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Clan Keith

Clan Keith: A Legacy of Dunnottar, Marischals and the Triumph of Truth

Introduction

Clan Keith is one of Scotland’s great historic clans and noble houses, rooted especially in East Lothian, Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire, Dunnottar Castle, Keith Marischal, Fetteresso, Inverugie, Ackergill, Urie, and the wider north-east of Scotland.

The clan motto is:

“Veritas Vincit”
“Truth conquers.”

The clan crest is:

Out of a crest coronet Or, a roebuck’s head Proper, attired Or.

The clan plant badge is:

White Rose.

The clan war cry or slogan is:

“A Keith, Veritas Vincit!”

The current chief is:

Sir James William Falconer Keith of Urie
14th Earl of Kintore
Chief of Clan Keith

The present clan seat is commonly listed as Keith Hall, Aberdeenshire, while historic Keith seats include Keith Marischal House, Dunnottar Castle and Fetteresso Castle. 

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

Chapter I: Origins of Clan Keith

The name Keith is territorial in origin. It comes from the lands of Keith in East Lothian, where the early family rose to prominence before becoming one of the great noble powers of the north-east.

The Gaelic forms are commonly given as:

Ceiteach
Mac Shithich

Historic spellings and related forms include:

  • Keith

  • Keath

  • Keeth

  • Keyth

  • Kite

  • MacKeith

  • Keith of Keith

  • Keith of Dunnottar

  • Keith of Inverugie

  • Keith of Urie

  • Keith of Ravelston

  • Keith-Falconer

The clan’s most important historic office was:

Great Marischal of Scotland

The Marischal was responsible for the safety of the king’s person within Parliament and also had custody of the royal regalia. In a charter of 1176, a member of the Keith family was styled Marischal of the King of Scots, placing the family very close to the heart of royal authority. 

Clan Keith is therefore not simply a surname tradition. It is one of the great office-bearing houses of medieval Scotland — a family whose identity was bound to kingship, parliament, ceremony, war and the national regalia.

Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands

Clan Keith’s historic territories include:

  • East Lothian

  • Keith Marischal

  • Aberdeenshire

  • Kincardineshire

  • Dunnottar Castle

  • Fetteresso Castle

  • Inverugie Castle

  • Ackergill Tower

  • Keith Hall

  • Urie

  • Ravelston

  • Caithness

  • The north-east of Scotland

The current seat is:

Keith Hall, Aberdeenshire.

Historic seats include:

Keith Marischal House
Dunnottar Castle
Fetteresso Castle

Modern clan summaries identify Keith Hall as the current seat, while Dunnottar, Keith Marischal and Fetteresso are among the most important historic strongholds. 

The Keiths began in East Lothian but rose most dramatically in the north-east, where their power centred on Dunnottar Castle, one of the most dramatic and important fortresses in Scotland.

The Keith landscape is therefore both Lowland and north-eastern: East Lothian roots, Aberdeenshire power, Kincardineshire cliffs, Caithness feuds and noble office.

Chapter III: Important People of Clan Keith

Hervey de Keith

One of the early figures of the name was Hervey de Keith, connected with the rise of the family in medieval Scotland and the office of Marischal.

The Keiths became hereditary royal officers, and that office became the foundation of their power.

Sir Robert Keith, Great Marischal of Scotland

Sir Robert Keith was one of the most important Keiths in Scottish history.

He supported Robert the Bruce and commanded the Scottish cavalry at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Bruce confirmed the hereditary office of Marischal to the Keith family by charter in 1324. 

This placed Clan Keith permanently within the heroic memory of the Wars of Scottish Independence.

William Keith of Galston

William Keith of Galston, nephew of Sir Robert Keith, is remembered for returning the heart of Robert the Bruce to Melrose Abbey after the death of Sir James Douglas at the Battle of Teba in Andalucia.

This gives Clan Keith a remarkable link not only to Bruce, but to the crusading legend of Bruce’s heart.

Sir William Keith, Great Marischal

Sir William Keith, Great Marischal of Scotland, built the first stone keep at Dunnottar Castle in 1392, giving Clan Keith one of its greatest architectural symbols. Dunnottar Castle’s own history records Sir William Keith as the builder of the keep.

William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal

William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal, helped invite John Knox back to Scotland in 1559, placing the Keiths within the turbulent religious history of the Reformation.

William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal

William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal, founded Marischal College in Aberdeen, one of the great educational foundations of Scotland.

George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal

George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal, undertook the embassy to Denmark that helped arrange the marriage of James VI of Scotland to Anne of Denmark.

This placed Clan Keith at the heart of royal diplomacy.

