Clan MacBean: A Legacy of Kinchyle, Clan Chattan and the Cat That Must Not Be Touched
Introduction
Clan MacBean, also written MacBain, McBain, McBean, Bean, Bain, MacVean, and related forms, is a historic Highland Scottish clan rooted especially in Inverness-shire, Strathnairn, Kinchyle, Dores, Loch Ness, Clan Chattan country, Badenoch, and the wider Scottish diaspora.
The Gaelic name is commonly given as:
Mac Bheathain
meaning:
Son of Beathan
The personal name Beathan is often interpreted as:
Life
or
lively one
The clan motto is:
“Touch not a catt bot a targe”
usually rendered as:
“Touch not the cat without a shield.”
The clan crest is:
A wildcat rampant Proper.
The clan plant badge is:
Red whortleberry.
Clan MacBean is a member of the historic Clan Chattan Confederation, the great Highland alliance of clans connected with Mackintosh, Macpherson, Shaw, Davidson, MacGillivray, MacThomas, MacBean and others. The Clan Chattan Association lists the chief as Richard McBain of McBain, gives the motto as Touch not a catt bot a targe, and identifies the plant badge as Red Whortleberry.
The current chief is:
Richard McBain of McBain
23rd Hereditary Chief of Clan MacBean
He succeeded his father, James McBain of McBain, on 7 March 2022.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan MacBean
The surname MacBean comes from the Gaelic:
Mac Bheathain
This means:
Son of Beathan
The name Beathan is connected with the Gaelic word for life, giving the name a meaning close to:
son of the lively one
son of life
or
son of Beathan
Historic spellings and related forms include:
MacBean
MacBain
McBean
McBain
Bain
Bean
MacBeath
McBeath
MacBeth
McBeth
MacIlvian
MacVean
Vean
Bane
Bayne
The clan is historically part of the Clan Chattan Confederation. This means MacBean identity is tied not only to its own chiefs and lands, but also to the wider Clan Chattan world of mutual defence, shared military action, kinship and Highland confederation.
Clan MacBean is therefore a clan of:
Kinchyle roots
Clan Chattan loyalty
wildcat symbolism
Culloden heroism
Strathnairn settlement
diaspora survival
a restored and continuing chiefship
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Touch not the cat without a shield.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan MacBean’s historic territory includes:
Kinchyle
Strathnairn
Dores
Loch Ness
Inverness-shire
Badenoch
Clan Chattan country
The wider Highland diaspora
The old home of the chiefs is:
Kinchyle
near Dores, above Loch Ness.
Clan MacBean material notes that the McBain Memorial Park stands above the village of Dores and Loch Ness, near Kinchyle, the old home of the clan chiefs.
For Clan MacBean, Kinchyle represents:
chiefship
ancestral memory
Loch Ness identity
Clan Chattan country
the old heart of the name
The MacBean landscape is a true Highland setting:
lochs
glens
wildcats
battle memory
Clan Chattan kinship
old chiefship lands
the long shadow of Culloden
Chapter III: Important People of Clan MacBean
The Early MacBeans of Clan Chattan
The MacBeans became part of the Clan Chattan Confederation, one of the most important Highland alliances in Scottish history.
This placed them in the same wider military and kinship network as:
Mackintosh
Macpherson
Shaw
Davidson
MacGillivray
MacThomas
MacBean
Clan Chattan gave MacBean identity a wider political and military frame.
The Chiefs of Kinchyle
The chiefs of Clan MacBean became associated with Kinchyle, near Dores and Loch Ness.
This gave the clan a clear territorial centre in Inverness-shire.
Gillies Mòr MacBean
One of the most famous figures in Clan MacBean history was:
Gillies Mòr MacBean
He is remembered for his courage at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
Clan Chattan Association material specifically notes that Gillies MacBean is remembered for his bravery at Culloden.
Tradition says he fought with extraordinary ferocity, defending himself against multiple enemies before being killed. He became one of the clan’s great heroic figures: a symbol of courage, loyalty and final resistance.
James McBain of McBain
James McBain of McBain was the 22nd hereditary chief.
He died on 7 March 2022 at the age of 93, after becoming the longest-lived and longest-serving chief of his clan.
Richard McBain of McBain
The current chief is:
Richard McBain of McBain
23rd Hereditary Chief of Clan MacBean
He succeeded his father on 7 March 2022.
ScotlandShop also identifies Richard McBain of McBain as the current chief and notes that he was born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1956.
Chapter IV: Castles, Lands and Historic Sites
Kinchyle
Kinchyle is the old home of the chiefs of Clan MacBean.
For Clan MacBean, Kinchyle represents:
ancestral seat
chiefly identity
Loch Ness heritage
Strathnairn roots
the clan’s Highland homeland
Dores
Dores, near Loch Ness, is important because it lies close to Kinchyle and the McBain Memorial Park.
For MacBean descendants, Dores is one of the most important places to visit when connecting with clan heritage.
McBain Memorial Park
The McBain Memorial Park stands above Dores and Loch Ness, near Kinchyle.
It is a modern place of remembrance for the clan and its ancestors.
