More About the Surname McReynolds
To date, the surname McRanald, McRannald, McReynolds is officially recognized by the Clan Donald as being from the Clan Donald South (Kintyre) or from the area of the Keppochs. The surname McReynolds, which is the anglized form of McRanald, appears to be survived mainly by our family. Possibly the surname McRanald may be recognized as being attached to the Macdonalds of Clanranald or the Macdonalds of Sleat and Glengarry. This surname began to disappear in the later 17th century; those surnamed McRanald opted to change thier surname back to McDonald. Why? Ernie is well read upon this subject and he asks some very well informed questions. There is a growing interest among the McReynolds family regarding our ancestor, Johne McRannald. Tradition tells us that Johne was of the Keppoch family but history implies that he may have been from any number of cadet families of the Clan Donald. We are searching for that cadet family; and in the process, we have realized that the surname McRanald was at one time as common as McDonald throughout the Highlands.
Yours Aye
Following is an excerpt from Mac McReynolds
MacRanalds forsaken?
by Mac McReynolds, 12/6/96
Are we forsaken? My cousin Ernie McReynolds just posted the following regarding the minimal acknowledgement given to the surname McReynolds as being a major family within Clan Donald. Read the letter; it speaks for itself and I must ask the same questions that Ernie is asking.
...... I, as many McReynolds of late, have discovered through the fine work of Earl McReynolds of Clan Donald, that I am descended of John McRannald. John McRannald was a highland Scot who, in the late seventeenth century left the highlands to pursue a military career in the army in Ireland. It is a tradition of many of the McReynoldses tracing their roots to John, that he was of the House of Keppoch Macdonnells. I have found no direct evidence of this claim and am strongly influenced by the research of Earl McReynolds in searching for the Scottish home of our common ancestor. Earl has maintained for some time that our link to Keppoch is perhaps a claim rooted more in Victorian romanticism than fact. He has guided me in the direction of our Clan Donald history and has served as my mentor in forming a critical approach to establishing the origins of John McRannald. In the course of study over this last year, I found numerous references to persons of the name Macranald, or a variation thereof, who were members of a variety of branches of Clan Ranald of Clan Donald. Due to the frequency of its appearance I am surprised that the name Macranald is not recognized and listed as a member name in both the Clanranald and Glengarry branches of Clan Donald today. Let me mention briefly a pair of well known sources.
The first source, that is widely respected and often quoted, is Gregory's "History of The Western Highlands and Isles of Scotland". In the index one finds numerous Clanranald references to the surname Macranald other than that of Keppoch:
House of Glengarry, or Macranalds, ( Now Macdonnells. )
Alexander Ranaldson of Garmoran, pp. 114, 126, 147. John Macranald of
Garmoran, pp. 66.
Alexander Macranald of Lundie, pp. 302.
House of Knoydart, or Macranalds.
Allen Macranald of Knoydart, pp. 66. Angus Ranaldson of Knoydart, pp. 170.
Old house of Morar, or Macranalds
Angus Macranald of Morar, pp. 66.
From Donald J. Macdonald's fine work, "Clan Donald" numerous references to the name Macranald again appear in the chapter on The Macdonalds of Clanranald:
Allan Ranaldson M'Eansone, Angus M'Allane Vic Ranald, Allan MacRanald, pp. 283.
John Muderach, Chief of the Family of the M'Reynolds, pp. 297.
John MacRanald, Alexander McRanald of Keppoch, Angus MacAllan MacRanald, pp. 303.
Angus ( MacRanald ) ( Cadet of the House of Sleat ), pp. 304.
John MacAllan MacRanald, pp. 309.
Allen Macranald of Lundie, pp. 341.
The name from which McReynolds derives seems to have been very common during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries in the various Houses of Clanranald. During the period prior to the Civil war against the Covenanters the name appears to have occurred less frequently with the exception of the Keppochs. The Macranalds of Knoydart and Morar had both lost their land holdings by this time. The Moidart descendants of Ranald Gallda had likewise lost claim to their holdings. Though fallen from their positions of influence and perhaps dispersed as broken men, Macranalds survived and served well the honor of Clan Donald. Stevenson in "Highland Warrior" relates that it was Donald MacRanald that guided MacColla to his meeting with Montrose. Dobson reported the deportation of a Macranald of Clanranald's regiment after Culloden. By this time the name had almost completely vanished from the Highlands of Scotland.
