Clan Abernethy

The Abernethy family seat was located at Caprow, where remains of a Roman Villa and baths have been unearthed. By the year 1100 AD, the church at Abernethy had expanded to become a large parish, which was first administered by Lay Abbots. For several hundred years the secular power of the parish was inherited by the eldest son of the nobility. The Abernethy family was one of only three families which had the religious privilege of giving Sanctuary (a form of religious protection from punishment by Civil law authorities.)

The first famous Secular peer of the Culdee monastery at Abernethy was Hugh De Abernethy, possibly the grandson of Ethelred (Aedh). The Culdees were primitive Christian priests of Pictish or Scottish origin, discovered in Britain in the 6th Century AD by St. Augustine. Hugh's son was named Ormly or Orm, and he received royal grants of land from King William the Lion. Orm's son was Lawrence, the first to use Abernethy as a surname. He was born about 1167 AD. Lawrence's son was named Hugh, born about 1197. Hugh was involved in a minor insurrection against King Alexander III, when he abducted the young King briefly, but was later pardoned by the King. However, later Sir Hugh was involved with his sons Patrick and William, and Sir William Percy in the assassination of the regent, the Earl of Fife. When the plotters were arrested, Percy was executed, Sir Hugh and son William died in prison, but the actual assassin, Patrick, escaped to France and lived there until his death .... more

Abernethy round tower built around 850AD was used as place of refuge by King Malcolm III and his family.

• A1. Dufagan, 1st Earl of Fife, lvd:1107/1114;
  • B1. Constantine, 2nd Earl of Fife, d:1129;
    • C1. Gillemichael, 3rd Earl of Fife, d:1136;
      • D1. Eoghin;
        • E1. Orm de Abernethy, lvd:1172, m. Beatrix de Lindsay;
          • F1. Laurence, Abbot of Abernethy, lvd:1216, m. Devorgulle;
            • G1. Hugh Abernethy, m. Mary MacDougall;  ==>  Lords of the Isles
              • H1. Alexander Abernethy, Governor of Dundee;
                • I1. Margaret Abernethy, m. John Stewart;  ==>  Clan Stewart
                • I2. Mary Abernethy, m1. Sir Andrew Leslie,  <==  Clan Leslie
                  m2. Sir David de Lindsay;  <==  Clan Lindsay
            • G2. William Abernethy, 1st of Saltoun;
              • H1. William Abernethy, 2nd of Saltoun, lvd:1320;
                • I1. Sir William Abernethy, 3rd of Saltoun;
                  • J1. George Abernethy, 4th of Saltoun, m. Alicia Wichart;
                    • K1. George Abernethy, 5th of Saltoun, d:1388;
                      <===========
  • L1. William Abernethy, 6th of Saltoun, d:1420, m. Mary Stewart;  ==>  House of Stewart
    • M1. Sir William Abernethy, lvd:1411, m. Margaret Borthwick;
      • N1. Laurence Abernethy, 1st Lord Saltoun;
        • O1. Elizabeth Abernethy, m. John Gordon;  <==  Clan Gordon
        • O2. N. Abernethy, m. Alexander Irvine;  <==  Clan Irvine
        • O3. James Abernethy, 3rd Lord Saltoun, d:1505;
          • P1. Janet Abernethy, m. John Ogilvy;  <==  Clan Ogilvy
          • P2. Alexander Abernethy, 4th Lord Saltoun, d:1527, m. N. Stewart;  ==>  House of Stewart
            • Q1. Beatrix Abernethy, m. Alexander Forbes;  ==>  Clan Forbes
            • Q2. William Abernethy, 5th Lord Saltoun, d:1543, m. Elizabeth Hay;
              • R1. Alexander, 6th Lord Saltoun, lvd:1537/1587, m.Alison Keith;  ==>  Clan Keith
                • S1. George, 7th Lord Saltoun, d:1590, m. Margaret Stewart;  ==>  Clan Stewart
                  • T1. Margaret Abernethy, lvd:1596, m. Alexander Fraser;  <==  Clan Fraser