| The name Thomas is
widespread throughout Scotland. The Thomsons of Glenshee were a branch of Clan Chattan.
There is a Thomson sept of Clan Campbell, and also one of MacThomas. Tradition has it that Alexander Thomson (1460-1513) was the grandson of an
illegitimate son of the 11th Earl of Mar, grandson of King Robert II. He died at the
Battle of Flodden.
In 1929 Frederick Thomson (1875-1935), Solicitor-General for
Scotland 1923-24, was created a baronet.
Roy Thomson (1894-1976) who was born in Canada, the newspaper
baron, was created Lord Thomson of Fleet, of Northbridge, in the City of Edinburgh, in
1964.
William Thomson (1824-1907), scientist and inventor was
created Lord Kelvin of Netherhall, Largs, in 1892.
Information supplied to us by Dugald MacTavish of
Dunardry, on 29th March 2000 is:
THERE IS NO CLAN THOM(P)SON and, therefore, you
should not have a "Clan Thom(p)son" listed under your Scottish Clans and
Families. If a Thom(p)son root is Scottish, they ARE MacTamhais (MacTavish).
When you click on the (as you call it) Thom(p)son link, you find the personal mottoes of
armigers, i.e., Roy Thompson (of Fleet) with his own personal coat of arms and motto, as
you show with the other Thom(p)sons listed. However, you have no history of
Thom(p)son. To be fair to the many thousands of the name of Thom(p)son, the
page should be linked to Clan MacTavish, for it is their history. The names on the
Thom(p)son history that you give are a few of the noted individuals who had that same
name, but certainly not that other Thom(p)sons are connected to.
THOMSON: This name means literally 'son of Thom or Thomas,' and it should be noted that its prevalence throughout the British Isles clearly shows that Thomas had been a popular forename from the Middle Ages. Consequently, many families of differing origins now bear this name. Thom(p)son tends to be an English form, and Thomas is usually Welsh. The most eminent families, were found about Edinburgh where those of Duddingston held their lands until about 1688, and those of Corstorphine had long association with the Forrester lairds of that place. Thomson is also an anglicized form of MacTavish, MacThomas and MacComie. The MacTavishes of
Argyll are said to derive from 'Taus Coir' an illegitimate son of a Lord of Lochow who lived about the beginning of the 13th century, but many of these have now changed their name to Thomson or Taweson. The Clan MacThomas of Glenshee (Perthshire), were originally MacComies who took their name from Thomas, a son of the 6th Chief of Mackintosh who settled there in the 15th century and from where many of his descendants became established in Angus and the surrounding counties. Although MacThomas remains the official name of that clan, having appeared as such in the Rolls of Clans compiled in 1587 and 1594, it is remarkable that few of its members have ever borne the name. Clan associations may therefore lie with the MacTavishes or MacThomases, and it is possible that some Thomasons are linked with Clan MacFarlane, for some are said to descend from Thomas, a son of a MacFarlane chief, who lived about 1390-1406. The name Maclehose is reputed to be of similar origin and is found in Argyll and areas adjacent to lands occupied by MacThomases and MacFarlanes. In 19th century Scotland Thomsons advanced the cause of Arts, Science and Invention beyond the 'per capita' endeavours of any other name - one patented a pneumatic tyre as early as 1845 and later, William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, gave his name to the scale of degrees Kelvin. In the absence of genealogical or geographical evidence of clan association, suitable tartans would be the Dress and Hunting Thomson patterns, both recorded at Lyon Court for Lord Thomson of Fleet, but now in general use.
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