CARRUTHERS; A proud Scottish Reiver family, from Annandale in the ancient West March of the Scottish Borders.
This we already know, but what makes ‘us’ as a Society claim to represent our worldwide Scottish family and clan and the right to call ourselves the ‘official home’ of Carruthers. Further, are you wishing to keep the link to your Scottish heritage and culture , if so and before we continue with the proofs, there are a few important points to note to remove any confusion with any other group.
There is:-
- only one Scottish Clan and Family of Carruthers.
- therefore, there can only ever be one Chief, which is a hereditary role. (currently that is Dr Peter Carruthers of Holmains)
- in the same vein as the vast, vast majority of Scottish clans and families there is ‘no‘ named Carruthers. To claim to be one is simply false.
- only one official Society authorised by our Chief. (See below).
- only one official clan/family tartan (registered STR11700) and it is Carruthers, not Bruce.
- The Chiefship of a clan or family is regulated by the Lord Lyon King of Arms by the regulation of arms ie the person allowed to bear the chiefs arms is the chief.
- Any chief recognised by the Lord Lyon as chief of a clan or family, is chief of all who bear that name and not only belonging to a particular body.
With these in mind and based on our intensive research, investigations and many, many years of fact building and fact checking to ensure that our family has taken its rightful place in Scottish and international clan society, the evidence is there to be seen.
Of course we are also lucky enough to be backed up by a team of the best and most tenacious Carruthers genealogists available and a robust yDNA research programme, which is renowned for its accuracy.
As such, anything we publish is based on facts but we will continue to challenge those who blatantly choose to do otherwise. This is whether through a misuse of DNA, bad genealogies or a warped and distorted presentation of Scottish or Carruthers history.
‘This is our family, our heritage and our future and should always be protected against the unscrupulous, and fake information and our pledge is, it will be.’
So what allows us to claim to be the ‘Official Home‘ to our family and what is the structure and authority that gives us that right?
Here is a simple list that has occurred only since and through the formation of our society, the Clan Carruthers Society (International)
- We have a Chief. confirmed by the Lord Lyon King of Arms as Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers in Dr Peter Carruthers of Holmains, 22nd of his line.
- Carruthers, as an ancient border clan and family is now recognised in Scots law, no longer as armigerous (without a chief), but as having official status through the confirmation of our chief, as a Noble Incorporation.
- Our Chief and his line can trace their lineage back to at least the 1100’s in Scotland and beyond.
- The Holmains line was propegated by John Carruthers, brother of Thomas Carruthers 1st of Mouswald and too mover the Chiefship from Mouswald in 1548 when the Mouswald line became extinct.
- We have a Society authorised by our Chief, as the Official Home and representatives of our clan and family worldwide in the ‘Clan Carruthers Society (International)’.
- The Society itself was founded on a Crown Charter to Holmains, dating back to 1755.
- As the official Society we have access to information on our surname not available to others.
- Our Chief’s arms (shield etc), along with every other Scottish Chief’s arms, dates from the introduction of an official register of Arms in Scotland, after the Lord Lyon’s Act dated 1672. These are owned and registered, to include the shield, by our Chief and should not be used without his permission.
- Our official Carruthers clan/family tartan is registered with the Scottish Register of Tartan in Edinburgh and was adopted as such by our Chief.
- The colours in our Tartan were chosen by our Convenor to reflect the origin and history of our family.
- Our Tartan is woven in Scotland by one of the oldest family weavers in the country; the House of Edgar, based in Perth, Scotland.
- The Carruthers Tartan is available through our weavers, to all Kiltmakers throughout the world.
- As an ancient Scottish family our official Clan Plant Badge is the Gorse (Ulex europaeus), there are no others, no dogs, no birds, nor anything else.
- As is the case with all Scottish clans and families, the Clan Plant badge reflects the area in which our family originate ie Annandale, Dumfriesshire.
- As a truly international society, we are represented worldwide and have Regional Commissioners, personally commissioned by our Chief to represent the regions of; Africa, Australasia, Canada, Europe, U.K. and USA.
- Our society, as authorised by our Chief is in full membership of COSCA (USA), CASSOC (Canada) and SAHC (Australia).
- All our armigers (holders of Carruthers arms), past and present were/are granted personal arms through the auspices of the Lord Lyon in Scotland and as such are included in the Register of All Arms and Bearings of Scotland (1672).
- The supporters on the Chief of Carruthers arms are two fallow bucks rampant Proper, and definately not a dragon and a unicorn.
- Our clan Chief holds a hereditary seat on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. If not officially recognised as a Scottish clan or family chief, no seat at the table.
- All clan members have access to the clan badge, which is taken from the crest of the chief ie: a seraphim volant proper (six wings, the top and bottom crossed in saltire with the central two spread as in flight, set around an angelic face in the centre). This sits within a bent and buckle on which is inscribed the Chief!s motto, Promptus et Fidelis (ready and faithful).
Your Society; Clan Carruthers Society (International), continues to work for our family worldwide but we would enjoy your support. Please join us in our efforts by becoming a Society Member here:
Assist us in keeping the flame of truth burning and our family represented and respected as a name we can all be proud of for many generations to come.
Thank you
CCS(I)
