Donald by Don Munro
If Donald was the name of the first Munro, why was only one other chief called Donald? And he was one of the first ten chiefs about whom there is no proof. Check Malcolm Hamilton’s comment in “Where Did We Come From”
Follow:
- Next story Clan Munro At Culloden? by Don Munro
- Previous story In Search Of Marilyn’s Monroe Ancestry by Mark Monroe
Welcome
Welcome to my Clan Munro blog. Have a look around and if you find anything of interest, please leave a comment. Just click on the white arrows on green at the right hand side & you will see all the posts.
Subscribe to Blog via Email
More
There was an early Donald associated with the area where Foulis now exists, but he is most likely the bastard son of Malcolm II and not a Munro. There are also four in that group of early clan chiefs named George. At the time of these supposed chiefs, the name George was not in use in Scotland. When this mythical genealogy was created (probably in the 1700s), George WAS a common name. Also interesting that the third “George” (d. 1314) predeceased his father Robert (d. 1323) , but is still listed as a clan chief.
The evidence that is cited for each of the first ten chiefs cannot be verified, and, in fact, some is quite assuredly bogus. A charter cited to Hugh Munro (d. 1126) does not exist and is not listed among the charters of the Sutherlands. One marriages is cited to a couple that did not live in the same century.
That’s the bastard son of Malcolm III (not II, sorry for the type)
It may have just been superceded by Norman names like Robert (8th baron fl. 1350, wonder who he was named after?), Hugh and William. Some names may have been adapted from the Gaelic (Eachan > Hector; also Uisdan > Hugh). Worth thinking about who was the king at the time too – possibly the reason for those early Georges, as Malcolm suggests. However there was a George of Milntown born in the 16th century. It’s interesting how some names are commoner in particular clans – lots of Roderick MacKenzies, for example, but few Roderick Munros. I expect someone has studied all this.
If you are right, Malcolm, and the Munros knew that Donald was not a Munro, then that could be the reason for no Donalds further down the line!!
At the time when this happened there were no Munros at all–at least not in Alba (Scotland).
Even the kings were called King of the Scots, not King of Scotland.
If Donald is the illegitimate son on Malcolm III, then he couldn’t have come from Ireland – could he?
This Donald is not OUR Donald. But he is more likely to be the origin of Ferindonald–Donald’s Land.
Now I am confused – how many Donalds are there??
Donald was a common name in the early period. Two of the questionable early ten chiefs are named Donald. There are no later chiefs named Donald. Robert, Hector, William, and John appear in the list of verifiable clan chiefs. If you go to this website, you’ll find the list of them.
http://www.clanmunro.org.uk/chief.htm
This may be of interest (from Wikipedia): Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name Domhnall. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *Dumno-ualos (“world-ruler” or “world-wielder”). The final -d in Donald is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the Gaelic pronunciation by English-speakers, and partly associated with the spelling of similar-sounding Germanic names, such as Ronald.
Just to clear up any confusion that might exist – when you wrote about Donald being the bastard son of Malcolm III, were you talking about the first or second Donald shown as the early Munro Chiefs? Or maybe someone else altogether.
I am not talking about any “Donald” in the Munro line. The area around the current Foulis castle has been known as Ferindonald (Donald’s land) from time immemorial. My contention is that it was named for a Donald that had nothing to do with the Munro clan. Later when Munros arrived on the scene, it was convenient to adopt the name Donald and claim that Ferindonald had something to with with Munro origins. I do not believe that it did.