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Clan Forbes

Clan Forbes: A Legacy of Aberdeenshire, Stags and Grace as Guide

Introduction

Clan Forbes is a historic Scottish clan rooted in Aberdeenshire, Strathdon, Castle Forbes, Pitsligo, Tolquhon, Craigievar, Culloden, Druminnor, and the north-east of Scotland.

The clan motto is:

“Grace Me Guide”

The clan crest is:

A stag’s head attired with ten tines, proper.

The clan plant badge is:

Broom.

The clan war cry is:

“Lonach”, a hill in Strathdon.

The current chief is:

Malcolm Nigel Forbes
23rd Lord Forbes
Chief of Clan Forbes

Castle Forbes states that the present Castle Forbes was built in 1815 by James Ochoncar, the 17th Lord Forbes, and is now occupied by Malcolm, 23rd Lord Forbes, and his wife Jinny, Lady Forbes. It also identifies Malcolm as the current clan chief and Premier Lord of Scotland. 

This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crest, motto, castles, battles and modern legacy of Clan Forbes.

Chapter I: Origins of Clan Forbes

The name Forbes is territorial in origin. It comes from the lands of Forbes in Aberdeenshire, in the north-east of Scotland.

The Gaelic form is commonly given as:

Foirbeis

Clan Forbes belongs to the powerful north-east world of Scottish clan history. This was a region of castles, lairds, royal service, feuds, alliances, battles, estates and fierce competition between noble houses.

Historic forms and associated branches include:

  • Forbes

  • Forbess

  • Forbes of that Ilk

  • Forbes of Pitsligo

  • Forbes of Tolquhon

  • Forbes of Craigievar

  • Forbes of Culloden

  • Forbes of Brux

  • Forbes of Corse

  • Forbes of Monymusk

  • Forbes of Echt

  • Forbes of Edinglassie

  • Forbes of Druminnor

Clan Forbes became one of the most important families in Aberdeenshire. Its story is closely connected with castles, court service, military leadership, rivalry with Clan Gordon, the Battle of Harlaw, the Jacobite period and the long survival of the Lords Forbes.

Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands

Clan Forbes’s historic heartland includes:

  • Aberdeenshire

  • Strathdon

  • Castle Forbes

  • Druminnor

  • Pitsligo

  • Tolquhon

  • Craigievar

  • Corse

  • Monymusk

  • Culloden

  • Brux

  • Edinglassie

  • The north-east of Scotland

The clan seat is:

Castle Forbes

Historic seats and major Forbes sites include:

Druminnor Castle
Pitsligo Castle
Tolquhon Castle
Craigievar Castle
Culloden House
Castle Forbes

Modern clan summaries identify Castle Forbes as the clan seat and Culloden House as a historic seat. 

The Forbes lands lay in a powerful part of Scotland. Aberdeenshire was a meeting ground of Highland and Lowland influences, where families such as Forbes, Gordon, Leslie, Irvine, Fraser and Keith shaped the politics of the north-east.

Clan Forbes was not a small local name. It became one of the great lordly houses of northern Scotland.

Chapter III: Important People of Clan Forbes

The Early Forbes Chiefs

The earliest Forbes chiefs took their name from the lands of Forbes in Aberdeenshire.

The family’s rise was based on landholding, loyalty, military service and strategic marriage. Over time, the Lords Forbes became one of the senior noble lines in Scotland.

Alexander de Forbes

Early Forbes tradition often centres on Alexander de Forbes, associated with the medieval rise of the family. The Forbeses became increasingly prominent in Aberdeenshire during the later medieval period.

Alexander Forbes, 1st Lord Forbes

Alexander Forbes became 1st Lord Forbes in the 15th century, securing the family’s place in the Scottish peerage.

The title Lord Forbes is one of the oldest extant lordships in Scotland, and the holder is traditionally regarded as the Premier Lord of Scotland. Castle Forbes identifies the current 23rd Lord Forbes as Premier Lord of Scotland. 

Alexander Forbes, 10th Lord Forbes

Alexander Forbes, 10th Lord Forbes, served as a lieutenant general under Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years’ War. Modern clan summaries note this important military role.

His career gave the Forbes name an international military connection beyond Scotland.

Duncan Forbes of Culloden

One of the most important Forbes figures was Duncan Forbes of Culloden, a leading Scottish judge and statesman.

During the Jacobite Rising of 1745, he helped support the Hanoverian government and worked to discourage Highland chiefs from joining Prince Charles Edward Stuart. Clan.com notes that Duncan Forbes of Culloden played a major role in suppressing the 1745 Jacobite rising, while also campaigning for leniency and better treatment for prisoners after Culloden. 

This makes him one of the most complex figures in Forbes history: a government loyalist, but also a man remembered for urging mercy.

Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Pitsligo

Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Pitsligo, was a committed Jacobite.

