The Glencairnies and Dunes are
important cadet houses established through the earls’ influence in Moray and Fife,
respectively. The Strathearns themselves probably descend from Robert, second son of
Malise, fifth Earl of Strathearn (Robert and Malcolm de Strathearn rendered homage for
their lands in 1296). The MacLeishes (Mac Maol Iosa) are an ancient Perthshire family, and
appear from their name and arms to be the descendants of one of the earls of Strathearn
that bore the Royal Strathearn name of Malise (Latin for "Maol Iosa,"
"tonsured servant of Jesus") in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century.
Some of these MacLeishes settled in Argyle while those in North Perthshire became
followers of the MacPhersons of the Clan Chattan.
The Ogilvys derive their name from the barony of Ogilvy in the parish
of Glamis in Angus, which had been bestowed on their ancestor Gillebride, second son of
Ghillechriost (Gilchrist), Earl of Angus, by William the Lion about 1163. The chief of the
name was created Lord Ogilvy of Airlie in 1491, and Earl of Airlie in 1639. While the
Earldom of Angus, one of the original seven earldoms of Scotland (see Chapter IV), passed
through heiresses to the Stewarts, the Ogilvys bear the arms of the original earls, and
represent their male line. Thus they descend from the ancient Pictish dynasts and later
mormaers of Angus in the early Middle Ages.
The Drummonds (Drummann) are of the same general stock as the House of
Strathearn, being descended from the original Celtic earls of Mentieth (Stirlingshire),
which earldom was created out of Strathearn about 1164. After 1230 the Earldom of Mentieth
passed from the Celtic earls, through heiresses, first to the Comyns, then to a branch of
the Stewarts (who took Mentieth as their surname), and finally to the Grahams, with
interruption from about 1380 to 1425. After 1425 it
is from the original earls that the family of Drummond descends.
The first undoubted Drummond ancestor was Malcolm Beg ("Little
Malcolm") of Drummond, who appears as Seneschal (Steward or Stewart) of the Lennox
from about 1225. He is probably identical with Malcom de Mentieth who appears on record as
a witness in 1237, especially since he is never called "of Drummond" until he is
described as such on his son’s early fourteenth century tombstone at the High Alter
of Inchmahone priory in Mentieth.
The Celtic earls of Mentieth were related by marriage to the Celtic
earls of the Lennox, and so it
