The Clan of Douglas

[SirJames_the_good]

Does anyone have anything regarding the Douglas clan while still in Scotland?

[Polwarth]

I'm not quite sure what you are asking do you want to know information about present day people called Douglas still living in Scotland?

Here's some information from http://www.electricscotland.com
However, I would caution you to check any info from their site as they freely admit they accept anything that is submitted to them, without verification!

The information is obviously old - as the ex-PM Douglas Home has been dead for a number of years!
Douglas



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The Douglases were considered to be the most influential and powerful of the Lowland families and who at the height of their powers were possibly the greatest family in Scotland. The first record of this name was in 1175 when William de Duglas witnessed a charter by the Bishop of Glasgow to the monks of Kelso. Grants of the land were made to Sir James Douglas one of Robert Bruce's chief lieutenants and famed for his many brave exploits. Unfortunately he was killed by the Moors in Granada, Spain whilst attempting to carry Bruce's heart to the Holyland. His nephew was created Earl of Douglas, later becoming Earl of Mar by marriage. The strength and wealth of the Douglases were a constant threat to the Stewart Kings. At one time they formed an alliance with the English crown and the Lord of the Isles against the Scots crown, the failure of which meant that Lord Douglas had to flee to England. The Black Douglases were thus forfeited in 1455 and Threave Castle was bombarded by the famous cannon, Mons Meg. George, 4th Earl of Angus, chief of the Red Douglases became head of the whole clan. His son, Archibald, "Bell-the Cat", led the nobles rebellion against James III which ended in the defeat and death of the King at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. His grandson also Archibald married Margaret Tudor widow of James IV who had fallen at Flodden. Their daughter, Lady Margaret married the Earl of Lennox, their son Lord Darnley married Mary Queen of Scots and was father of James VI & I. The Douglases continued to play an important role in the life of Scotland throughout the centuries and were ancestors of the Earls of Morton, Douglas, Annandale, Moray, Ormond, Angus and Forfar and the Dukes of Touraine, Queensberry, Buccleuch and Hamilton. It would appear that the senior representative of this house is at present Lord Home (ex-prime minister of Great Britain) but he cannot exercise the chiefship while he is also chief of Home, the heir male is the Duke of Hamilton.

[SirJames_the_good]

I would like to know when the first Douglas came over from Scoltland, where they went, who their childeren where, who they and their childeren married and when they died.

[German-Lassie]

Gosh .. that's what I call a challenge. Good luck Polwarth! LOL

[Polwarth]

Came over to where? I assume you are an American- simply because of the question you pose!


This is completely the wrong way to try to find out about your family's genealogy.... You don't start from Scotland... you start from your generation, in whichever country you live - you trace back via your parents, your grandparents etc.... until you find the very first immigrant from Scotland.

Just because your name is Douglas does not mean that you have a 'common' Douglas ancestor with everyone else who shares that name - you must trace back your specific family bloodlines.

When you get back to the original ancestor - THEN, with a lot of luck, you may be able to trace him/her back to a specific area of Scotland (via passenger lists, immigration records etc) - and that may well give you details of a specific town or parish in Scotland. Only then (and only with luck!) will you be able to trace your specific family back to their historical area - presumably the Borders as Douglas is a Reiver name...

[SirJames_the_good]

I can't go all the way back. I can only go three generation back. They are still in America. Then they just disappear. I can't find anything. I need to find someone maybe by the name of Joseph or Josar. I don't know his parents names and there isn't anyone else we can track back from.

[Polwarth]

I'm sorry, but without tracking your ancestry back to the original immigrant, it would be next to impossible to trace your family's antecedents in Scotland....

Surely you could trace back more than 3 generations? What would that be.... end of 1800s? Records must be kept somewhere...

I don't envy you your task, though.... I thank goodness that my family history is all around me - not much digging needed!

Good luck!