Untitled Document

Clan Muir

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motto: Durum patientia frango (Latin: By patience I break what is hard)
Names associated with the clan: Moar Moare Moer Moir Moire Moor Moore More Moure Muir Muire Mur Mure Myre

The name means 'living by a moor or heath'. The future King Robert II married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan, in 1346. Ten years later the marriage was challenged, possibly on the grounds of there being a degree of consanguinity between them, and a dispensation was sought from the Pope. This was granted in 1347, when the legitimacy of their children, including the future King Robert III, was formally acknowledged. Sir William Mure of Rowallan (d. 1616) married Elizabeth, sister of the poet Alexander Montgomerie (1545-98), but the male Rowallan line ended in 1700 on the death of their great-grandson.

MUIR; MOIR; MAOR; MORE and MOORE: Though phonetically similar, there is more than one possible origin for these names; (a) from a residence on or near a moor or heath; (b) a descriptive name derived from the Gaelic 'Mor' = Big. In time these names became hopelessly confused and, with the exception of a few prominent families, the majority cannot now be separated beyond four or five generations. In 1291 Thomas More of Galloway was executor to the will of Dervorguilla, the mother of King John Balliol, and several others of the name rendered homage to Edward I in 1296. In 1347 Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan became Queen of Robert II, the first Stewart king, and the fortunes of the Muirs only just survived that of their royal kinsmen, who failed in the male line in 1700. This family also used MUIR and evidence would tend to suggest that this form was most common in the South-West Scotland and Ayrshire. MOIR was most common in Aberdeenshire where the Jacobite Moirs of Stoneywood were long established - MOAR was confined mostly to Orkney and Shetland, where it was known from the 15th century, and is considered to be a variant of the Aberdeenshire name. MORE and MOORE were frequent substitutes for all forms. Contrary to popular belief, Muirs and Moirs are not accepted as septs of the House of Gordon, though such were dominant in Aberdeenshire and the South-West. A line bearing a common descent from c.1770 are linked to Clan Grant, while others have links with Clan Leslie through a chief's marriage to a More heiress in the 13th century, when a considerable part of her lands in Fife passed to the Leslies. Clan links should not be assumed without genealogical or geographical evidence, nor should Scottish ancestry be claimed on basis of name alone for in Ireland MOORE is among the 20 most common names and derives from 'mordha' (stately, noble). In Highland history when one encounters 'Mor' attached to a forename, he will rarely be an ancestor, for he was probably named 'Iain Mor' (Big Iain), to distinguish him from 'Iain Beg' (Little Iain), in a community who mostly bore the same surname.

MUIR HAS THREE VARIATIONS OF MEANING:
LARGE OR BIG IN GAELIC
A MOOR OR HEATH IN MIDDLE ENGLISH,
BY THE SEA IN PICTISH

THE SURNAME IS FOUND ALL OVER SCOTLAND, ESPECIALLY WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND AND IN THE ORKNEY ISLANDS WHERE IT IS ONE OF THE TOP 10 COMMONLY USED NAMES. IN 1995, MOORE AND MUIR TAKEN TOGETHER WAS THE 24th MOST FREQUENT SURNAME AT THE SCOTTISH REGISTRY OFFICE.

MUIR - MOST COMMON IN AYRSHIRE AND AREAS SOUTHWEST
MORE/MOORE/MURE - MOST COMMON IN THE HIGHLANDS
MOAR - MOST COMMON IN THE ORKNEY AND SHETLAND
MOIR - MOST COMMON IN ABERDEENSHIRE AND SOUTHWEST
MOHR - MOST COMMON IN CENTRAL LOWLANDS
MOR - MOST COMMON IN CENTRAL LOWLANDS
O'MORE - MOST COMMON IN IRELAND
MOURE - MOST COMMON IN GAELIC SPEAKING COUNTRIES

367 A.D. - FERGUS MOR, FROM IRELAND, INVADES SCOTLAND DEFEATS THE ROMANS AND BECOMES THE FIRST KING OF DALRIADA, ONE OF THE 4 PRINCEDOMS THAT EVENTUALLY FORM INTO SCOTLAND.

