Lindsay Clan

Lindsay Clan Crest: From an antique ducal coronet, a swan.

Lindsay Clan Motto: Endure Fort (Suffer bravely).

Lindsay Clan History:

Sir Walter de Lindeseva appears on record  in 1124 as accompanying David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of Alexander I to Scotland. He was succeeded as Lord Lindsay by his great grandson William of Ercildun.

In 1180, William de Lindsay was Baron of Luffness and Laird of Crawford. Both the 2nd and 3rd Lord Crawfords were High Justiciars of Lothian.  In 1256, Sir David Lindsay was High Chamberlain of Scotland  In 1320, his grandson was among the signatories of the letter sent to the Pope on behalf of Robert I, which became known as the Declaration of Arbroath. In 1346, Sir James de Lindsay, married Ejidia, daughter of Walter, High Steward of Scotland and a half-sister of Robert II.

In 1398, Sir David de Lindsay was created Earl of Crawford. Alexander, 4th Earl of Crawford rebelled against James II and fought at the Battle of Brechin in1542. He was later pardoned. The 5th Earl was Lord High Admiral of Scotland, Master of the Household and Lord Chamberlain. The 6th Earl fell at the Battle of Flodden fighting for James IV.

Ludovic Lindsay, 7th Earl of Crawford, fought for the Royalist Cause during the Civil War.  The Crawford earldom thereafter passed to his kinsman John, Earl of Lindsay and remained with this branch of the family until the 19th century, when it passed to the earls of Balcarres, descendants of a younger son of the 9th Earl of Crawford. The earldom of Lindsay still exists, but the family carries the compound surname of Lindsay-Bethune.

David (1552-98), younger son of Lord Lindsay of Menmuir and Balcarres, was created Lord Lindsay of Balcarres in 1633. In 1651, his son Alexander,  Secretary of State for Scotland and Governor of Edinburgh Castle, was created Earl of Balcarres.  Colin, 3rd Earl of Balcarres, was a Jacobite supporter during the 1715 Uprising.  In 1808, Alexander, 6th Earl of Balcarres, Governor of Jamaica, became  23rd Earl of Crawford and Chief of the Name of Lindsay.

Sir David Lindsay (1486-1555), a contemporary of James IV, wrote 'Ane Satire of the Thrie Estates' and many other plays. John Lindsay (1552-1598), younger son of 2nd Earl of Crawford, became a Lord of Session under the title of Lord Menmuir.  Patrick, 6th Lord Lindsay of the Byres, (d.1589) was implicated in the murder of David Rizzio, Secretary to Mary Queen of Scots, and used his influence to persuade Mary to abdicate. James Bowman Lindsay (1799-1862) patented the wireless telegraphy system. Alexander Dunlop Lindsay (1879-1952) was appointed Master of Balliol College in 1924.  He was created Lord Lindsay of Birker.

Surname distribution in Scotland: The highest concentrations of the Lindsay name occur in Angus (Forfarshire), Dundee City, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and the Scottish Borders (Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire and part of Midlothian).

Places of Interest:
Balcarres, Colinsburgh, Fife. Purchased in 1587 and Seat of the Earls of Crawford & Balcarres.

Kilconquhar, Largo, Fife. Ancestral seat of earls of Lindsay, but today developed into holiday homes.

The Byres, by Haddington, East Lothian. Site of family seat of the Lindsays of the Byres.

Edzell Castle, Brechin, Aberdeenshire. Fourteenth century Lindsay castle, rebuilt in 16th century. The Lindsays of Edzell descend from a son of the 9th Earl of Crawford.

Associated family names (Septs): Buyers, Byers, Cobb, Crawford, Deuchar, Deuchars, Downie, Fotheringham, Rhind, Rhynd, Summers, Sumner.

Clan Lindsay membership certificate.