After the Battle of Culloden, he was attainted and lived secretly for years before dying in 1762. Modern clan summaries describe the Forbeses of Pitsligo as a branch of the family and state that Alexander, 4th Lord Pitsligo, was attainted after Culloden and lived secretly before his death. 

His story represents the Jacobite side of Forbes history.

Malcolm Forbes, 23rd Lord Forbes

The current chief is:

Malcolm Nigel Forbes
23rd Lord Forbes
Chief of Clan Forbes

Castle Forbes identifies him as the current clan chief and states that he and Lady Forbes occupy Castle Forbes today. 

Chapter IV: Castles, Strongholds and Historic Sites

Castle Forbes

Castle Forbes is the modern seat of Clan Forbes.

The present castle was built in 1815 by James Ochoncar, 17th Lord Forbes, on the site of an earlier family home. It remains occupied by the current chief, Malcolm, 23rd Lord Forbes, and Lady Forbes. 

For Clan Forbes, Castle Forbes represents:

  • Chiefship

  • Continuity

  • Aberdeenshire identity

  • Noble status

  • Living clan heritage

Druminnor Castle

Druminnor Castle was one of the great early Forbes strongholds.

It is strongly associated with the older Forbes chiefly line and the medieval power of the family in Aberdeenshire.

Pitsligo Castle

Pitsligo Castle is associated with the Forbeses of Pitsligo, one of the major branches of the clan.

This branch became especially famous through Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Pitsligo, the Jacobite nobleman attainted after the 1745 Rising. 

Tolquhon Castle

Tolquhon Castle was held by an important Forbes branch. Modern clan summaries state that the Forbeses of Tolquhon acquired that estate in 1420 and became progenitors of the Lairds of Culloden.

Craigievar Castle

Craigievar Castle is one of the most famous castles associated with the wider Forbes family.

The Forbeses of Craigievar became an important branch, and the castle remains one of the most visually striking tower houses in Scotland.

Culloden House

Culloden House is associated with the Forbeses of Culloden, including Duncan Forbes of Culloden.

It connects Clan Forbes to one of the most important and tragic landscapes in Scottish history: the district of Culloden and the 1745 Jacobite rising.

Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events

Clan Forbes history includes medieval warfare, feuds, international military service, Jacobite division and legal influence.

Battle of Harlaw — 1411

Clan Forbes is traditionally associated with the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, one of the great battles of north-east Scotland.

The battle was fought between forces associated with Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles, and the north-east forces led by the Earl of Mar. It became a defining moment in the history of Aberdeenshire and the balance of power between the Lordship of the Isles and north-eastern Scotland.

ScotlandShop highlights Forbes associations with the Battle of Harlaw in its Forbes clan material. 

Feud with Clan Gordon

One of the most important conflicts in Forbes history was the long feud with Clan Gordon.

Clan.com notes that Clan Forbes was known for feuds, especially one with Clan Gordon, and that it required two Acts of Parliament to calm the dispute. 

This rivalry shaped much of the clan’s north-east history.

Thirty Years’ War

Alexander Forbes, 10th Lord Forbes, served as a lieutenant general under Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years’ War.

This gave the Forbes name a role in European military history.

Jacobite Rising of 1715

Different Forbes branches held different loyalties during the Jacobite period.

Some Forbes families supported the government, while others leaned toward the Jacobite cause.

Jacobite Rising of 1745

The 1745 Rising divided the wider Forbes name.

Duncan Forbes of Culloden supported the Hanoverian government and helped suppress the rising, but also argued for mercy after the Jacobite defeat.

At the same time, Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Pitsligo, supported the Jacobites and was attainted after Culloden, later living in hiding. 

This makes Clan Forbes a powerful example of how Scottish families could be divided by Jacobite politics.

Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge

Clan Crest

The Forbes crest is:

A stag’s head attired with ten tines, proper.

The stag represents:

  • Nobility

  • Watchfulness

  • Strength

  • Grace

  • Highland and woodland power

  • Leadership

The Clan Forbes Society describes the Forbes crest badge as showing a stag’s head with the motto “Grace Me Guide.” 

St Kilda Store notes that the Forbes crest of a stag’s head with ten tines has been in place since at least the 1670s, appearing in Sir George Mackenzie’s Families of Scotland manuscript and registered in the Lyon Office at that time. 

Clan Motto

The clan motto is:

“Grace Me Guide”

It is a deeply spiritual and moral motto. It asks for grace to lead, direct and protect.

For Clan Forbes, the motto suggests:

  • Faith

  • Humility

  • Guidance

  • Honour

  • Moral leadership

  • Strength under divine direction

War Cry

The clan war cry is:

“Lonach”

This refers to a hill in Strathdon and is listed in modern clan summaries as the Forbes war cry. 

Clan Badge

The plant badge is:

Broom

ScotlandShop states that the Forbes plant badge is Broom, also called Scotch Broom, and says Forbes clansmen placed “bonny broom” in their bonnets as a symbol of their ancient chieftains. 

