Clan Logan

Clan Logan is an ancient Highland Scottish clan and Lowland family. In the North, there was the Highland Logan or Loban clan. The Lowlands included the Logans of that Ilk (the Chiefly line); the Barons of Restalrig,  the Logans from Ayrshire, the Lobbans from Banff and many others. The clan does not have a chief recognized by Lord Lyon King of Arms. Therefore, Clan Logan Society International has launched the Chief Restoration Project. A family convention is scheduled in April 2025 to elect a Commander of the Logan Clan and Family.

The surname Logan is likely derived from the Gaelic word lagan or laggan meaning low-lying land, a glen, dell, or hollow. However, it is not known when and where that name emerged.

There is disagreement regarding who is the first documented person to use the Logan surname. Though some secondary sources cite earlier Logans the first one on a primary source is Adam of Logan who was a witness to a charter by King Alexander II (reign 1214-1249) on the 25th of August 1236.^[3]

In 1296, six Logans were recorded as paying homage to Edward I of England within the Ragman Rolls of 1296. They were Andreu de Logyn (from Wigtonshire)^[4] , Phelipp de Logyn (burgess from Montrose), Thurbrandus de Logyn (from Dumfrieshire), Walterus Logan, and Wautier Logan (from Lanarkshire).^[5] In addition to appearing on the Ragman Rolls of 129, Wautier Logan's arms were described as: blazoned a stag's head cabossed, between the antlers, a shield with three piles.^{[6] [7]} There is speculation that he may have been one of the very early Lowland Chief of Name and Arms.

The Lowland Logan family divided into two main branches, the Grugar ^[8] (later Restalrig) and the Ayrshire Logans who include George Logan of that Ilk (~1635 - aft. 1701) being the first to register arms at the Court of the Lord Lyon.

The Logan DNA project, managed by pre-1800 Logans, has built a Y-DNA descent tree identifying origins in Ayrshire, the Highlands, Ireland, England, North East Lowlands by Banff. There are still a few Y-DNA clusters that need to be identified.^[9]

From 1200 to 1500, there are records of Logan landholders in the Southwest Lowlands from Ayrshire to Edinburgh. A few notable Logans include:

• Walter Logan, Lord of Hartside and Sheriff of Lanark^[10]
• Sir Walter and Sir Robert Logan - Early in the spring of 1330 they accompanied Sir James Douglas in his quest to take the heart of King Robert I of Scotland to the Holy Land.^[11] Douglas and his company had joined Alfonso XI of Castile, who was campaigning against the Moors, in the Kingdom of Granada. Alfonso's army laid siege to the castle of Teba. During the fighting Sir James Douglas and most of his men were killed.^[12] According to the poet John Barbour, Sir Robert Logan and Sir Walter Logan were among the dead.^[13]

Highland Logan Clan members are reported to be buried in Kilmuir Kirkyard, though the headstones are faded and difficult to impossible to read. It is believed that they lived in and around Drumdeurfit, in the Black Isle in Easter Rossshire. Overall this branch is steeped in mystery with three oral traditions:

1. A clan conflict took place on the Black Isle in the late 1300s when the MacLennans invaded the eastern part of Ross-shire. While camping on the ridge now called Drumderfit, the Frasiers of Inverness counterattacked and all the MacLennans were killed except one who hid under a card or a "Lopan". His descendants occupied the farm of Druim-a-deur (Drumderfit). From this derived the name Loban which over time modernized into Logan.
2. The second story is much the same as the one above, but the invader was Gilliegorm, Chief of the Logan Clan. They were defeated and the MacLennans emerged while a separate Logan line remained that eventually farmed in Drumderfit.
3. The line of Logan Chiefs ended in an heiress who married Eachan Beirach and carried the Logan estates into his possession. As a result, a new head of the clan was selected who settled at Druim-na-clavan.

The Logans of that Ilk were the Chiefs of Name and Arms for the Logan family. They were located in historical parish of Old Cumnock, Ayrshire. This parish occupies roughly ten by two miles of land in the valley where the Lugar and Glaisnock Waters meet. The name likely comes from the British words "Cwm" (a hollow) and "Cnoc" (a hill) or the corresponding Celtic words "Com" and "Cnoc," thus meaning the hollow, i.e., valley, of the hill.^[14]

The first documented Logan of that Ilk was Alexander Logan of that Ilk who, on the 11th of January 1516, was asked by "Patrick Logane asked from Andrew Logane a copy of (a precept) of the king.^[15]

In 1672, George Logan of that Ilk registered arms at the Court of the Lord Lyon. His arms are described as follows: "Mr. George Logan of that Ilk Bears Or three passion naills the twa outmost bendwayes & the midlemost paleways all meeting at the points & pearcing throug a mans heart placed in the [base} all gules: On ane helmet befitting his degree with a mantle gules doubled argent And [torse] of [his collours] is set for his cret a passion naill pearcing a heart proper The motto in ane escroll Hoc majorum virtus."^[16]

The last Chief was Hugh Logan of that Ilk who died in 1802^[17] without heir. Hugh was a renowned character who inspired a book titled "The Laird of Logan, 'Anecdotes and Tales illustrative of the Wit and Humour of Scotland'".^[18]

