Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopaedia, 3rd Edition

What’s in the THIRD EDITION

• Completely revised, updated and expanded to reflect the many changes that have occurred over the twenty years since the publication of the second edition

• Histories and badges for 346 clans and families with nearly 200 additional Crest designs and hundreds of new images

• Updated research by the original authors aided by leading academics in Scottish history

• Over 500 pages with new layout allowing three times the amount of text that is in the second edition

• New scholarly articles and all previous articles brought up to date and expanded

This work has been 12 years in the making and history academics have unearthed previously unknown material all of which was overseen by the authors and editors. This is a must have volume for anyone interested in the Scottish Diaspora.

The most distinctive feature of Scotland’s history, nationally and internationally, is that of clanship. Although the clans are no longer the social force they once were, the continuing interest in them is testimony to the hold on the imagination that the sense of clan identity still has for very many people worldwide.

However, the desire for knowledge about the great clans and families of Scotland frequently outstrips the ability of published works to satisfy it. The Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopaedia redresses this situation. Beautifully illustrated throughout, and featuring many specially commissioned illustrations, this is the most comprehensive and authoritative work yet published on the subject. It provides the histories and heraldic details of over 300 of Scotland’s best-known and most famous clans and families, as well as highly informative essays on key elements of clan life and society including:

⦁ the history and development of the clan system

⦁ the law of the clan

⦁ tartan and Highland dress

⦁ heraldry

In addition, an extensive collection of appendices draws together a wide range of information which has never before appeared in a single volume.

The Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopaedia has been compiled and edited by George Way of Plean, Falkland Pursuivant Extraordinary and the late Romilly Squire.  In addition to their own extensive knowledge and research, they have overseen the work of a team of renowned specialists in Scottish history. 

Revised and updated to reflect changes in clan society since its original publication in 1994, the Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopaedia is the definitive single-volume reference work on the Scottish clans and will appeal to everyone of Scottish ancestry throughout the world.

The Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopaedia (Second Edition) was published 1998 and focused on 148 major names i.e. those with chiefs - all other names fell under ‘armigerous’ (a family name bearing heraldic arms but currently without a chief).  The number of crests was limited to the 148 and because of the layout of the book text and appendices were limited. The second edition had only minor alterations from the first edition.

In 2005 following a meeting between the authors and St Kilda a plan was drawn up for a new encyclopaedia which was envisaged would take around 3 years to complete. In outcome it has taken 12. 

Badge and shield and other heraldic illustrations have increased from 148 to over 350 and there are many other illustrations such as clan seats and castles. There is also a wealth of other family related images.

There are completely new authoritative texts and appendices and there are no longer two sections but a single alphabetical run of the clan and family names.

The first and second editions were highly praised and the THIRD EDITION has drawn the following praise from Dr. Joseph J. Morrow, QC, The Rt Hon.Lord Lyon King of Arms:

"I welcome the publication of the long-awaited Third Edition of the Clan and Family Encyclopaedia: a work that represents years of additional research and scholarship by a greatly enhanced and highly qualified editorial team. The introductory essays have been revised, updated and extended in scope and depth and the number of full entries has significantly increased. More coats of arms and crest badges have been illustrated than ever before."