Broom is a fitting badge for Clan Forbes:

  • Bright

  • Hardy

  • Native to rough ground

  • Symbolic of resilience

  • Strongly tied to Scottish landscape

Chapter VII: Clan Tartans

Clan Forbes has several tartan traditions, but the official clan tartan is especially important.

Official Clan Forbes Tartan

The Forbes tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1214.

The register states that this is the Clan Forbes tartan, with Wilsons of Bannockburn as the designer, a tartan date of 1 January 1819, and a note that it was included in Wilsons of Bannockburn’s 1819 Key Pattern Book. 

The Clan Forbes Society states that although several tartans are promoted commercially, Chief Malcolm, Lord Forbes, has determined that the only official Clan Forbes tartan is the one designated Scottish Tartan Authority number 211, which corresponds to the Forbes tartan recorded by the Scottish Register. 

Forbes 1842 Tartan

The Scottish Register of Tartans also lists Forbes – 1842 as a clan/family tartan designed by the Sobieski Stuarts. 

Because this links to the Vestiarium Scoticum tradition, it should be treated carefully as part of 19th-century tartan culture.

Forbes Dress Tartan

The Scottish Register search results also list Forbes Dress and Forbes Dress (Clans Originaux) as Forbes clan/family tartans. 

Dress tartans are often used for formal wear, sashes and decorative Highland dress.

The Meaning of Forbes Tartan Today

For modern Forbes descendants, tartan represents:

  • Aberdeenshire roots

  • Castle Forbes

  • The motto “Grace Me Guide”

  • The stag’s head crest

  • Broom as plant badge

  • The Lords Forbes

  • Pitsligo, Tolquhon, Craigievar and Culloden branches

  • Family pride and diaspora identity

The Forbes tartan gives one of Scotland’s great north-east clans a visible and wearable identity.

Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions

Clan Forbes represents a proud north-east Scottish identity built on land, nobility, faith, rivalry, service and survival.

Its story includes:

  • Aberdeenshire origins

  • Castle Forbes

  • Druminnor Castle

  • Pitsligo

  • Tolquhon

  • Craigievar

  • Culloden House

  • The Battle of Harlaw

  • Feud with Clan Gordon

  • The Lords Forbes

  • The Forbeses of Pitsligo

  • Duncan Forbes of Culloden

  • Jacobite division

  • The stag’s head crest

  • The motto “Grace Me Guide”

  • Broom as plant badge

  • Forbes tartans

  • A living chief

Associated names and branches include:

  • Forbes

  • Forbess

  • Forbes of Pitsligo

  • Forbes of Tolquhon

  • Forbes of Craigievar

  • Forbes of Culloden

  • Forbes of Brux

  • Forbes of Corse

  • Forbes of Monymusk

  • Forbes of Edinglassie

  • Forbes of Druminnor

  • Stuart-Forbes

  • Forbes-Sempill

The Forbes story is one of Scotland’s great examples of how a clan could hold noble rank, divide politically, survive feuds, and remain rooted in one region for centuries.

Chapter IX: Clan Forbes Today

Today, Clan Forbes remains a recognised Scottish clan with a living chief.

The current chief is:

Malcolm Nigel Forbes
23rd Lord Forbes
Chief of Clan Forbes

Castle Forbes identifies him as current clan chief and Premier Lord of Scotland. 

Modern Clan Forbes identity can be found through:

  • Clan Forbes Society

  • Castle Forbes

  • Family history research

  • Tartan wearing

  • Scottish heritage events

  • Study of Aberdeenshire castles

  • Interest in Harlaw, Jacobite history and north-east clan politics

  • Genealogy projects

  • Diaspora communities across the world

Castle Forbes is a private home, and the Clan Forbes Society notes that clan members are welcomed by arrangement, but visits should be organised in advance. 

The clan stands today as a symbol of grace, nobility, Aberdeenshire heritage, faith, endurance and Scottish family pride.

Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Forbes

The story of Clan Forbes begins in the lands of Aberdeenshire and rises into one of the great noble houses of northern Scotland.

It is a story of castles, stags, broom, feuds, faith, Jacobite division, government service, military distinction and long continuity.

Its crest, the stag’s head with ten tines, speaks of nobility, alertness and natural strength.

Its motto gives the clan its voice:

Grace Me Guide.

That phrase captures the Forbes spirit: strong, but guided by something higher than pride.

From Castle Forbes to Pitsligo, from Tolquhon to Craigievar, from Harlaw to Culloden, from Aberdeenshire to descendants across the world, Clan Forbes continues to carry its history forward.

Its legacy is written in tartan, broom, castle stone, stag symbolism, noble titles, family records 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 Forbes is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Aberdeenshire roots, Castle Forbes, stag crests, broom badges, tartans, feuds with Gordon, Jacobite division and the enduring prayer: Grace Me Guide.

Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:

www.tartantimemachine.com