1214-1249 - IN THE REIGN OF KING ALEXANDER II, DAVID DE MORE WITNESSED A CHARTER IN AYRSHIRE

1291 - DE LA MORE, SURNAME FOUND IN AREA OF CONYNGHAM THOMAS DE LA MORE WAS EXECUTOR OF THE WILL OF DERVORGUILLA (DEVORGILLA), MOTHER OF KING JOHN BALLIOL

1296 - KING EDWARD I OF ENGLAND CONQUERS SCOTLAND RAGMAN'S ROLL OF SCOTTISH NOBLES: SEVERAL OF THE NAME (MUIR) RENDER HOMAGES 1) DOVENAL LE FIZ MICHEL MORE DE LEVENACHES 2) ADAM DE LA MORE OF COUNTY AYR 3) REGINALD (RENAUD) DEL MORE OF COUNTY AYR 4) GILCRIST MORE OF AYRSHIRE 5) REYNAUD MOR OF CRAGG' OF LANARKSHIRE 6) SYMON DE LA MOORE OF THANGARSTONE (THANKERTON)

1296 - ADAM DE LA MORE AND WILLIAM DE LA MORE WERE JURORS ON THE LANDS OF LADY ELENA LA ZUCHE IN CONYNGHAM

1296 - SIR ARCHIBALD MUIR FOUGHT AT THE SIEGE OF BERWICK AND WAS KILLED WHEN THE TOWN WAS SACKED BY EDWARD I'S ARMY AND BALLIOL'S ARMY ROUTED. HIS SON AND SUCCESSOR, SIR WILLIAM MUIR WAS KNIGHTED BY DAVID II. AROUND 1357, HE SENT ONE OF HIS SONS AS HOSTAGE TO ENGLAND FOR THE RANSOM OF THE KING.

GILCRIST MORE - INCURRED THE WRATH OF SIR WALTER CUMYN BUT LATER MARRIED HIS DAUGHTER AND SECURED THE LANDS OF ROWALLAN CASTLE NEAR KILMARNOCK IN AYRSHIRE. HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, ELIZABETH MURE OF ROWALLAN, MARRIES THE FUTURE KING ROBERT II IN 1346.

1200'S - A MUIR HEIRESSES LANDS IN FIFE PASS TO THE LESLIES THROUGH A MARRIAGE TO A LESLIE CHIEF.

1317-1400's - NAME OF MUIR/MOORE SPREADS WIDELY IN AREA WHERE THE NORSE LANGUAGE WAS STILL SPOKEN, PREDOMINANTLY IN THE ORKNEYS AND SHETLAND.

1329 - ROBERT THE BRUCE DIES. HIS SON BECOMES KING DAVID II OF SCOTLAND. SIR WILLIAM MUIR KNIGHTED BY DAVID II. AROUND 1357, SIR WILLIAM SENDS ONE OF HIS SONS AS HOSTAGE TO ENGLAND FOR THE RANSOM OF THE RING.

1346 - ELIZABETH MURE OF ROWALLAN, DAUGHTER OF SIR ADAM MURE AND JOANNA (JANET) DANZIELSTOUR, MARRIES ROBERT THE BRUCE'S GRANDSON, AND FUTURE KING, ROBERT II. ROBERT IS THE SON OF ROBERT THE BRUCE'S DAUGHTER, MARJORIE BRUCE, AND WALTER STEWART, THE HIGH STEWARD OF SCOTLAND, A HEREDITARY TITLE. FROM THIS UNION COMES THE STUART KINGS/QUEENS OF SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND AND, THROUGH THE MARRIAGE OF ELIZADETH'S AND RQBERT'S DAUGHTER, JEAN (JOANNA), TO SIR JOHN LYON, THANE OF GLAMIS (1372 by ROBERT II), ARE DESCENDED THE EARLS OF STRATHMORE AND KINGHORNE AND THE QUEEN MOTHER, ELIZABETH, AND HER MAJESTY, QUEEN ELIZABETH II.

1376 - MARRIAGE OF ELIZABETH OF ROWALLAN AND ROBERT STEWART'S DAUGHTER, JEAN (JOANNA) TO JOHN LYON, CREATED THANE OF GLAMIS BY ROBERT II, FROM WHOM ARE DESCENDED THE EARLS OF STRATHMORE AND KINGHORNE AND, ELIZABETH, THE QUEEN MOTHER, AND H.M., QUEEN ELIZABETH II.

1469-1470 - JOHN MUR (MUIR) WAS VICAR GENERAL OF THE PREDICANT ORDER IN SCOTLAND (Friars Ayr)

1526 - PATRICK MUR OF CLONCARD, FOLLOWER OF THE EARL OF CASSILIS, WAS RESPITED FOR MURDER.

1543 - MUNGO MUIR SUPPORTED HIS RELATIVE, THE REGENT ARRAN, DURING THE MINORITY RULE OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, AND FOUGHT FOR HIM AT GLASCOW IN 1543. HE CARRIED OUT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CASTLE OF ROWALLAN BEFORE BEING KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF PINKIE IN 1547.

1547 - FAMILY EMBRACED THE NEW REFORMED RELIGION AND BECAME OPPONENTS OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS.

1638 - SCOTS RALLY AROUND NATIONAL COVENANT. SIR WILLIAM MURE OF ROWALLAN, COVENANTER, & SONS AND * DAUGHTERS.

