Clan Morgan

The Morgan Society was established in 1994 to assist all Morgans everywhere, in tracing their Family Trees and compiling the History of the name plus a Bibliography, Biographies and details of Emigration.

We are at present building up a comprehensive list of Morgans in Scottish Family History and have discovered that the name Morgund is one of very ancient and distinguished Scottish prowess, featuring the The Book of Deer and amongst the Earls of Mar. The name plus many variants spread down the East Coast of Scotland, although latterly is it quite general but overlooked as a separate group to the Welsh Morgans, although the Scottish origins may have developed from the Breconshire British in Strathclyde.

Whilst the name has been associated with Clan McKay, it is now felt that the name is strong enough and old enough to form its own Clan, although this brings with it the problems that face us in dealing with the Lord Lyon.

We have to be seen to be an associated group and for this purpose we have fomed The Morgan Society (Scotland) hoping to acquire enough members to have a recognised Clan Morgan in due course.

We have a Society web-page on http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~morgansociety and a publications page on http://homepages.tesco.net/~morganpublications/morganpu.html which should prove our integrity.

The purpose of writing to you is to seek your assistance in bringing this matter to the notice of your members, especially any Morgans, so that we can establish a Scottish Morgan Group.

I would therefore welcome any assistance or response to this address.

You would be surprised just how many Morgans have trodden Scottish paths.

Sincerely

David Morgan
President
The Morgan Society

See Study Notes on the name Morgan (word document file)

MORGAN: This is a very common name throughout Britain, and it is of more than one origin. It comes from the early Celtic 'sea-bright', and also exists in Old British, Old Breton, Cornish and Welsh. 'Morgunn' is the Pictish form of the name. The founder of the Pelagian heresy was a British monk named Morgan. In Scotland it is remarkable that the name survives, for in historic times it existed nowhere else than in Aberdeenshire and among the Sutherland Mackays. 'Clan Morgan' was for long the title of the Mackays of the Reay country who later became Clan Aoidh, and it is probable, though perhaps not demonstrable, that there was close connection between them and the Aberdeenshire Morgans. The origin of the Clan Mackay remains uncertain but it is generally believed they were early connected with Moray and there derived from the Royal House of MeacEth, Mormaers of Moray, through a cadet of Morgund of Pluscarden. The Morgans appear to have gradually spread down the East Coast as far as Fife, where the place-name 'Ramornie' means 'rath of the Morganach'. Morgan of Glenesk in Angus renderd homage to Edward I of England in 1296. The name still is found in Aberdeenshire, and John Murgan was one of the Huntly Volunteers in 1798. There is no Chief of the Morgans but because of the close links with MacKay that tartan may be worn.