Clan Sempill
The Sempills are a Renfrewshire family whose chiefs have been Lords Sempill since the late fifteenth century. Their old base was Castle Semple near Lochwinnoch, and the chiefship later passed to a Forbes line from Aberdeenshire.
History
The Sempills are a Renfrewshire family, associated with Lochwinnoch and the Black Cart Water. The origin of the name is obscure, and the spelling has always wandered: Sempill, Semple and Semphill all turn up, and the early records are thin.
The family rose to the peerage at the end of the fifteenth century, when the first Lord Sempill was created a Lord of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. We have only seen the exact date given in secondary summaries, so we say only that it fell in the late fifteenth century rather than fix a year.
The first Lord also shaped the local landscape. According to Historic Environment Scotland, in 1504 he established Castle Semple Collegiate Church as a place where a body of priests would offer prayers for his family, with a handsome tomb planned for himself and his wife. Flodden in 1513 cost him his life. His son then enlarged the building eastward so that it could house the tomb, and the apse at that end survives today. One account dates the foundation to 1505, but we follow the national body.
The chiefship later took an unusual turn. In the nineteenth century the title passed to the Forbes baronets of Craigievar in Aberdeenshire, who added the Sempill name to their own. The Court of the Lord Lyon's blazoning notes describe the Forbes-Sempill arms as carrying two mottoes: 'Keep tryst' from Sempill and 'Watch' from Forbes. We could not read the primary records, so we give no precise dates for this change.
William Forbes finished building Craigievar Castle in 1626, and the family lived there for several centuries until it went to the National Trust for Scotland in 1963. The Clan Forbes Society's page on the castle covers this later part of the Forbes-Sempill story. We have not been able to confirm who holds the title today, so we give the style only.
That shared history explains why the Sempill tartan so closely resembles the Forbes. The Register of Tartans notes the likeness comes from the historical connections between the two clans. Semple and Simple are both common surnames with their own histories, so a matching name is a clue, not proof of descent.
Clan Sempill 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 “Sempill” — 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 Sempill 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 Semple. The historic seat of the Lords Sempill near Lochwinnoch. Historic Environment Scotland says nothing remains of the castle itself.
- Craigievar Castle. In Aberdeenshire. Completed in 1626 for a Forbes ancestor of the later chiefs, and given to the National Trust for Scotland in 1963.
Surnames
The clan name and its spellings
- Sempill
- Semple
- Sempell
- Semphill
Names associated with Clan Sempill
- Symple
- Sympell
- Simple
- Symple: Listed among Sempill names by the Council of Scottish Clan Associations. May also be a separate surname.
- Sympell: Listed among Sempill names by the Council of Scottish Clan Associations. May also be a separate surname.
- Simple: Listed among Sempill names by the Council of Scottish Clan Associations. May also be a separate surname.
“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 Sempill tartan?
The Scottish Register of Tartans records one Sempill clan tartan, dated 1998. The chief recorded its thread count in the Lyon Court Books in 2000. It is close to the Forbes sett, which the Register puts down to the clans' shared history.
What is the Sempill motto?
Keep tryst, an old Scots phrase usually understood as 'keep faith'. The Lord Lyon's blazoning notes pair it with the Forbes motto, 'Watch', in the Forbes-Sempill arms.
Who is the chief of Clan Sempill?
The chief is styled Lord Sempill, a Scottish peerage created in the late fifteenth century. We do not name the present holder.
Where are the Sempills from?
Renfrewshire, around Lochwinnoch and Castle Semple. The chiefly line later became linked with Craigievar in Aberdeenshire through the Forbes family.
Sources
- Sempill (ref. 3765) — Scottish Register of Tartans
- Sempill — Council of Scottish Clan Associations
- Castle Semple Collegiate Church: History — Historic Environment Scotland
- Castle Semple, Collegiate Church — Historic Environment Scotland (Trove Scotland)
- Craigievar Castle — Clan Forbes Society
- The Court of the Lord Lyon: blazoning — Court of the Lord Lyon
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.