George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal

George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, supported the Jacobite Rising of 1715. As a result, he and his brother forfeited their lands, castles and titles.

His fall marked the end of the old Keith Marischal power.

Sir James William Falconer Keith of Urie

The current chief is:

Sir James William Falconer Keith of Urie
14th Earl of Kintore
Chief of Clan Keith

He succeeded his father on 30 October 2004. 

Chapter IV: Castles, Strongholds and Historic Sites

Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar Castle is the most famous Keith stronghold.

Standing on a cliff-girt headland above the North Sea near Stonehaven, it is one of the most spectacular castles in Scotland. The Keiths held Dunnottar from 1382, after exchanging lands with the Lindsays, and Sir William Keith built the stone keep in 1392. 

For Clan Keith, Dunnottar represents:

  • Great Marischal power

  • Royal service

  • Defence of the Scottish regalia

  • North-east lordship

  • Clan prestige

  • Jacobite loss

  • One of Scotland’s most dramatic castle landscapes

Dunnottar was also where the Scottish crown jewels were kept safe during Cromwell’s invasion in 1651, making it one of the great national heritage sites of Scotland. 

Keith Marischal House

Keith Marischal House, near Pencaitland in East Lothian, was one of the early seats of the family.

It preserves the connection between the Keith name and the ancient office of Marischal.

Fetteresso Castle

Fetteresso Castle passed into Keith hands in the early 14th century and became another important stronghold of the Earl Marischal line.

Inverugie Castle

Inverugie Castle became a major Keith seat after marriage into the Cheyne inheritance brought the Keiths extensive estates in the north-east.

Ackergill Tower

Ackergill Tower, near Wick in Caithness, became linked to the Keith Earls Marischal around 1350 and is central to the long feud between Clan Keith and Clan Gunn.

Keith Hall

Keith Hall, once known as Caskieben, is commonly listed as the current seat of the Keith chief.

Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events

Clan Keith’s history includes Bruce loyalty, Bannockburn, royal office, feuds with Gunn and Irvine, Reformation politics, preservation of the Scottish regalia and Jacobite forfeiture.

Wars of Scottish Independence

Clan Keith’s greatest early military fame came through support for Robert the Bruce.

In 1308, Bruce granted the royal forest of Halforest in Aberdeenshire to his friend Robert de Keith. In 1314, Sir Robert Keith commanded the Scottish cavalry at Bannockburn. In 1324, Bruce confirmed the family’s hereditary office of Marischal. 

This made Clan Keith one of the great Bruce-supporting families of Scotland.

Battle of Drumoak — 1402

Clan Keith had a long feud with Clan Irvine.

In 1402, Clan Irvine is said to have attacked and defeated a Keith war party at the Battle of Drumoak. 

This feud was later formally ended in modern times, showing how old clan rivalries could become modern friendship.

The Feud with Clan Gunn

The Keiths also had a bitter and long-running feud with Clan Gunn in Caithness.

The most famous episode was the Battle of Champions at St Tears Chapel, fought in 1478 or 1464. The battle was arranged as a trial combat, with twelve men on horseback from each side, but the Keiths arrived with two men on each horse, giving them twenty-four fighters against the Gunns’ twelve. The Keiths won, and George Gunn, the Crowner, was killed. 

Treaty with Clan Gunn — 1978

The Keith-Gunn feud was formally ended in 1978, when the Earl of Kintore, Chief of Clan Keith, and Iain Gunn of Banniskirk, Commander of Clan Gunn, signed a Bond and Covenant of Friendship at St Tears on the 500th anniversary of the battle. 

This is one of the most memorable modern acts of clan reconciliation in Scotland.

The Scottish Regalia at Dunnottar

In 1651, during Cromwell’s invasion, the Scottish crown jewels were hidden on Keith lands and protected at Dunnottar Castle. This service led to John Keith being created Knight Marischal and later Earl of Kintore. 

Jacobite Rising of 1715

The Keiths supported the Jacobite cause in 1715.

George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, and his brother James Francis Edward Keith forfeited their lands, castles and titles after the rising. 

This brought the old Earl Marischal line to ruin in Scotland, though the Keith brothers later became significant figures in continental Europe.

Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge

Clan Crest

The Keith crest is:

Out of a crest coronet Or, a roebuck’s head Proper, attired Or.

In simpler terms, it shows a roebuck’s head rising from a golden coronet.

The roebuck suggests:

  • Nobility

  • Watchfulness

  • Speed

  • Grace

  • Alertness

  • Forest and hunting symbolism

Modern clan summaries and clan guides give this crest with the motto Veritas Vincit. 

Clan Motto

The clan motto is:

“Veritas Vincit”

This means:

“Truth conquers.”

