Clan Henderson Roots

Clan Henderson Roots

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   Gaelic name:

Henderson became a family name in several major areas. Our earliest Henderson reference appears with Eanruig Mor Mac Righ Neachtan --Big Henry, son of King Nectan -in Argyll.

Argyll: MacNaughton

This relationship to King Nectan, a Pictish king (maybe one of the Cruithne mormoars or ri ), from whom the MacNaughtons claim descent provides the basis for their claim to Hendersons as a sept. They consider that "our" Henry was a son (mac) of Nectan and therefore we should be MacNaughtons as well. We recognize the logic and expect there was probably some historical relationship, but have yet to find modern Hendersons with a pedigree connected to this family. Let me add that the MacEanruig was in Glencoe (Argyll) a century or so before the MacNaughton-we do not accept any real relation with them; also, there were at least five Kings named Nectan.

Glencoe: MacDonald

The Chieftain of the MacEanruigs ruled Glencoe for some three centuries until displaced by theMacDonalds when King Robert the Bruce gave the area to Angus Og, Lord of the Isles, for his support at Bannockburn. In the after action report on the Massacre at Glencoe, the presence of two chieftains was noted-we were there, even at that time.

Caithness: Gunn

Henry Gunn left his clan Gunn lands and set up his own family home in the lowlands of Caithness.

The Shetlands:

Hendersons appeared in the Shetland Islands. Their line is well documented.

The Borders:

Henrysons were one of the riding clans who peopled Liddesdale in the Middle Marches. They were without any apparent organization or fealty to any other clan, although they intermingled with the Eliotts and moved first to Ulster and then to the United States with them.

Ulster:

From the Borders, Hendersons crossed to Ulster and from there they migrated to lands far across the world.

Fordell:

Finally, the Dumfriesshire Family of Hendersons established a barony at Fordell and over time have affected all the right traditional and legal moves to be considered a clan.

It was to Henderson of Fordell that the initial Grant of Arms for the name Henderson was made in 1544. The Lord Lyon King of Arms currently recognizes Dr. John William Philp Henderson of Fordell as the Chief of the Name and Arms of Henderson.

Who are you?

Are you the descendant of Henry Gunn? Or Eanruig Mor Mac Righ Neachtan--Big Henry, son of King Nectan? Could you have somehow escaped the Massacre of Glencoe or the Battle on Dromossie Moor? Or are you the product of a man's desire to found his own dynasty? Or, and please don't let this one be the one, could you be the son of a Saxon?

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