The Lowland Livingstons
Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2024 2:16 am
The Lowland Livingstons
The term "highland Livingstone" is used in order to distinguish Maclea clan Livingstones from the many lowland families who carry the same surname. Most famously, there was a very powerful aristocratic Livingston family. The West Lothian town of Livingston, and the aristocratic lowland family, both take their name from a Dark Ages figure named Leving (Latin "Livingus"). He could conceivably have been a Gaelic speaker, but the leading theory now is that he was an Anglo Saxon or Continental (Fleming, Frank, Norman, or even Hungarian), who possibly arrived in Scotland with queen Margaret, wife of Malcolm Canmore.
This fascinating article from Highland Papers, Vol. IV, 1296 to 1752, third Series, Scottish History Society, pages 94 to 103 suggests a strong bond, if not an actual relationship between the Highland and the Lowland families.
What is or hath been the occasion of this, I cannot well tell, but it is very ordinary for the 'Livingstons' in the low Country to be very kind to the 'McLeas', and to reckon themselves to have come of the 'McLeas' in the Highlands, and it is alledged upon the Highlanders that for ordinary they have two names, as the McLea's have -- that of 'McLea' in the Highlands, and 'Livingston' in the low country. I remember to have seen one Malcolm McLea who at that time was called Callum Dall and begging, and who had been a Soldier at the battle of Philliphaugh where the Highlanders were defeat, and he being wounded and coming to the Callander, near Falkirk, as he was stragling homeward to the Highlands and begging, and being required what name he was of, answered that he was of the name of McLea; upon which the then Lord Callender (10) who also was Earl of Linlithgow and Livingston, ordered a Surgeon to be sent for from Falkirk, and he to be taken care of at the Callander and kept there for three-quarters of a year, until his wound was cured, and then sent him home to the Highlands and called his son, the then Lord Callander and Linlithgow, and told him that tho' their family at that time made a figure in the world, and that tho' the McLea's in the Highlands made no great figure there, yet that their family were descended of the McLea's in the Highlands, and that at whatever place he met with any of the name of McLea that he should always reckon them as his own name, Livingston, and that he should be kind to them.
One theory about the first usage of this surname is, in the words of Sir Ian Moncreiffe, in "The Highland Clans":-
James Livingston of Skirling apparently resided for a while at Achandun Castle on Lismore; and it was probably at this time that the Macleays adopted his surname. Since he was their then overlord, this was perfectly proper by Highland practice, and it had the advantage of being a neutral but powerful Lowland name that tactfully prevented them from having to choose otherwise between the three great Lorn surnames of Campbell, Stewart and MacDougall. So the little sacred clan of Macleays on Lismore became Livingstones.
This theory puts the first tentative use of the Livingston surname by the clan around the time of the Dunavertie or Dunaverty massacre. It may well have been helped along by political convenience (allying with this lowland power may have helped the clan avoid having to take sides in the often brutal conflicts of the major clans of the region) as well as folk-etymology. To see how, note that the Gaelic name of the town Livingston is "Baile Dhun Leibhe" while the traditional name of the clan is Mac Dhunnleibhe. In this translation, the celtic word "dun" is correctly being seen as an equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon word "ton" (town). Presumably someone went one step further and decided that either the Mac Dhunnleibhes came from this city or Baile called Dhun Leibhe, or that the town had been founded by one of their clan, perhaps their founder?
In the 18th and 19th centuries, use of the Livingstone surname became more dominant within the clan, having originally been a surname only used when travelling in English speaking territories (like Glasgow or Edinburgh). For example it is used by the current Barons of the Bachuil, perhaps leading the way for all clan members still living near Lismore.
