Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 16 on 15/9/2004.

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The clan of the gods? (Mackenzies)

In the latest in our series on great clans of Scotland James Irvine Robertson considers the Mackenzies

In England the aristocracy, if grand enough, may be able to claim some ancestor who came over in 1066 with William the Conqueror. The Highland clans routinely trace back another 500 years to the kings of Dalriada or Columba and thence back to the kings of Ireland. But the Mackenzies reckon they can do better still. They go back to the gods. This will prove most interesting when put to the test of modern DNA research.

The god was the pagan Celtic deity Cernunnos, the Horned One, whose Gaelic name was Coinneach, the Bright One. The Chief of the Clan is called Caber Feidh, Stag Antlers, which refers back to this divine progenitor.

Amildly less intimidating descent would have the clan trace itself no further than the Karnones, the tribe of Picts who were the first people to ‘make smoke’ in the ancient earldom of Ross in the North, and the royal house of Lorne. The likelihood is that the family come from a son of the ancient earls of Ross.

The first charter to their heartland, the beautiful lands of Kintail now owned by the National Trust for Scotland, came in 1266 and was a reward given for joining King Alexander III in repelling the invasion of Haco, King of Norway.

The third baron of Kintail was Coinneach MacCoinneach (Kenneth, son of Kenneth) and this became Mackenzie in English. The ‘z’ should actually be a ‘y’ representing a consonant which gave an ‘ing’ sound. Acouple of centuries ago the name would be pronounced Mackingie. The same letter appeared in the surname Menzie.....

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By James Irvine Robertson

Section : Scottish Clans

Page number : 62