Clan Gow: A Legacy of Highland Smiths, Clan Chattan and the Crooked Smith
Introduction
Clan Gow is best understood as a Scottish Gaelic occupational surname and sept tradition, rather than a large independent chiefly clan with one ancient castle seat, one recognised chief and one continuous territorial lordship.
The name Gow comes from the Gaelic:
Gobha
meaning:
Smith
or
Blacksmith
The surname is closely connected with Smith, MacGowan, MacGown, Mac a’ Ghobhainn, MacGobhainn and the wider world of hereditary smiths in Scottish clan society.
Clan Gow is most strongly associated with:
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Clan Macpherson
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Clan Chattan
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The Battle of the North Inch
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Henry Wynd / Henry Smith / Gow Crom
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Badenoch
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Strath Avon
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Highland blacksmith tradition
ScotlandShop states that the Gow family are part of the Clan Chattan Confederation and are a sept of Clan Macpherson. The motto used in that associated clan context is:
“Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove”
meaning:
Do not touch the wildcat without a glove.
This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, motto traditions, smithcraft, clan associations and modern legacy of Clan Gow.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Gow
The surname Gow comes from the Gaelic word:
Gobha
This means:
Smith or blacksmith.
In Gaelic surname form, related names include:
Mac a’ Ghobhainn
MacGowan
MacGown
MacGobhainn
These mean:
Son of the smith.
Clan.com summarises the name as deriving from Gaelic gobh, meaning smith, indicating that the original bearers of the name were associated with blacksmithing, a respected profession in Highland society.
Historic spellings and related forms include:
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Gow
-
Gowe
-
Gowie
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Gowan
-
Gowans
-
MacGowan
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MacGown
-
MacGoun
-
MacGobhainn
-
Mac a’ Ghobhainn
-
Smith
-
Smyth
-
Smythe
The Gow story is therefore a story of craft. In the old clan world, the blacksmith was essential. He made and repaired:
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Swords
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Dirks
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Knives
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Spearheads
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Horse fittings
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Farm tools
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Hinges
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Chains
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Ironwork
-
Armour and fittings
A smith was not simply a tradesman. He was a maker of weapons, a keeper of fire, a worker of iron and a person of practical power.
In Highland tradition, that made the Gow name deeply respected.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Gow does not have one single independent territorial homeland in the way Clan Gordon has Huntly or Clan Campbell has Inveraray.
Instead, the name belongs to several connected heritage routes:
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Badenoch
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Clan Macpherson country
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Clan Chattan lands
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Strath Avon
-
Perth
-
The Scottish Highlands
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The wider Scottish Lowlands
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The Scottish diaspora
The strongest clan association is with Clan Macpherson, itself part of the Clan Chattan Confederation. Modern Clan Macpherson material explains that the English translation of Gow is Smith, and that the name became attached as an associated family of the clan after the famous North Inch tradition.
Clan Chattan was not one surname only. It was a confederation of related and allied Highland kindreds, including Macpherson, Mackintosh, Davidson, MacBean, MacGillivray, Shaw, Farquharson and others.
In that world, the smith was not minor. He was essential to clan survival.
The Gow name therefore belongs to a Highland network of craft, kinship and protection.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Gow
Henry Wynd / Henry Smith / Gow Crom
The most famous figure connected with Clan Gow is Henry Wynd, also remembered as Henry Smith, Henry of the Wynd, or Gow Crom.
He is linked to the famous Battle of the North Inch at Perth in 1396.
According to the tradition, thirty warriors from Clan Chattan were to fight thirty from an opposing side in a staged combat before King Robert III. Before the battle began, one of the Clan Chattan men was missing or unable to fight. A local Perth smith, Henry Wynd, agreed to take his place in return for payment if he survived.
Henry was known as Gow Crom, meaning:
The Crooked Smith
or
The Bandy-Legged Smith
Tradition says he fought with extraordinary skill and contributed greatly to Clan Chattan’s victory. After the battle, he was adopted into the clan world, and his descendants were remembered as:
Sliochd an Gobh Cruim
meaning:
The race of the crooked smith.
The Sliochd an Gobh Cruim
The Sliochd an Gobh Cruim are the key traditional kindred associated with Gow.
Their name means:
Descendants of the Crooked Smith.
This tradition connects Gow directly to Clan Chattan and especially to the Macpherson world.
The Gows of Clan Chattan
Older Highland clan scholarship states that Gow and MacGowan were associated with Clan Macpherson and Clan Chattan because Gow in Gaelic means Smith. The tradition links the Gows of Clan Chattan with Henry of the Wynd, the smith of Perth who fought at the North Inch.
