Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 27 on 09/06/2006.

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A bloody clan co-operative (Clan Chattan)

Clan Chattan is a coalition of small clans from the Highlands. James Irvine Robertson

Clan Chattan (pronounced ‘Hattan’) – the Clan of the Cats – is unique. It is not just one clan, but a coalition of more than a dozen occupying the central Highlands and who acknowledged the chief of the Mackintoshes as their Captain.

But it was only a matter of time before the Macphersons challenged for the leadership.

Had the federation been united, it could have rivaled Clan Donald and the Campbells in power. Amongst others, the alliance consisted of the Mackintoshes, Macphersons, Macgillivrays, Shaws, Farquharsons, Macbeans, Macphails, Clarks, Nobles, Macqueens, Davidsons, Cattanachs and Gillespies.

Victorian historians appropriated as many Septs and dependent families as they could to their parent Clans, but the 1,256 different surnames claimed by one authority for Clan Chattan must surely be the record. Many of these families were linked by blood as supposed descendants of Gillichattan Mor – the great servant of St.

Catan – of the ancient Culdee Church.

In 1947, the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the ultimate authority on such matters, separated the leadership of Clan Chattan from that of the Mackintoshes, recognising Duncan Alexander Mackintosh of Torcastle as 31st chief of Clan Chattan through the female line. John Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh is, therefore, the 31st chief of the Mackintoshes. His family has been resident at Moy Hall, south of Inverness, for the past six centuries.

However, the name Mackintosh means ‘Son of the Toschach’ or leader, and the original .....

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By James Irvine Robertson

Section : Scottish Clans

Page number : 56