The name has many spellings. The Council of Scottish Clan Associations lists forms such as Rollock, Rollok, Rolloh, Rollow and Rolo among the names linked to the clan, along with shorter forms such as Rou and Roul. Some of these will be separate families who happen to share a spelling. As ever, a surname on a list is a clue and not proof of descent.