The Smiths and Gows
Because Gow translates as Smith, the two names are often treated together in clan heritage.
ScotlandShop’s Smith clan guide notes that Smith is associated with Clan Chattan and that the Chattan crest uses the wildcat with the motto “Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.”
For modern descendants, this means that a family named Gow, Smith, MacGowan or MacGown may need genealogy to identify its strongest clan association.
Chapter IV: Castles, Strongholds and Historic Sites
The North Inch of Perth
The North Inch of Perth is the most important historic site connected with the Gow tradition.
In 1396, the famous judicial combat known as the Battle of the North Inch took place there. The tradition of Henry Wynd / Gow Crom makes this place central to Gow heritage.
It was not a normal battlefield. It was a staged combat watched by king and court, a dramatic attempt to settle conflict through selected champions.
For Clan Gow, the North Inch represents the moment when a smith became a clan hero.
Badenoch
Badenoch is important because of the Clan Macpherson and Clan Chattan association.
The Macphersons are one of the great kindreds of the Clan Chattan Confederation. Their lands and traditions give Gow descendants one of their strongest Highland identity routes.
Strath Avon
Tradition says that Henry Wynd later moved north and settled in Strath Avon, where he became connected with the Clan Chattan world. One account says he set out from Perth with his belongings and settled where his load fell, in Strath Avon.
This gives the Gow story a symbolic journey:
From Perth smith.
To North Inch warrior.
To Highland clan ancestor.
Newtonmore and Clan Macpherson Country
The Clan Chattan Association notes that Clan Macpherson traditions are celebrated in an annual gathering in Badenoch, with a famous Clan Museum at Newtonmore. The Macpherson motto is “Touch not the cat bot a glove.”
For Gow descendants linked with Macpherson, Newtonmore and Badenoch are important heritage centres.
The Smithy as Stronghold
For Clan Gow, the most meaningful stronghold is not necessarily a castle.
It is the smithy.
The forge, anvil, hammer, fire and iron define the name. A Gow was a maker, repairer and supplier of practical strength.
In the old Highlands, a clan without a smith was weakened. A clan with a skilled smith could arm itself, shoe horses, repair tools and prepare for conflict.
Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events
Clan Gow’s history is shaped by smithcraft, Clan Chattan association and the North Inch tradition.
The Battle of the North Inch — 1396
The defining event in Gow tradition is the Battle of the North Inch in 1396.
The battle was fought at Perth as a trial by combat in front of King Robert III. Thirty warriors fought on each side. Tradition says one Clan Chattan fighter was missing, and Henry Wynd, a local smith or armourer, took his place.
Only a small number survived. Henry Wynd survived and was remembered as a decisive contributor to Clan Chattan’s victory.
This transformed the smith into a legendary clan figure.
Adoption into Clan Chattan
After the battle, Henry was invited north and incorporated into the Clan Chattan world.
His descendants became known as:
Sliochd an Gobh Cruim
This made the Gow name part of Highland clan tradition, especially through Clan Macpherson association.
The Role of the Blacksmith in War
A blacksmith’s role in clan warfare cannot be overstated.
He made or repaired:
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Blades
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Spearheads
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Horse shoes
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Armour pieces
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Shields
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Iron fittings
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Agricultural tools that sustained the clan economy
In that sense, Clan Gow’s military legacy is not only about fighting.
It is about forging the tools and weapons that made fighting possible.
The Clan Chattan Connection
ScotlandShop identifies Gow as part of the Clan Chattan Confederation and a sept of Clan Macpherson.
This makes the Gow tradition part of one of the most famous Highland confederations in Scotland.
Modern Sept and Associated Family Identity
The modern Clan Macpherson Association notes that Gow means Smith and says the name became attached as an associated family of the clan. It also cautions that Macpherson does not use “sept” terminology in quite the same way some other clan lists do.
For accuracy, the best wording is:
Gow is widely treated as a sept or associated family of Clan Macpherson and Clan Chattan, especially through the Henry Wynd / Gow Crom tradition.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Crest Through Clan Chattan and Macpherson Association
Because Gow is not generally treated as a fully independent chiefly clan with one recognised chief, its crest and motto are usually given through the wider Clan Chattan / Macpherson association.
The common crest used in this context is the wildcat.
Clan Chattan’s crest is often described as:
A cat salient, proper
The motto is:
“Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.”
This means:
Do not touch the cat without a glove.
In other words:
Do not provoke the clan unless you are protected.
Clan Gow Crest Tradition
Some modern clan summaries give Gow’s crest as:
A cat sejant, proper
and the motto as:
“Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.”
Because this is effectively the Clan Chattan/Macpherson wildcat tradition, it should be presented as Gow’s crest tradition through its Chattan association, not as a separate ancient chiefly grant to all Gow descendants.