It is one of the strongest moral mottoes in Scottish clan tradition.

For Clan Keith, the motto suggests:

  • Integrity

  • Honour

  • Justice

  • Loyalty to truth

  • Endurance through political loss

  • Moral victory beyond worldly defeat

Clan Slogan

The clan slogan is:

“A Keith, Veritas Vincit!”

This joins the clan name directly to its motto: Keith and truth together.

Clan Badge

The plant badge is:

White Rose

Modern clan summaries list the White Rose as the plant badge of Clan Keith. 

The white rose also carries Jacobite associations, which fits the later history of the Earl Marischal line.

Chapter VII: Clan Tartans

Clan Keith has several tartan traditions.

Keith Tartan

The Keith tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1936. 

This is the main tartan associated with the name.

Keith Modern Tartan

Modern Keith tartan is commonly described as using dark colours such as black, blue and green, often with a red overcheck. A recent tartan summary describes the Keith tartan as black, blue and green with a red overcheck. 

Keith Ancient Tartan

Ancient versions use softer, lighter tones to suggest older natural dye colours.

Keith Weathered Tartan

Weathered versions use muted, aged tones, often chosen for heritage and outdoor wear.

The Meaning of Keith Tartan Today

For modern Keith descendants, tartan represents:

  • Dunnottar Castle

  • The office of Great Marischal

  • The motto “Truth Conquers”

  • The roebuck crest

  • The white rose

  • Bruce loyalty

  • The preservation of the Scottish regalia

  • Family pride and diaspora identity

The Keith tartan gives one of Scotland’s greatest office-bearing families a visible and wearable identity.

Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions

Clan Keith represents a proud Scottish identity built on truth, royal office, martial service, castle power and national responsibility.

Its story includes:

  • East Lothian origins

  • The office of Great Marischal

  • Bruce loyalty

  • Bannockburn

  • Dunnottar Castle

  • Keith Marischal House

  • Fetteresso Castle

  • Inverugie Castle

  • Ackergill Tower

  • Feuds with Gunn and Irvine

  • The Scottish regalia at Dunnottar

  • Jacobite forfeiture

  • The Earls Marischal

  • The Earls of Kintore

  • The roebuck crest

  • The motto “Veritas Vincit”

  • White Rose plant badge

  • Keith tartans

  • A living recognised chief

Associated names and septs include:

  • Keith

  • Keath

  • Keech

  • Keeth

  • Keyth

  • Kite

  • MacKeith

  • Marshall

  • Falconer

  • Faulkner

  • Falkner

  • Austin

  • Austen

  • Dick

  • Dickson

  • Dixon

  • Harvey

  • Hervey

  • Haxton

  • Hackston

  • Urie

  • Urry

  • Laird

  • Lumgair

Modern clan summaries list many of these as Keith septs or associated names. 

Chapter IX: Clan Keith Today

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

The current chief is:

Sir James William Falconer Keith of Urie
14th Earl of Kintore
Chief of Clan Keith

He also holds titles including Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall, Viscount Stonehaven and Baron Stonehaven. 

Modern Clan Keith identity can be found through:

  • Clan Keith societies

  • Family history research

  • Tartan wearing

  • Visits to Dunnottar and Keith Hall country

  • Study of the Earls Marischal

  • Interest in the Scottish crown jewels

  • Scottish heritage events

  • Highland games

  • Genealogy projects

  • Diaspora communities across the world

The clan stands today as a symbol of truth, royal service, north-east strength, reconciliation and Scottish family pride.

Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Keith

The story of Clan Keith begins in East Lothian and rises into the highest offices of medieval Scotland.

The Keiths became Great Marischals, guardians of royal ceremony and servants of the Crown. They fought for Bruce, helped win Bannockburn, built Dunnottar, protected the Scottish regalia and carried the motto of truth through triumph and forfeiture alike.

Its crest, the roebuck’s head from a golden coronet, speaks of noble alertness.

Its plant badge, the white rose, speaks of purity, memory and Jacobite shadow.

Its motto gives the clan its voice:

Veritas Vincit — Truth conquers.

That phrase captures the Keith spirit: truth above fear, honour above convenience, duty above self.

From Dunnottar Castle to Keith Hall, from Bannockburn to the Treaty of Friendship with Clan Gunn, from the Great Marischals to descendants across the world, Clan Keith continues to carry its history forward.

Its legacy is written in tartan, roebucks, white roses, cliff-top castles, crown jewels, 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 Keith is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Dunnottar Castle, Great Marischals, Bruce loyalty, crown jewels, roebuck crests, white roses, tartans, old feuds and the enduring motto: Truth Conquers.

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

www.tartantimemachine.com