"Representative of the Clan from the Principal Branch"

 You can’t make this shit up.

 

Daniel MacLaurin

Daniel and I are a lot alike, I looked unsuccesfully, for the ancient Clan MacLaren history. Daniel relates how he found the Clan MacLaurin history, he had been looking for in vain for over forty years, in an 1845 coffee table book, McIan’s Costumes of the Clans, 1845.

 

Did I tell you, in 1831, D. McLaurin Esq. was a Subscriber to The Scottish Gael written by James Logan, that has no mention of a Clan McLaren. In 1836, McLaurin, Daniel, Esq,. is a Subscriber to History of the Highlands and Isles Scotland, by Donald Gregory, that has no mention of a Clan McLaren. In 1845, Mac Laurin, Daniel, Esq,. was a Subscriber to McIan’s Costumes of the Clans of Scotland . That miraculously contains the Clan Laurin history that Daniel had been unable to find for forty years.

Daniel Mclaren, Solicitor in London, who changed his surname to MacLaurin and become ‘of Auchleskine’, one of the hand full of tacks or fermtouns associated with Mclarens in Balquhidder. In 1866 Daniel matriculates fron the Lyon Court, Armorial Ensigns and self publishes A History in Memorium of Clan Laurin with primary events coming straight from Scotland’s favorite novelist Sir Walter Scott. addenda by James Logan, an abridged version of Logans article itn McIan’s Costumes.

 

Daniel's Matriculation

Daniel basically annoints himself “Representative of the Clan” that James Logan created in 1845, after the matriculation of Armorial Ensgins that practically any Scot could achieve. In his book A History in Memorium of Clan Laurin Daniel McLaurin states in the Introduction that

“Auchleskine, or principal branch of the “Clan Laurin,” claiming the Title of Representative of the Clan”

That is not what the Matriculation said at all, Daniel made it all up.

Flash forward to 1957, when Donald MacLaren achieves chiefly Arms, MacLaren of MacLaren (chief of the surname) and “of Auchleskine”, because it is the “Principal Branch” based on Daniel’s claim. The 1957 MacLaren Petition to the Lyon Court, refers to the “House of Auchleskine.”

Logan manufactured the Clan MacLaren heraldry to support his Strathearn origin narrative. And the anonymous MacGregor Peter corroborated Logan, in The London Journal. Notice that Margaret MacLaren in her book The MacLarens, describes the Arms as UNRECORDED.

All you gotta do is write a book with a glossy cover to become a clan chief.

MacGregor Peter 1854

“ The London Journal,” 14th October, 1854, writing under the pseudonym of

" M'Gregor Peter,” gives an unrecorded version of MacLaren Arms as : “ Or, two chevrons ; in base, a lymphad, sails furled, oars in action. Sable : On a chief gules, a lion passant, argent. Crest : A lion’s head erased, crowned with an antique coronet {with four points), between two laurel branches;orlewise, proper.

Mottoes: Above “ Dalriada.” Under the A rm s : “ Aborigine fidus ” (true from the beginning). Supporters : Two mermaids, the dexter holding a comb, the sinister a mirror, in the exterior hand proper.” The MacLarens by Margaret MacLaren, 1960

 

 

 Copyright Hilton McLaurin, Oct 30, 2025