Clan Motto
The motto most commonly associated with Gow through Macpherson and Clan Chattan is:
“Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.”
This is one of Scotland’s most famous clan mottoes.
It means that the wildcat should not be handled bare-handed. Symbolically, it warns enemies not to challenge the clan unless they are prepared for danger.
Clan Badge
For Gow families identifying through Clan Macpherson and Clan Chattan, the relevant plant badge is usually:
White Heather
The Clan Chattan Association identifies Macpherson’s plant badge as White Heather.
For Gow as an occupational surname, the strongest independent symbols are:
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The forge
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The hammer
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The anvil
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The smith’s fire
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The wildcat of Clan Chattan
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The Gow tartan
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The story of Gow Crom
Chapter VII: Clan Tartans
Clan Gow has officially recorded tartans.
Gow Tartan
The Gow tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1472.
Modern tartan suppliers describe the Gow tartan as featuring red, navy and green in its sett. ScotsConnection states that the modern Gow tartan uses red, navy and green, and that ancient variants are also available.
Gow Portrait Tartan
The Gow Portrait tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1473.
This gives the name a second recognised tartan option.
Gow Hunting Tartan
The Gow Hunting tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1474.
Hunting tartans are often darker or more muted, suitable for country dress and outdoor wear.
Macpherson and Clan Chattan Tartans
Because Gow is associated with Clan Macpherson and Clan Chattan, some Gow descendants may also choose to wear:
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Macpherson tartan
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Clan Chattan tartan
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Smith tartan, if family tradition follows that route
The best tartan choice depends on the family’s known genealogy and clan association.
The Meaning of Gow Tartan Today
For modern Gow descendants, tartan represents:
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Gaelic smith heritage
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Clan Chattan association
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Macpherson kinship
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Henry Wynd / Gow Crom
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The North Inch of Perth
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Highland craft identity
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Family pride and diaspora connection
The Gow tartans give a smith-name a clear and wearable Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Gow represents a Scottish identity built on craft, iron, courage, service and clan adoption.
Its story includes:
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The Gaelic word gobha, meaning smith
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The related names MacGowan and Mac a’ Ghobhainn
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The English equivalent Smith
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Henry Wynd / Gow Crom
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The Battle of the North Inch in 1396
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The Sliochd an Gobh Cruim
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Clan Chattan association
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Clan Macpherson association
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The wildcat motto
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Gow tartans
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Highland blacksmith heritage
Associated names include:
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Gow
-
Gowe
-
Gowie
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Gowan
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Gowans
-
MacGowan
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MacGown
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MacGoun
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MacGobhainn
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Mac a’ Ghobhainn
-
Smith
-
Smyth
-
Smythe
The Gow story reminds us that Scottish clan society was not only made by chiefs and warriors. It was also made by craftsmen.
The smith was the man who turned fire into tools, tools into weapons, and raw iron into survival.
Chapter IX: Clan Gow Today
Today, Clan Gow is best described as a Scottish occupational surname and sept or associated-family tradition, especially linked with Clan Macpherson and Clan Chattan.
Scotstee describes Gow as occupational in origin from Gaelic gobha, meaning smith, and lists it as armigerous with no chief.
Modern Gow identity can be found through:
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Family history research
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Gow tartan wearing
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Clan Macpherson heritage
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Clan Chattan history
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Research into Smith/MacGowan/MacGown lines
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Highland games
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Genealogy projects
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Diaspora communities across the world
For Gow descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s place of origin.
A Gow from Badenoch or Clan Chattan country may strongly connect with Macpherson.
A Gow from elsewhere may represent a separate smithing family.
A Smith family may or may not connect with Gow or Clan Chattan, depending on genealogy.
The name stands today as a symbol of craft, fire, iron, courage, clan service and Highland identity.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Gow
The story of Clan Gow begins at the forge.
A Gow was a smith — a worker of iron, a maker of weapons, a repairer of tools, a practical master of fire and strength.
Its greatest legend is Henry Wynd, the Crooked Smith, who stepped into the Battle of the North Inch and fought so well that his name entered clan memory.
Its strongest clan motto comes through Clan Chattan:
Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.
Its tartans preserve the name in cloth.
Its Gaelic root preserves the name in language.
From the forge to the battlefield, from Perth to Badenoch, from Clan Chattan to descendants across the world, Clan Gow continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, iron, hammer blows, wildcat symbolism, Highland memory, 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 Gow is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Highland smiths, Clan Chattan bonds, Macpherson kinship, the Crooked Smith of Perth, wildcat warnings, tartans, fire, iron and the ancient craft that armed Scotland.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com