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Clan Kincaid

Clan Kincaid: A Legacy of Kincaid House, Lennox Blood and the Promise “This I’ll Defend”

Introduction

Clan Kincaid is a historic Scottish clan rooted especially in Stirlingshire, Dunbartonshire, Milton of Campsie, Kincaid House, Lennox Castle, and the old lands of the Lennox.

The clan motto is:

“This I’ll Defend”

The clan crest is:

A triple-towered castle Argent, masoned Sable, issuing from the centre tower a dexter arm grasping a drawn sword, all proper.

In simpler terms, this is a silver three-towered castle with a sword-bearing arm rising from the central tower. It is one of the most visually defensive crests in Scottish clan heraldry. 

The historic seats are:

Kincaid House
Lennox Castle

The current chief is widely listed as:

Madam Arabella Kincaid of Kincaid
Chief of Clan Kincaid 

The Kincaid of Kincaid tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1978. 

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

Chapter I: Origins of Clan Kincaid

The surname Kincaid is territorial in origin. One common explanation links it to the Gaelic phrase:

Ceann Cadha

meaning:

Head of the pass
or
Steep place

This fits the clan’s old territory around the Campsie and Lennox landscape, where hills, passes and strategic routes shaped local life. Modern clan summaries describe Kincaid as deriving from Gaelic ceann-cadha, meaning steep place or pass. 

Historic spellings and forms include:

  • Kincaid

  • Kyncaid

  • Kyncade

  • Kinkaid

  • Kinkade

  • Kincaid of Kincaid

  • Kincaid-Lennox

  • Lennox-Kincaid

Clan Kincaid is strongly connected with the old earldom and district of Lennox. The chiefs are said to descend from several important regional families, including the ancient Earls of Lennox, the Galbraiths of Buthernock, the Grahams, and the Comyn Lords of Badenoch. 

The Kincaid story is therefore a Lowland and Lennox story: territorial, defensive, castle-centred and tied to the old power politics of west-central Scotland.

Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands

Clan Kincaid’s historic territory includes:

  • Stirlingshire

  • Dunbartonshire

  • East Dunbartonshire

  • Milton of Campsie

  • Campsie

  • Kincaid lands

  • Kincaid House

  • Lennox Castle

  • Lennoxtown

  • The Lennox

  • The Central Lowlands

The historic seats are:

Kincaid House
Lennox Castle

Kincaid House stands on the old Kincaid lands at Milton of Campsie. It became the ancestral home of the Kincaids of that Ilk, with the oldest part of the house dating to around 1690; it was enlarged in the 18th century and redesigned in 1812 by architect David Hamilton for John Kincaid of that Ilk. 

Lennox Castle was built between 1837 and 1841 for John Lennox Kincaid Lennox on the ancient Lennox of Woodhead estate near Lennoxtown. The family later moved there, while Kincaid House was sold in 1921.

This gives Clan Kincaid a strong landscape identity: not Highland glens, but the central Scottish hills and estates of the old Lennox country.

Chapter III: Important People of Clan Kincaid

The Early Kincaids of Kincaid

The early Kincaids took their name from their lands and became a recognised family of the Lennox and Campsie region.

Their rise was tied to territorial identity, defensive service and regional alliances.

A Kincaid at Edinburgh Castle

Clan tradition remembers a Kincaid who played an important role in the recapture of Edinburgh Castle from the English during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Clan Kincaid Society notes the tradition of a Kincaid member helping recapture Edinburgh Castle in 1313, while other clan-history summaries connect this service with the family’s castle-bearing arms. 

This tradition explains why the clan crest and arms are so strongly defensive: castle, sword and protection.

John Kincaid of Kincaid

John Kincaid of Kincaid was associated with the rebuilding and development of Kincaid House. The current form of the house was redesigned in 1812 by David Hamilton for John Kincaid of that Ilk.

John Lennox Kincaid Lennox

John Lennox Kincaid Lennox was a key figure in the 19th-century history of the family.

He had Lennox Castle built between 1837 and 1841 on the ancient Lennox of Woodhead estate. He also sought to claim the lapsed Earldom of Lennox, though the claim was unsuccessful. 

John Kincaid, Witch-Pricker

A darker figure in the name’s history was John Kincaid, remembered as a 17th-century “witch-pricker.” The Clan Kincaid Society lists him among the more infamous or intriguing figures produced by the extended Kincaid name. 

Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kincaid

In modern military history, Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kincaid of the U.S. Navy carried the surname into the Second World War, serving with distinction under General MacArthur. The Clan Kincaid Society lists him among notable Kincaid figures. 

Madam Arabella Kincaid of Kincaid

The current chief is widely given as:

Madam Arabella Kincaid of Kincaid
Chief of Clan Kincaid 

She represents the modern chiefly line of the clan.

Chapter IV: Castles, Houses and Historic Sites

Kincaid House

Kincaid House is the historic ancestral seat of the Kincaids of that Ilk.

Located at Milton of Campsie in East Dunbartonshire, it stands on the old Kincaid lands. The oldest part dates to around 1690, with later enlargement and an 1812 redesign by David Hamilton. 

For Clan Kincaid, Kincaid House represents:

  • Ancestral land

  • Chiefship

  • Lennox identity

  • Family continuity

  • The old Kincaid estate

  • The territorial origin of the name

The Earlier Kincaid Tower or Peel

The Kincaids are said to have erected an earlier tower or peel after obtaining their lands in the late medieval period. Nothing remains of that first structure, but it reflects the defensive character of the family’s early position. 

Lennox Castle

Lennox Castle was built between 1837 and 1841 for John Lennox Kincaid Lennox. It later passed out of family hands and was used as a hospital, including as a mental hospital and maternity hospital, before closing in the early 21st century. The building was badly damaged by fire in 2008.

For Clan Kincaid, Lennox Castle represents:

  • 19th-century ambition

  • The Lennox connection

  • Aristocratic revival

  • A lost castle landscape

  • The changing fortunes of old Scottish families

Milton of Campsie

Milton of Campsie is central to Kincaid identity because it lies close to the old Kincaid lands and Kincaid House.

Lennoxtown and the Lennox

The wider Lennox landscape is essential to the clan’s story. It connects Kincaid with one of Scotland’s oldest regional identities and with the ancient Earls of Lennox.

Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events

Clan Kincaid’s history includes defensive service, Lennox politics, the Wars of Independence, territorial continuity, castle-building and modern clan revival.

Wars of Scottish Independence

Clan tradition connects Kincaid with the recapture of Edinburgh Castle during the Wars of Independence. The Clan Kincaid Society refers to a Kincaid member helping recapture the castle in 1313, while ScotClans describes a Kincaid involved in recapturing Edinburgh Castle from English forces and being rewarded with castle imagery in the arms. 

This tradition helps explain the clan’s defensive crest and motto.

The Kincaid Castle Symbol

The castle in the Kincaid crest is central to the clan’s identity. It reflects protection, defence and martial service.

The motto “This I’ll Defend” is not abstract. It pairs directly with the castle and drawn sword.

Lennox Alliances and Rivalries

Clan Kincaid’s history is tied to the Lennox world. Modern summaries list Clan Lennox as both an allied clan in the 18th century and a rival clan in the 16th century, showing how kinship and rivalry could shift over time. 

Rivalry with Clan Stirling

Modern summaries also list Clan Stirling as a rival clan in the 16th century. 

This places Clan Kincaid within the political and territorial conflicts of central Scotland.

Building of Lennox Castle

The construction of Lennox Castle between 1837 and 1841 was a major event in the later family story. It reflected the ambitions of John Lennox Kincaid Lennox and the family’s claim to Lennox heritage. 

Modern Clan Society

The modern Clan Kincaid Society preserves the name’s history and highlights notable Kincaid figures, from medieval castle traditions to modern military service. 

Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge

Clan Crest

The Kincaid crest is:

A triple-towered castle Argent, masoned Sable, and issuing from the centre tower a dexter arm grasping a drawn sword, all proper.

This means a silver three-towered castle with black masonry, with a right arm rising from the centre tower and holding a drawn sword. 

The crest suggests:

  • Defence

  • Watchfulness

  • Castle strength

  • Readiness

  • Martial service

  • Protection of land and people

  • A fortified family identity

It is one of the most literal defensive crests in Scottish clan tradition.

Clan Motto

The clan motto is:

“This I’ll Defend”

ScotsConnection gives the Kincaid motto as This I’ll Defend, paired with the family crest and history. 

The motto means:

  • I will guard this place

  • I will defend my people

  • I will protect my inheritance

  • I will stand my ground

  • I will not abandon what is mine

For Clan Kincaid, the motto perfectly matches the crest: a castle and sword, with no room for doubt.

Clan Badge

A widely agreed plant badge for Clan Kincaid is not consistently recorded in major clan references.

For accuracy, the strongest Kincaid symbols are:

  • The triple-towered castle

  • The sword-bearing arm

  • The motto “This I’ll Defend”

  • Kincaid House

  • Lennox Castle

  • The Kincaid of Kincaid tartan

  • The old Lennox connection

Chapter VII: Clan Tartans

Clan Kincaid has a recognised tartan tradition.

Kincaid of Kincaid Tartan

The Kincaid of Kincaid tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1978. 

This gives modern Kincaid descendants a recognised clan/family tartan identity.

Kincaid Ancient Tartan

Modern tartan suppliers describe the Kincaid Ancient tartan as a bright or light green-based tartan with a red overcheck. 

Another source describes the ancient Kincaid tartan as light green and black with an orangey-red stripe. 

Kincaid Modern Tartan

Modern versions use deeper shades, giving the tartan a stronger and more formal appearance.

Kincaid Tartan Colours

The Kincaid tartan is strongly associated with:

  • Green

  • Black

  • Red / orangey-red overcheck

These colours give the tartan a distinctive Lowland and Lennox character.

The Meaning of Kincaid Tartan Today

For modern Kincaid descendants, tartan represents:

  • Kincaid House

  • Lennox Castle

  • The old lands of Kincaid

  • The motto “This I’ll Defend”

  • The castle crest

  • Lennox heritage

  • Family pride and diaspora identity

The Kincaid tartan gives the name a visible and wearable Scottish identity.

Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions

Clan Kincaid represents a proud Scottish identity built on defence, territory, Lennox connection and family continuity.

Its story includes:

  • The Gaelic place-name ceann-cadha

  • The old Kincaid lands

  • Kincaid House

  • Lennox Castle

  • The Lennox connection

  • Tradition of service at Edinburgh Castle

  • Rivalry and alliance with Lennox

  • Rivalry with Stirling

  • The triple-towered castle crest

  • The motto “This I’ll Defend”

  • Kincaid tartans

  • A living recognised chief

Associated names and spellings include:

  • Kincaid

  • Kyncaid

  • Kyncade

  • Kinkaid

  • Kinkade

  • Kincaid-Lennox

  • Lennox-Kincaid

The Kincaid story is not a Highland saga of island galleys and mountain chiefs.

It is a central Scottish story of castles, passes, towers, defensive pride and old Lennox bloodlines.

Chapter IX: Clan Kincaid Today

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

The current chief is widely listed as:

Madam Arabella Kincaid of Kincaid
Chief of Clan Kincaid 

Modern Clan Kincaid identity can be found through:

  • Clan Kincaid Society

  • Family history research

  • Tartan wearing

  • Visits to Kincaid House country

  • Study of Lennox and Campsie history

  • Scottish heritage events

  • Genealogy projects

  • Diaspora communities across the world

The clan stands today as a symbol of defence, loyalty, territorial memory, Lennox heritage and Scottish family pride.

Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Kincaid

The story of Clan Kincaid begins in the old lands of the Lennox, at a place remembered as a steep pass or head of the way.

From there came a family whose crest became a fortress and whose motto became a vow.

Its crest, the triple-towered castle with the sword-bearing arm, speaks of watchfulness, strength and defence.

Its motto gives the clan its voice:

This I’ll Defend.

That phrase captures the Kincaid spirit: protect the place, protect the people, protect the name.

From Kincaid House to Lennox Castle, from the Campsie hills to descendants across the world, Clan Kincaid continues to carry its history forward.

Its legacy is written in tartan, towers, swords, castle stone, Lennox 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 Kincaid is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Kincaid House, Lennox Castle, Campsie lands, castle crests, sword-bearing arms, tartans and the determined promise: This I’ll Defend.

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

www.tartantimemachine.com