The leading Logan family's principal seat was in Lestalrig or Restalrig, near Edinburgh.^[11] Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig married Katherine Stewart, daughter of Robert II of Scotland,^{[citation needed ]} and later in 1400 Sir Robert was appointed Admiral of Scotland.^[11] Sir Robert Logan, Baron of Grugar, and 1st Logan Baron of Restalrig, was a most distinguished knight, who lived in the reign of Robert II (1371–1390), Robert III (1390–1406) James I (1424–1437), and James II, up to 1439. His Barony of Grugar, Ayrshire, had descended to him from Sir John de Logan, who held it in 1302, and the lands of Malles in Gowrie from Adam de Logan, 1226. When Sir John de Lestalric died in 1382, Sir Robert became the first Logan Baron of Restalric, which was in the Lestalric family from 1124 - 1382.

Sir Robert Logan was one of the hostages given in 1424 to free James I of Scotland from being held in England.^[19] Robert's son or grandson, John Logan of Restalrig, was made principal sheriff of Edinburgh by James II of Scotland.^[19]

In 1555 Logan of Restalrig sold the superiority of Leith (the principal seaport of Edinburgh) to the queen regent Mary of Lorraine, also known as Marie de Guise.^[19]

The last Sir Robert Logan, Seventh and Last Baron of Restalric, Baron of Grugar, Baron of Fast Castle, Baron of Hutton, Lord of the Manor of Gunsgreen, son of Lady Agnes Gray, born in 1555 and died on 28 Jan 1607. He was a wealthy man, and left his children a large estate. Robert Logan of Restalrig was described by contemporaries as "ane godless, drunkin, and deboshit man".^[19] Sir Walter Scott described him as "one of the darkest characters of that dark age".^[19] Sir Robert Logan did not pass away way without controversy, as he was put on trial for the Gowrie Conspiracy against King James VI in 1609, 3 years after his death, as Scottish Law required his body to be in the courtroom. The verdict was that King James VI was the injured party, and Logan's children were forfeited, outlawed, and ruined, with his large estate going to the King.

The Lowland Logan Clan Chiefs have been traced back to Alexander Logan in 1517, succeeded by Patrick Logan of that Ilk in 1531, to William Logan of Logan in 1558, to George Logan of that Ilk in 1603, to William Logan in 1633 to his son George Logan of Logan. He registered the coat of arms with the first Lord Lyons office in 1672 and died in 1756. The title then went to George Logan III of Logan, to his brother Hugh Logan, to Hugh Logan of Logan who died in 1759. The last Logan of Logan, Hugh Logan, in Ayrshire was celebrated for both his wit and eccentricity. The Laird of Logan, published after his death, was a compilation of amusing anecdotes and puns.^[19] He had one daughter, who married a Mr. Campbell ^[19] and he died in 1802, without heirs.

In 1913 the Clan Logan Society was established with the aim to reestablish Clan Logan, before the society disbanded during the first world war. However in 2002 the Clan Logan Society International was established as a continuation of the 1913 society. The society has persisted to today, where they hold yearly meetings, and continue to search for a legitimate chief, while also attempting to preserve and learn more of clan Logan's history and traditions.^[20]

Today both clans Logan and MacLennan share the same tartan. This tartan was first recorded in 1831 by the historian James Logan, in his book The Scottish Gaël. Later in 1845 The Clans of the Scottish Highlands was published, which consisted of text from Logan, accompanied by illustrations from R. R. McIan. This work was the first which showed the MacLennan's sharing the same tartan as the Logans. The text on the history of Clan Logan pointed to an ancient link between the Logans and MacLennans. The plate for MacLennan, shows a man from this clan wearing the Logan tartan, but no name is given to it unlike every other clan tartan shown.^{[citation needed ]} Given the style of writing at the time and subtleties used by both the artist and writer, this is not a surprise and allows them to pay homage to the story of the origin of MacLennan. Until the early nineteenth century, tartan patterns were probably based on locally available dyes, rather than being specific to surnames.

Today Scottish clans use crest badges, clan badges (plant badges) and tartan as symbols to represent themselves. The crest badge suitable for members of Clan Logan contains the heraldic crest of a passion nail piercing a human heart, Proper;^[1] and the heraldic motto HOC MAJORUM VIRTUS, which translates from Latin as "this is valour of my ancestors".^{[2] [22]} The plant badge (clan badge) associated with Clan Logan is furze (gorse).^[1] According to Robert Bain, the slogan of Clan Logan is Druim-nan-deur (translation from Scottish Gaelic: "the ridge of tears").^[1]

The tartan most commonly associated with the surname Logan is identical to that of Clan MacLennan. The sett was first published by James Logan's The Scottish Gaël of 1831.^[21] There are however earlier dated tartans which are attributed to the name Logan. One such tartan is usually known as a Skene tartan, though it has sometimes been known as a Rose tartan.^{[21] [23]} The official state tartan of Utah is based upon this tartan, in respect of Ephraim Logan who is considered the first American of Scottish descent who left a permanent mark on Utah.^[24]

• http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/htol/logan.html
• http://www.clanlogansociety.com/
• http://www.clanlogan.ca/

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