About our Ancestor
It is an Irish family tradition that Johne McRannald was born about 1665 at Keppoch, in the Highlands of Scotland. Keppoch is that area now known as Glen Spean which is located about 10 miles northeast of Fort William, in the District of Lochaber. Don't look for Keppoch; you won't find it. This area was once the stronghold of the McDonnell's of Keppoch, aka the Clanranald of Lochaber, who formed a main branch of the Clan Donald family tree and held these lands by the sword rather than by title for many years.
It is also an Irish family tradition that Johne McRannald was in fact a direct descendant of Alexander de Insulus (Alexander of the Isles), aka Alasdair Carrach. Alasdair Carrach was the 1st Chief of the Keppochs and reigned as chief from c1390-c1443. Alasdair was the 4th son of Johne, Lord of the Isles by his marriage to Princess Margaret Stuart who was the great-grandaughter of King Robert I (the Bruce). It is by this tradition that we may lay claim to being of royal blood. Our surname comes from Ranald Mor, 7th Chief of Keppoch. Ranald was characterized as “one who took to learning with zest, but was also an active warrior”.
George Black’s ‘The Surnames of Scotland’ lists our surname a “MacRanald (now a rare surname), Macronald, G. Macrainuill, ‘son of raonull.’ See RANALD. John m’Ranald or Makrynnild was part tenant of Eddiralleckach, Strogartnay, 1483 (ER., IX, p.592, 622). Donald McRanald Vaan (Bhan) appears several times in record as tenant of lands of Kintyre, 1506 (ibid., XII,p. 701, 707). His name is variously spelled in record Mckilrannandvane, McRynald Waan, McRynald Baan, and McRynall Waan. Allen McRynild was witness at Gawrie, 1589 (Poltalloch Writs, p. 139), and Alexander roy McAllane McReynald and Innes McAllane McRenald had royal remissions in 1541 (ALHT., VIII, p. 19). Rannald M’Rannald M’Couilglas of Cappycht appears in 1563 (BBT., p. 206). Complaint was made by Coline Campbell of Glenlyoun against Alexander McAne Dow McKrenald and Johne Dow McConneill McCrenild, 1583 (RPC., III, p. 589).
Mac Mhic Raonuill or its translation, MacRanald (not Clan Ranald) is the patronymic form of the name of Keppoch Macdonnells. MacRannal, MacRannald, MacRenold, MacReynold, MacReynylt, MacRinnell, MacRindle, MacRinnyl, MacRonall.”
It is interesting that the surname Macranald (and its other spellings) was once very common throughout the entire MacDonald Clans. In fact, it was as common as dirt; as was the given name Johne (also Ian, Ean). This surname is now almost, if not totally, extinct and is survived mainly by our family in its anglized form, McReynolds. One explanation for this comes from Norman MacDonald’s ‘The Clan Ranald of Lochaber’ who states,
“The earlier designation of the family of Keppoch: ‘Sliochd Alasdair Mhic Aonghis’ meaning the offspring of Alexander son of Angus, is derived from the 5th Chief, Alasdair nan Gleann (Alexander of the Glen). The later designation of ‘Clan Raonaill a’ Bhraighe’ Clan Ranald of the Brae i.e. the Brae of Lochaber and the patronymic of the Chief: ‘Mac ‘ic Raonaill’ i.e. the Son of the Son of Ranald, are derived from Ranald or Raonaill Mor, the 7th Chief who fought at Blar na Leine - the Battle of the Shirts--in 1544. the chiefs after Raonaill Mor, were generally styled in Lallans and English MackRonnald”, MacRanald’ etc. and later as MacDonald, MacDoniel and MacDonell. This latter form was used by Coll, the 16th Chief and his son Alexander and his direct descendants but the more common form of MacDonald appears to have been adopted by the majority of the cadet families.”
Norman J. MacDonald tells us in his 'The Clan Ranald of Lochaber'
that Alasdair Carrach, was described as being the "fairest haired man as
they say of aney that ever was". Norman continues by adding: "The word 'carrach'
however has a less complimentary meaning. Alasdair probably had a number of warts among
his physical characteristics." Coincidentally, there is a little known tradition that
Johne McRannald also had an irritating wart on his backside which we might presume to have
been a hemorrhoid........
Today, the ancient association of Macranald with the Clanranald and Glengarry branches of Clan Donald seems to have been forgotten. I strongly wish to help revive the memory of the name which I am privileged to bear.
Please visit our McReynolds Family Research Page at http://www.europa.com/~redshank/
Please contact Ernie McReynolds regarding this subject at mcranald@mail.europa.com