Before the change to Livingstone, the surname Maclea was more dominant, and in even older documents MacOnlea is seen. It should be kept in mind that by the time Livingstone had become a popular, many highlanders had emigrated to America, England, lowland Scotland and Ireland, which is how the old forms of the name have been preserved in many families
The term "highland Livingstone" is used in order to distinguish Maclea clan Livingstones from the many lowland families who carry the same surname. Most famously, there was a very powerful aristocratic Livingston family. The West Lothian town of Livingston, and the aristocratic lowland family, both take their name from a Dark Ages figure named Leving (Latin "Livingus"). He could conceivably have been a Gaelic speaker, but the leading theory now is that he was an Anglo Saxon or Continental (Fleming, Frank, Norman, or even Hungarian), who possibly arrived in Scotland with queen Margaret, wife of Malcolm Canmore.
This fascinating article from Highland Papers, Vol. IV, 1296 to 1752, third Series, Scottish History Society, pages 94 to 103 suggests a strong bond, if not an actual relationship between the Highland and the Lowland families.
What is or hath been the occasion of this, I cannot well tell, but it is very ordinary for the 'Livingstons' in the low Country to be very kind to the 'McLeas', and to reckon themselves to have come of the 'McLeas' in the Highlands, and it is alledged upon the Highlanders that for ordinary they have two names, as the McLea's have -- that of 'McLea' in the Highlands, and 'Livingston' in the low country. I remember to have seen one Malcolm McLea who at that time was called Callum Dall and begging, and who had been a Soldier at the battle of Philliphaugh where the Highlanders were defeat, and he being wounded and coming to the Callander, near Falkirk, as he was stragling homeward to the Highlands and begging, and being required what name he was of, answered that he was of the name of McLea; upon which the then Lord Callender (10) who also was Earl of Linlithgow and Livingston, ordered a Surgeon to be sent for from Falkirk, and he to be taken care of at the Callander and kept there for three-quarters of a year, until his wound was cured, and then sent him home to the Highlands and called his son, the then Lord Callander and Linlithgow, and told him that tho' their family at that time made a figure in the world, and that tho' the McLea's in the Highlands made no great figure there, yet that their family were descended of the McLea's in the Highlands, and that at whatever place he met with any of the name of McLea that he should always reckon them as his own name, Livingston, and that he should be kind to them.
One theory about the first usage of this surname is, in the words of Sir Ian Moncreiffe, in "The Highland Clans":-
James Livingston of Skirling apparently resided for a while at Achandun Castle on Lismore; and it was probably at this time that the Macleays adopted his surname. Since he was their then overlord, this was perfectly proper by Highland practice, and it had the advantage of being a neutral but powerful Lowland name that tactfully prevented them from having to choose otherwise between the three great Lorn surnames of Campbell, Stewart and MacDougall. So the little sacred clan of Macleays on Lismore became Livingstones.
This theory puts the first tentative use of the Livingston surname by the clan around the time of the Dunavertie or Dunaverty massacre. It may well have been helped along by political convenience (allying with this lowland power may have helped the clan avoid having to take sides in the often brutal conflicts of the major clans of the region) as well as folk-etymology. To see how, note that the Gaelic name of the town Livingston is "Baile Dhun Leibhe" while the traditional name of the clan is Mac Dhunnleibhe. In this translation, the celtic word "dun" is correctly being seen as an equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon word "ton" (town). Presumably someone went one step further and decided that either the Mac Dhunnleibhes came from this city or Baile called Dhun Leibhe, or that the town had been founded by one of their clan, perhaps their founder?
In the 18th and 19th centuries, use of the Livingstone surname became more dominant within the clan, having originally been a surname only used when travelling in English speaking territories (like Glasgow or Edinburgh). For example it is used by the current Barons of the Bachuil, perhaps leading the way for all clan members still living near Lismore.
Before the change to Livingstone, the surname Maclea was more dominant, and in even older documents MacOnlea is seen. It should be kept in mind that by the time Livingstone had become a popular, many highlanders had emigrated to America, England, lowland Scotland and Ireland, which is how the old forms of the name have been preserved in many families