Clan Dundas: A Legacy of West Lothian, Lions and the Command to Try
Introduction
Clan Dundas is a historic Lowland Scottish clan and noble house rooted especially in West Lothian, Linlithgowshire, Dundas Castle, South Queensferry, Arniston, Blair Castle, Duddingston, Fingask, and the southern shorelands of the River Forth.
The clan motto is:
“Essayez”
“Try.”
The clan crest is commonly given as:
A lion’s head, affrontée, looking through a bush of oak, proper.
Clan Dundas belongs to the Lowland world of baronies, castles, law, politics, public office, military service and estate power. It is not a Highland clan of island galleys and mountain warbands, but a great landed family whose influence stretched across medieval and modern Scotland.
This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crest, motto, castles, branches and modern legacy of Clan Dundas.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Dundas
The name Dundas is territorial in origin. It comes from the lands of Dundas in West Lothian, near South Queensferry and the Firth of Forth.
The name is often interpreted from Gaelic or Brythonic elements meaning something like:
“Fort on the hill”
or
“fort by the water.”
The family’s ancestry is traditionally traced to Elias, son of Uhtred, younger son of the exiled Anglo-Saxon lord Gospatric, Earl of Northumberland. Clan histories state that the Dundas family held lands along the southern shores of the Forth from the 12th century onward.
One of the earliest recorded figures is Serle de Dundas, who appears during the reign of William the Lion. ScotlandShop notes that the lands of Dundas were obtained by charter from Waldeve, son of Gospatric, probably during the reign of Malcolm IV.
Historic spellings and forms include:
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Dundas
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Dundass
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Dundasse
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de Dundas
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Dundas of that Ilk
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Dundas of Arniston
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Dundas of Blair
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Dundas of Duddingston
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Dundas of Fingask
The story of Clan Dundas is therefore a story of land, law, loyalty and Lowland continuity.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Dundas’s historic heartland includes:
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West Lothian
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Linlithgowshire
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South Queensferry
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Dundas Castle
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Arniston
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Blair Castle
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Duddingston
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Fingask
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The southern shores of the River Forth
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The wider Scottish Lowlands
The original clan seat is:
Dundas Castle
Dundas Castle’s own history states that from the 12th century onward, the Dundas clan lived and acquired large areas of land along the southern shores of the River Forth. By the 15th century, much of Linlithgowshire, broadly equivalent to West Lothian and the western part of Edinburgh, was owned or controlled by Dundas of that Ilk.
Important branches of the family included:
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Dundas of Blair Castle
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Dundas of Arniston
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Dundas of Duddingston
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Dundas of Fingask
These are repeatedly listed as the principal branches of Clan Dundas.
The Dundas landscape is a Lowland world of castles, estates, legal families, Parliament men, soldiers, administrators and public servants.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Dundas
Serle de Dundas
Serle de Dundas is one of the earliest recorded members of the family. He appears during the reign of William the Lion, placing the Dundas name firmly in the medieval kingdom of Scotland.
He represents the early territorial identity of the family.
Hugh Dundas
Dundas Castle history records that Hugh Dundas served under William Wallace in defence of Scotland.
This connects the name to the patriotic memory of the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Dundas of Arniston
The Dundases of Arniston became one of the most important legal and political families in Scotland.
Arniston produced judges, lawyers, politicians and public figures, helping make the Dundas name a major presence in Scotland’s legal establishment.
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
One of the most powerful and controversial figures of the name was Henry Dundas, later 1st Viscount Melville.
He became one of the dominant political figures in late 18th-century Britain, holding major offices and exercising enormous influence over Scottish patronage and imperial administration.
For a modern blog, Henry Dundas should be handled carefully. He is historically important, but also controversial because of his role in imperial politics and debates around the abolition of the slave trade.
Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland
The wider Dundas family also produced the line of Baron Dundas and Earl of Zetland. Lawrence Dundas of Kerse was made a baronet in 1762; his son Thomas was created Baron Dundas of Aske in 1794; and the next Lawrence Dundas was created Earl of Zetland in 1838.
This gave the family a major aristocratic line beyond the original Dundas of that Ilk branch.
Admiral Sir Charles Dundas of Dundas
Admiral Sir Charles Dundas of Dundas, the 28th Chief of the Name, served as Aide-de-Camp to King George V during the First World War.
He represents the modern military and public-service tradition of the family.
Chapter IV: Castles, Strongholds and Historic Sites
Dundas Castle
Dundas Castle is the ancestral heart of Clan Dundas.
Located near South Queensferry, it stands within the old lands of Dundas. The family’s connection with this area reaches back to the 12th century, and by the 15th century Dundas of that Ilk controlled major landholdings across Linlithgowshire.
Dundas Castle represents:
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Territorial origin
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Lowland power
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Medieval landholding
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Family continuity
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The Forth-side landscape of the clan
Arniston House
Arniston House is one of the most important Dundas sites because of the powerful Dundas of Arniston branch.
This branch was especially associated with law, politics and public office.
Blair Castle
Dundas of Blair Castle was one of the principal branches of the family.
This branch represents the spread of Dundas influence beyond the original line.
Duddingston
Dundas of Duddingston was another major branch of the clan.
Duddingston connects the name with the Edinburgh and Lothian world.
Fingask
Dundas of Fingask was also one of the principal family branches.
Together, these branches show that Clan Dundas was not one isolated house, but a network of influential Lowland family lines.
Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events
Clan Dundas is not mainly remembered as a Highland battlefield clan. Its story is better understood through landholding, legal power, public service, military appointments, parliamentary influence and estate continuity.
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Dundas family is connected by tradition with the defence of Scotland during the Wars of Independence. Dundas Castle history records that Hugh Dundas served under William Wallace.
This places the clan within the great patriotic memory of Wallace, Bruce and Scotland’s struggle against English domination.
Expansion Along the River Forth
From the 12th century onward, the family acquired lands along the southern shore of the Forth. By the 15th century, Dundas of that Ilk controlled much of Linlithgowshire.
This territorial expansion was one of the most important “events” in Dundas history.
Rise of the Legal Dundases
The rise of the Dundases of Arniston gave the name deep importance in Scotland’s legal and political life.
The family became associated with judges, advocates, ministers and administrators, showing how Lowland clan power could operate through law and government rather than cattle raids and Highland warfare.
The Zetland Line
The creation of the titles Baron Dundas, Earl of Zetland and later Marquess of Zetland shows how the family entered the higher ranks of British aristocracy.
This made the Dundas name visible in British political and imperial history.
First World War Service
Admiral Sir Charles Dundas of Dundas served as Aide-de-Camp to King George V during the First World War.
This connects the clan name with modern military service and royal duty.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The Dundas crest is commonly described as:
A lion’s head, affrontée, looking through a bush of oak, proper.
The lion suggests:
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Courage
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Nobility
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Strength
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Watchfulness
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Authority
The oak suggests:
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Endurance
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Deep roots
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Strength over generations
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Native Scottish landscape symbolism
Together, the lion and oak create a fitting image for a clan rooted in long territorial continuity.
Clan Motto
The clan motto is:
“Essayez”
This means:
“Try.”
ScotlandShop gives the motto as Essayez, meaning Try.
It is one of the shortest and most direct clan mottoes in Scotland. It suggests effort, courage, willingness and action.
For Clan Dundas, Essayez is not a boast. It is a command.
Try. Attempt. Test yourself. Act.
Clan Badge
A widely agreed plant badge for Clan Dundas is not as consistently recorded as those of many Highland clans.
For accuracy, the strongest Dundas symbols are:
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The lion’s head crest
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The oak bush
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The motto “Essayez”
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Dundas Castle
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Arniston
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The Dundas tartans
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The Lowland legal and political tradition
Chapter VII: Clan Tartans
Clan Dundas has recorded tartans.
