MACONOCHIE, a surname derived from the Gaelic Macdonochie, the son of Duncan. The Maconochies of Meadowbank, Mid Lothian, the principal family of the name, are descendants of the Campbells of Inverawe, Argyleshire, the first of whom was Duncan Campbell, eldest son of Sir Neil Campbell of Lochow, ancestor of the ducal house of Argyle, by his 2d wive, a daughter of Sir John Cameron of Lochiel. The eldest son of that marriage, Duncan Campbell, obtained a grant of Inverawe and Cruachan from David II. in 1330. His eldest son was named Dougal, after his mother’s family, and Dougal’s eldest son Duncan was called in the Highlands Mac Douill Vic Conochie. He named his son also Duncan, who was thus Maconochie Vic Conochie, the son and grandson of Conochie, or Duncan. Maconochie, from that period, became the patronymic appellation of each succeeding Campbell of Inverawe, while the cadets of the family still bore the name of Campbell.

      From the Campbells of Inverawe sprung the Campbells of Shirwan, Kilmartin, and Cruachan.

      In 1660, Dougall Campbell, or, as he was called, the Maconochie of Inveraugh, engaged in the rebellion of the marquis of Argyle, in whose armament of the clan Campbell he held the rank of major. He was tried with the marquis in 1661 and attainted. He was soon afterwards executed at Carlisle.

      After the Revolution of 1688, Dougall’s son, James Maconochie, who, at his father’s death, was little more than nine years old, applied to government for the restoration of the Argyleshire property, which had got into the possession of an uncle, but was unsuccessful. From King William III., however, he obtained a grant in compensation, which he invested in the purchase of the lands of Kirknewton, in the muir now called Meadowbank, Mid Lothian, which his descendant still possesses, and, adopting Lowland customs, all the family took the name of Maconochie. His only son, Alexander Maconochie, was a writer in Edinburgh. The son of the latter, Allan Maconochie, a celebrated lawyer, born January 26, 1748, died June 14, 1816, was a lord of session and justiciary, under the title of Lord Meadowbank, being appointed to the former in 1796, and to the latter in 1804. While attending the university of Edinburgh, he was one of the five students who originated the Speculative Society, and was afterwards for some time Professor of the Laws of Nature and Nations in that university. He was the author of a pamphlet entitled ‘considerations on the Introduction of Trial by Jury in Scotland,’ and in 1815, when the Scottish jury court was instituted, he was appointed one of the lords commissioners. He is said to have been the inventor of moss manure, now extensively employed in various counties of Scotland, and printed for private distribution a tract on the subject. He married Elizabeth, third daughter of Robert Wellwood, Esq., of Garvock, by whom he had issue.

      His eldest son, Alexander Maconochie, passed advocate in 1799, and after being sheriff-depute of the county of Haddington 1810, solicitor-general 1813, and lord-advocate 1816, was appointed a lord of session and justiciary in 1819, when he also took the title of Lord Meadowbank. He resigned in 1841, and died Nov. 30, 1861. On the death of his cousin, Robert Scott Welwood, he succeeded to the entailed estates of Garvock and Pittiver, in the county of Fife, and assumed the name of Welwood of Garvock (see Welwood). He married Anne, eldest daughter of Lord-president Blair; issue, with 5 daughters, 4 sons, viz. – 1. Allan Alexander Maconochie, LL.D., born in 1806, passed advocate in 1829, and in 1842 appointed professor of civil law and the law of Scotland in the university of Glasgow. 2. Robert Blair, writer to the signet. 3. William Maximilian George. 4. Henry Dundas.