McClard name where does it belong?

[Phillips]

Can anyone tell me anything of the name of McClard? I have been told it is a variation of the name MacLeod and I have been told it was a sept of Clan MacDonald. Does anyone know?

[Polwarth]

Hello
Names can be claimed as septs by a number of clans - maybe that's the case with your name?

If that IS so.... then to work out which of the clans your family may have ties to.... you'd have to be able to trace your ancestry back to the area of Scotland where one or other of those clans held sway in the past.... And even that is not an infallible method!

Good luck with your research

[Marhar]

McClard is associated with the following 3 clans

McDonald of Clanranald
McDonald of Sleat
McDonnell of Glengarry
hope that helps a bit in your search

Marhar

[Phillips]

I have talked with several members of Clan MacDonald and they all seem to think that McClard was probably the mis-spelling mistake of an imigration official hearing the name of MacLeod from someone with a Scottish accent. There are some names that are septs of Clan MacDonald that sound very similar and they would be MacLardy, MacLardie, and MacLard. I was looking at a site called House of Names and I do not know how knowledgable they are but they list the name of McClard as a variation of the spelling of MacLeod.
I am not one to beleive much in rumors but there is an old family rumor that says my ancestor left Scotland one step ahead of the law. Some sort of mis-understanding about some missing cattle. During this time period (mid 1700's) there were a lot of hangings going on for cattle stealing. Family rumor also says that my ancestor change the spelling of his name from MacLeod to McClard as he was running from the law.
Just some thoughts. What do all of you think? Please let me know your ideas and comments on this.
Brad

[MCNC]

Hello,
I have found the discussion a few years after the last post. However, I am also a desendant of the McLards and would be interested in any new information that you have been able to find. Many cousins on this side of the family are trying to piece the family history together as best we can. Who told you the family rumour about the name change from MacLeod? That is very interesting. I have not heard that, I did hear about the misunderstanding which led to leaving Scotland.

I hope that thread is still active and would appreciate any new info that you have found.

[robertdeanmc]

I was in Scotland two years ago and went into a kilt shop in Grantown-on-Spey to ask if they would know what the McClard (McLard) tartan colors are. They lady looked in a tartan/kilt book an I saw our name in it. It said that we are a sept of the McDonald clan. I also heard that the McDonald clan had a history of being cattle rustlers. Hmmmm....the plot thickens.

[MCNC]

Originally Posted by robertdeanmc

I was in Scotland two years ago and went into a kilt shop in Grantown-on-Spey to ask if they would know what the McClard (McLard) tartan colors are. They lady looked in a tartan/kilt book an I saw our name in it. It said that we are a sept of the McDonald clan. I also heard that the McDonald clan had a history of being cattle rustlers. Hmmmm....the plot thickens.

That is very interesting. Do you remember the name of the book or the shop that you went to? I have seen lists mentioning McLardy as a sept of Clan McDonald however I have not found anything connecting Daniel McLard (died 1774 in Prince Edward County, Virginia) to McLardy or anything else prior to arrival in VA.

Any information that you have would be much appreciated. Thanks.