1700 - LAST ACKNOWLEDGED LAIRD OF THE CLAN DIES WITHOUT A MALE HEIR, LEAVING CLAN WITHOUT A LEADER. CLAN FRAGMENTS AND SEEKS THE PROTECTION OF BY LARGER CLANS BY BEING ABSORBED AS A SEPT. MUIRS IMMIGRATE TO AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA.

1770 - A LINE OF MUIR WITH A COMMON DESCENT FROM c. 1770 IS LINKED TO CLAN GRANT. OTHERS LINKED WITH LESLIE FROM A MARRIAGE IN 13th CENTURY. ALSO ABSORBED BY GORDONS, CAMPEELLS, DONALDS, AND STEWARTS.

1794 - THOMAS MUIR OF HUNTERSHILL, ADVOCATE AND REFORMER, WAS TRANSPORTED TO AUSTRALIA BY LEGAL SYSTEM CONCERNED THAT HIS SUPPORT FOR THE FRENCH REVOLUTION MIGHT TAKE ROOT.

1809 - SIR JOHN MUIR, MILITARY COMMANDER, FOUGHT AGAINST NAPOLEON AND FELL AT THE BATTLE OF CORUNNA IN SPAIN , 18 0 9 .

1830-1906 - ALEXANDER MUIR, BORN IN LESMAHAGOW, IMMIGRATES TO CANADA AS A CHILD. WRITES SONG, "THE MAPLE LEAF FOREVER."

1838-1914 - JOHN MUIR BORN AT DUNBAR,1838, IMMIGRATES WITH PARENTS TO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 184 9, AND LIVES NEAR PORTAGE WISCONSIN. ATTENDS UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, BUT DOES NOT GRADUATE, 1860-1863. PUBLISHES "THOUSAND MILE WALK TO THE GULF," 1867. GOES TO YOSEMITE VALLEY IN CALIFORNIA, EXPLORES, STUDIES AREA FOR 6 YEARS, 1868. BECOMES NATURALIST, EXPLORER, WRITER OF MANY BOOKS AND JOURNALS, AND FIRST ADVOCATE OF FOREST CONSERVATION IN THE U.S.A.. RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF THE YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK AND HE WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF SIERRA CLUB.

CLAN MUIR RESURGENCE BEGINS CLAN MUIR SOCIETY FORMED BY KURT MOORE. KURT MOORE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF SOCIETY, HAZEL (MOORE) RAE ELECTED VICE-PRESIDENT OF SOCIETY, BRENT MOORE ELECTED TREASURER OF SOCIETY. ANDREW MOORE OF AYRSHIRE ELECTED CHIEF OF THE HOUSE OF MUIR BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CLAN. GUARDIANS OF THE CLAN MUIR APPOINTED BY CHIEF ANDREW: KURT MOORE, ANDREW NEIL MOORE, HAZEL MOORE RAE. CONVENERS FOR THE CLAN MUIR APPOINTED BY ANDREW MOORE: IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: BRENT MOORE, ROBERT MORE, ROGER MOORE, ASHLYNN MOORE, JOHN MOORE, SENIOR, JANN MUIR RAVENHAWK, CAROL MUIR FAUSTER, JOHN PAETH.

OTHER NOTABLES OF THE NAME: JOHN MUIR WHO HELD THE FIRST CHAIR OF SANSKRIT AT EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY, HIS BROTHER, SIR WILLIAM MUIR, ARABIC SCHOLAR AND EXPERT ON THE EARLY HISTORY OF ISLAM, AUTHOR OF A BIOGRAPHY ON MOHAMMED. SIR THOMAS MUIR MATHEMATICIAN AND SCHOLAR AT UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. EDWIN MUIR, POET AND TRANSLATOR. SIR JOHN MUIR ONE OF BRITAINS MOST ABLE AND POPULAR GENERALS. JAMES MOORE, FICTION WRITER, PUBLISHED FIVE BOOKS ON SCIENCE FICTION AND HORROR. BRANDY MOORE, POET, FIRST PUBLISHED AT AGE 15, JAY LENO (VIA HIS MOTHER) COMEDIAN AND HOST OF THE TONIGHT SHOW, JOHN C. MUIR, ROBERT MUIR, JAMES MUIR, WILLIAM MUIR, AND JOSEPH MUIR: FIVE BROTHERS IN THREE BRANCHES OF THE SERVICE WHO SERVED DURING WWII, KOREAN WAR, AND VIET NAM WAR, ALL WELL DECORATED (INCLUDING THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, AND, IN PEACE TIME, FORMOSAN WINGS. ELLISON MOORE FOUGHT IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR, AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL.