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Clan Livingstone

Clan Livingstone: A Legacy of Callendar, Lismore and the Sacred Staff of Saint Moluag

Introduction

Clan Livingstone, also written Livingston, is a historic Scottish name with two major traditions:

The Lowland Livingstons of West Lothian and Callendar
and
The Highland Livingstones / MacLeas of Lismore and Bachuil

The Lowland Livingstone motto is:

“Si Je Puis”
“If I can.”

The Highland Livingstone / MacLea motto and slogan are associated with:

“Cnoc Aingeil”
“Hill of fire.”

Another motto associated with the Highland chiefly line is:

“Ni mi e ma’s urrainn dhomh”
“I shall do it if I can.”

The Lowland Livingstone crest is commonly given as:

A demi-savage wreathed about the head and middle, holding a club and serpent.

The Highland Livingstone / MacLea chief’s crest is:

A figure of Saint Moluag holding the Great Staff of Saint Moluag and a blue cross crosslet.

The current Highland chief is:

The Much Hon. Niall Livingstone of Bachuil
Baron of Bachuil
Coarb of Saint Moluag
Hereditable Keeper of the Great Staff of Saint Moluag
Chief of Clan Livingstone / MacLea

The Highland Livingstone Society describes itself as centred on Bachuil, on the Isle of Lismore, and states that the society was set up with the approval of Niall Livingstone of Bachuil. 

This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crests, mottoes, castles, sacred traditions and modern legacy of Clan Livingstone.

Chapter I: Origins of Clan Livingstone

The name Livingstone has more than one historical root.

The Lowland Livingstons are territorial in origin. The name comes from Livingston in West Lothian, traditionally explained as the settlement of a man named Leving. Clan history sources describe a Saxon named Leving acquiring lands in West Lothian in the 12th century, from which the name Livingstone developed. 

The Highland Livingstones are connected with Clan MacLea, also known in Gaelic as:

Mac an Léigh
or
Mac Dhunnshleibhe

The Highland Livingstones are traditionally located in Lorn, Argyll, especially on the Isle of Lismore, where the chiefly line of Bachuil is connected with Saint Moluag and the sacred staff known as the Bachuil Mòr. 

Historic spellings and associated forms include:

  • Livingstone

  • Livingston

  • Levingston

  • Levingstoun

  • Livingstoun

  • MacLea

  • MacLay

  • MacLae

  • Mac an Léigh

  • Mac Dhunnshleibhe

  • Bachuil

This makes Clan Livingstone unusual. It carries both Lowland territorial history and Highland ecclesiastical clan identity.

One branch is rooted in West Lothian landholding and noble office.

The other is rooted in Lismore, sacred guardianship, Gaelic church tradition and the staff of a saint.

Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands

Clan Livingstone’s historic territories include:

  • West Lothian

  • Livingston

  • Callendar

  • Falkirk

  • Linlithgowshire

  • Lorn

  • Argyll

  • The Isle of Lismore

  • Bachuil

  • Loch Linnhe

  • The Firth of Lorn

  • The wider Scottish diaspora

The Lowland Livingstons are especially associated with:

Livingston, West Lothian
Callendar House / Callendar lands

The Highland Livingstones / MacLeas are especially associated with:

Bachuil, Isle of Lismore

The current Highland seat is:

Bachuil House, Isle of Lismore.

Lismore is especially important because it is linked with Saint Moluag, one of the great early Christian saints of the Gaelic world. The Highland chief of Clan Livingstone is recognised as Coarb of Saint Moluag, meaning successor or heir of the saintly office. 

This gives the Highland Livingstone story a sacred character unlike most Scottish clan histories.

Chapter III: Important People of Clan Livingstone

Leving of West Lothian

The Lowland origin tradition begins with Leving, a Saxon or Anglo-Norman figure who gave his name to the lands of Livingston.

From this territorial root came the Lowland Livingstone family, later prominent in Scottish public life.

Sir Archibald de Levingestoune

Sir Archibald de Levingestoune appears in the Ragman Roll period, rendering homage to Edward I of England in 1296, as many Scottish landholders were forced to do during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

This places the name directly in the crisis era of Wallace, Bruce and English overlordship.

Sir William Livingston of Livingston

Sir William Livingston of Livingston fought beside King David II at the Battle of Neville’s Cross in 1346. ScotlandShop notes that he was captured with the king and helped negotiate David II’s release, after which he was granted the barony of Callendar in 1347.

This was a major moment in Lowland Livingstone history.

The Livingstones of Callendar

The Livingstones of Callendar became one of the most powerful branches of the Lowland name.

Their motto was:

Si Je Puis — If I can.

Their crest tradition was:

A demi-savage wreathed about the head and middle, holding a club and serpent. 

Saint Moluag

Saint Moluag was one of the great saints of early Gaelic Christianity.

The Highland Livingstone / MacLea chief is recognised as Coarb of Saint Moluag and hereditary keeper of the saint’s Great Staff. 

This makes Saint Moluag central to the Highland Livingstone identity.

Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil

William Jervis Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil was recognised by the Lord Lyon in 2003 as Chief of Clan MacLea. He was the first formally recognised modern chief of the Highland Livingstone/MacLea line.

Niall Livingstone of Bachuil

The current Highland chief is:

The Much Hon. Niall Livingstone of Bachuil
Baron of Bachuil
Coarb of Saint Moluag
Abbot of Lismore
Hereditable Keeper of the Great Staff of Saint Moluag

Modern clan sources identify him as the current head of Clan Livingstone / MacLea and holder of the Bachuil title. 

Chapter IV: Castles, Houses and Historic Sites

Livingston, West Lothian

Livingston in West Lothian is the territorial root of the Lowland surname.

For Lowland Livingstone descendants, it represents:

  • Name origin

  • Territorial identity

  • Medieval landholding

  • West Lothian roots

  • The beginning of the Livingston/Livingstone surname tradition

Callendar House

Callendar became a major Lowland Livingstone seat after Sir William Livingston was granted the barony of Callendar in 1347.

For the Lowland Livingstones, Callendar represents:

  • Royal service

  • Noble rise

  • Political influence

  • Scottish Lowland power

  • The motto “Si Je Puis”

Bachuil, Isle of Lismore

Bachuil is the sacred and chiefly heart of the Highland Livingstones.

The Baron of Bachuil is connected with the guardianship of the Great Staff of Saint Moluag, making this site both a clan seat and a religious inheritance. 

The Isle of Lismore

Lismore is central to the Highland Livingstone / MacLea story.

It lies in the Firth of Lorn between Oban, Mull, Morvern and Benderloch, and is the spiritual landscape of Saint Moluag and Bachuil. 

The Great Staff of Saint Moluag

The Bachuil Mòr, or Great Staff of Saint Moluag, is one of the most important sacred heirlooms associated with any Scottish clan.

The chief of Clan Livingstone / MacLea is recognised as hereditary keeper of this staff. 

For Clan Livingstone, it represents:

  • Sacred continuity

  • Lismore identity

  • Saintly authority

  • Gaelic Christianity

  • Hereditary guardianship

  • A unique clan inheritance

Chapter V: Battles, Politics and Clan Events

Clan Livingstone history includes Lowland royal service, medieval warfare, Highland ecclesiastical guardianship, modern recognition and clan revival.

Ragman Roll — 1296

Sir Archibald de Levingestoune rendered homage to Edward I in 1296, placing the Lowland name in the records of Scotland’s independence crisis. 

Battle of Neville’s Cross — 1346

Sir William Livingston fought beside King David II at Neville’s Cross in 1346.

He was captured with the king and later helped negotiate David’s release, after which he was granted Callendar in 1347. 

Rise of the Callendar Line

The grant of Callendar transformed Lowland Livingstone status and helped establish the family as a powerful Scottish house.

Saint Moluag and the Bachuil Tradition

The Highland line’s most important event is not a battle.

It is the preservation of a sacred office: the Coarbship of Saint Moluag and the hereditary keeping of the Great Staff. 

Modern Recognition of the Highland Chiefship — 2003

In 2003, Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil was recognised by the Lord Lyon as Chief of Clan MacLea. After his death in 2008, his son Niall Livingstone of Bachuil became the current chief. 

Clan Livingstone Society

The Clan Livingstone Society was created with the approval of Niall Livingstone of Bachuil to serve kinsmen around the world and preserve the Highland Livingstone tradition. 

Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge

Lowland Livingstone Crest

The Lowland Livingstone crest is commonly given as:

A demi-savage, wreathed about the head and body, holding a club and serpent.

The motto is:

Si Je Puis — If I can. 

This motto suggests determination, practical ability and quiet confidence.

It means:

  • I will try

  • I will do it if possible

  • I will act if I can

  • Ability joined to will

Highland Livingstone / MacLea Crest

The Highland chief’s crest shows:

Saint Moluag holding the Great Staff of Saint Moluag and a blue cross crosslet.

The motto or slogan associated with the crest is:

Cnoc Aingeil — Hill of fire. 

A clan forum post from Clan Livingstone also warns that the Si Je Puis crest belongs to the old Callendar Livingstons, while the official Highland MacLea/Livingstone crest contains Saint Moluag and the motto Cnoc Aingeil. 

This distinction is important for professional accuracy.

Highland Motto

Another Highland motto is:

Ni mi e ma’s urrainn dhomh

Meaning:

I shall do it if I can. 

This echoes the older Livingstone Si Je Puis motto in Gaelic form.

Clan Badge

The Highland clan badge is:

Grass of Parnassus

Modern clan summaries identify the clan badge as the flower of the Grass of Parnassus. 

For Clan Livingstone / MacLea, the strongest symbols are:

  • Saint Moluag

  • The Great Staff of Saint Moluag

  • Bachuil

  • Lismore

  • Grass of Parnassus

  • Cnoc Aingeil

  • Callendar

  • Si Je Puis

  • The Livingstone tartans

Chapter VII: Clan Tartans

Clan Livingstone has several recorded tartans.

Livingstone Tartan

The Livingstone tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2134. 

This is one of the principal tartans associated with the name.

Livingston Tartan

The Livingston tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2130. 

This reflects the two common spellings of the surname.

Livingstone Dress Tartan

The Livingstone Dress tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2136.

The register gives the tartan date as 1 January 2002 and classifies it as a Clan/Family tartan. 

Livingstone Ancient and Modern Tartans

Modern suppliers commonly offer Livingstone tartans in:

  • Ancient

  • Modern

  • Dress

  • Weathered

  • Muted where available

The difference is usually dye tone:

  • Ancient colours are softer and lighter.

  • Modern colours are deeper and stronger.

  • Dress tartans are brighter and more formal.

  • Weathered colours are muted and aged.

The Meaning of Livingstone Tartan Today

For modern Livingstone descendants, tartan represents:

  • West Lothian roots

  • Callendar heritage

  • Lismore and Bachuil

  • Saint Moluag

  • The sacred staff

  • The motto “If I can”

  • The Highland slogan “Cnoc Aingeil”

  • Family pride and diaspora identity

The Livingstone tartans bring together both the Lowland and Highland traditions of the name.

Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions

Clan Livingstone represents a rare Scottish identity with both noble Lowland and sacred Highland strands.

Its story includes:

  • Livingston in West Lothian

  • Sir Archibald de Levingestoune

  • Sir William Livingston and Callendar

  • The motto “Si Je Puis”

  • Clan MacLea / Mac an Léigh

  • Lismore and Bachuil

  • Saint Moluag

  • The Great Staff of Saint Moluag

  • The Coarbship of Saint Moluag

  • Grass of Parnassus

  • Modern recognition by the Lord Lyon

  • Niall Livingstone of Bachuil

  • Livingstone and Livingston tartans

Associated names include:

  • Livingstone

  • Livingston

  • Levingston

  • Levingstoun

  • Livingstoun

  • MacLea

  • MacLay

  • MacLae

  • Mac an Léigh

  • Mac Dhunnshleibhe

  • Bachuil

The Livingstone story is not simple — and that is what makes it powerful.

It is both land and saint, both Callendar and Bachuil, both Lowland title and Highland guardianship.

Chapter IX: Clan Livingstone Today

Today, the Highland Clan Livingstone / MacLea line has a recognised chief:

The Much Hon. Niall Livingstone of Bachuil
Baron of Bachuil
Coarb of Saint Moluag
Abbot of Lismore
Hereditable Keeper of the Great Staff of Saint Moluag 

Modern Clan Livingstone identity can be found through:

  • Clan Livingstone Society

  • Family history research

  • Tartan wearing

  • Study of West Lothian and Callendar

  • Study of Lismore and Bachuil

  • Scottish heritage events

  • Highland games

  • Genealogy projects

  • Diaspora communities across the world

For Livingstone descendants, the key question is often:

Are your roots Lowland Livingstone of West Lothian and Callendar, or Highland MacLea / Livingstone of Lismore and Bachuil?

Both are Scottish.

Both are historic.

But their crests, symbols and deepest stories differ.

Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Livingstone

The story of Clan Livingstone begins in two worlds.

In the Lowlands, it begins in West Lothian, with Livingston lands, Callendar power and the motto:

Si Je Puis — If I can.

In the Highlands, it begins on Lismore, with Saint Moluag, Bachuil, the sacred staff and the Gaelic promise:

I shall do it if I can.

Its Highland crest shows a saint, not a warrior.

Its sacred heirloom is a staff, not a sword.

Its Lowland crest speaks of old heraldic force.

Its tartans bind the name into modern Scottish identity.

From Callendar to Bachuil, from West Lothian to Lismore, from the medieval kingdom to descendants across the world, Clan Livingstone continues to carry its history forward.

Its legacy is written in tartan, saints, staffs, old houses, sacred offices, 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 Livingstone is one chapter in that greater story — a story of West Lothian roots, Callendar honour, Lismore sanctity, Saint Moluag, Bachuil, tartans, sacred staffs and the enduring promise: If I can.

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

www.tartantimemachine.com