Dundas Tartan
The Dundas tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1026 as a Clan/Family tartan.
Modern tartan summaries describe the design as using strong colours including blue, black, green and red.
Dundas #2 Tartan
The Dundas #2 tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1027.
The register identifies it as a Clan/Family tartan, designed by the Sobieski Stewarts, with a tartan date of 1 January 1842.
Vestiarium Scoticum Connection
ScotClans notes that the Dundas tartan was first recorded in 1842 in the Vestiarium Scoticum by the Sobieski Stuart brothers.
As with many tartans linked to the Vestiarium Scoticum, this should be presented carefully. The tartan is part of recognised modern clan tartan culture, but its claimed medieval antiquity should not be overstated.
Dundas Ancient and Modern Tartans
Modern tartan suppliers commonly offer Dundas Ancient and Dundas Modern versions.
The difference is usually dye shade:
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Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
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Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
The Meaning of Dundas Tartan Today
For modern Dundas descendants, tartan represents:
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West Lothian roots
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Dundas Castle
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Arniston and the legal family
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The motto “Essayez”
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The lion and oak crest
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Lowland Scottish heritage
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Family pride and diaspora identity
The tartan gives a historic Lowland name a visible Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Dundas represents a proud Lowland Scottish identity built on land, law, duty and public service.
Its story includes:
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West Lothian origins
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Dundas Castle
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The southern shores of the River Forth
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Serle de Dundas
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Hugh Dundas and Wallace tradition
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Dundas of that Ilk
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Dundas of Arniston
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Dundas of Blair Castle
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Dundas of Duddingston
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Dundas of Fingask
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The Zetland line
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The lion and oak crest
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The motto “Essayez”
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Dundas tartans
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Military and public service
Associated names and branches include:
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Dundas
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Dundass
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Dundasse
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Dundas of that Ilk
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Dundas of Arniston
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Dundas of Blair
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Dundas of Duddingston
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Dundas of Fingask
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Dundas of Kerse
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Dundas of Aske
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Dundas of Zetland
The Dundas story is especially useful for showing that Scottish clan identity is not only Highland. Lowland clans also held lands, built castles, produced chiefs, served kings, shaped law and influenced national politics.
Chapter IX: Clan Dundas Today
Today, Clan Dundas remains a recognised Scottish clan and historic Lowland family tradition.
The main family lines are associated with Dundas Castle, Arniston, and the wider aristocratic branches that developed from the name. Historic and clan references identify notable branches including Dundas of Blair Castle, Arniston, Duddingston and Fingask.
Modern Clan Dundas identity can be found through:
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Family history research
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Tartan wearing
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Scottish heritage events
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Study of Dundas Castle and Arniston
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Research into West Lothian and Linlithgowshire records
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Genealogy projects
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Diaspora communities across the world
The clan stands today as a symbol of effort, Lowland heritage, legal influence, public service and Scottish family pride.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Dundas
The story of Clan Dundas begins on the southern shores of the River Forth.
From the lands of Dundas came a family whose influence spread across West Lothian, Arniston, Parliament, law, military service, aristocracy and the wider Scottish world.
Its crest, the lion looking through oak, speaks of strength rooted in endurance.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Essayez — Try.
That single word captures the Dundas spirit: make the attempt, take the duty, rise to the challenge.
From Dundas Castle to Arniston, from Wallace tradition to modern descendants across the world, Clan Dundas continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, oak, lion crests, legal records, castle stone, public office and the pride of those who still honour the name.
Tartan Time Machine Closing Paragraph
At Tartan Time Machine, we bring Scotland’s past into the present by exploring the clans, castles, battles, kirkyards, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Dundas is one chapter in that greater story — a story of West Lothian roots, Dundas Castle, lion crests, oak strength, tartans, legal minds, public servants and the powerful command to try.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com