Loch Ness
Loch Ness gives Clan MacBean its dramatic Highland setting.
It connects the clan to:
Inverness-shire
Clan Chattan country
old Highland routes
battle memory
the landscape of Kinchyle
Culloden Battlefield
Culloden is central to MacBean memory because of the bravery of Gillies Mòr MacBean and the clan’s participation in the Jacobite rising.
For Clan MacBean, Culloden represents:
sacrifice
courage
Jacobite memory
the collapse of the old Highland order
the heroic death of Gillies Mòr
Chapter V: Clan Chattan, Battles and Clan Events
Clan MacBean history is shaped by Clan Chattan membership, Highland warfare, Jacobite loyalty and modern clan revival.
Membership of Clan Chattan
Clan MacBean is part of the Clan Chattan Confederation.
This alliance brought together several Highland kindreds under a wider banner of mutual defence and military cooperation.
The Clan Chattan Association lists MacBean as one of its clans and gives associated septs including Bain, Bean, McBain, MacBean, McBeath, MacBeth, Macilvian and MacVean.
Jacobite Rising of 1745
Clan MacBean fought in the Jacobite rising of 1745–1746, within the wider Clan Chattan force.
The rising ended in disaster at Culloden on 16 April 1746.
Battle of Culloden
At Culloden, the MacBeans became forever associated with the figure of Gillies Mòr MacBean.
His stand became part of Highland legend and clan memory.
For Clan MacBean, Culloden is not only a defeat. It is also a story of honour, courage and loyalty carried to the end.
Modern Chiefship Continuity
Clan MacBean continues today with a living chief.
Richard McBain of McBain became the 23rd Hereditary Chief in 2022, continuing the recognised chiefly line.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The MacBean crest is:
A wildcat rampant Proper.
The wildcat suggests:
ferocity
watchfulness
independence
Highland courage
a fierce defence of kin and land
The wildcat is also deeply connected with Clan Chattan symbolism, making it especially fitting for MacBean.
Clan Motto
The motto is:
“Touch not a catt bot a targe”
This means:
“Touch not the cat without a shield.”
The official Clan MacBean site explains the sense of the motto as a warning not to mess with the cat unless one has a shield for protection.
It means:
do not provoke the clan lightly
danger follows disrespect
the wildcat will defend itself
courage must be met with caution
For Clan MacBean, the motto is both warning and identity.
Clan Badge
The plant badge is:
Red whortleberry
The Clan Chattan Association gives Red Whortleberry as the Clan MacBean badge.
Some modern commercial tartan sources also list boxwood for MacBean, but Clan Chattan’s listing of red whortleberry is the stronger clan-association source.
Red whortleberry suggests:
Highland ground
hardiness
bright colour in wild places
survival in rough country
Chapter VII: Clan MacBean Tartans
MacBean Tartan
The MacBean tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2293.
The Register lists it as a Clan/Family tartan with a tartan date of 1 January 1872.
MacBean Dress Tartan
The MacBean Dress tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2292.
MacBean of Tomatin Tartan
The Scottish Register of Tartans search results also list MacBean of Tomatin as a Clan/Family tartan.
MacBean Ancient, Modern and Weathered Tartans
Modern suppliers commonly offer MacBean tartans in:
Ancient
Modern
Dress
Weathered
Muted, where available
The usual distinction is dye tone:
Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
Dress tartans are often brighter or more formal.
Weathered colours are muted and aged.
The Meaning of MacBean Tartan Today
For modern MacBean descendants, tartan represents:
Kinchyle
Loch Ness
Clan Chattan membership
the wildcat crest
the motto “Touch not the cat without a shield”
Gillies Mòr MacBean at Culloden
family pride and diaspora identity
The MacBean tartans give this Highland clan a strong and visible Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan MacBean represents a Highland identity built on life, courage, wildcat symbolism, Clan Chattan loyalty and fierce survival.
Its story includes:
Mac Bheathain — son of Beathan
Kinchyle
Dores and Loch Ness
Strathnairn
Clan Chattan Confederation
Gillies Mòr MacBean
Culloden
the wildcat crest
the motto “Touch not a catt bot a targe”
red whortleberry plant badge
MacBean tartans
a living recognised chief
Associated names and septs include:
Bain
Bean
MacBain
McBain
MacBean
McBean
MacBeath
McBeath
MacBeth
McBeth
MacIlvian
MacVean
The Clan Chattan Association lists several of these as MacBean septs.
Chapter IX: Clan MacBean Today
Today, Clan MacBean remains a recognised Highland clan with a living chief.
The current chief is:
Richard McBain of McBain
23rd Hereditary Chief of Clan MacBean
He succeeded his father on 7 March 2022.
Modern Clan MacBean identity can be found through:
Clan MacBean organisations
Clan Chattan Association
family history research
tartan wearing
study of Kinchyle and Dores
visits to McBain Memorial Park
Culloden remembrance
Scottish heritage events
Highland games
diaspora family networks
For MacBean descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s surname form and region:
MacBean?
MacBain?
McBean?
McBain?
Bain?
Bean?
MacBeath?
MacVean?
Kinchyle?
Strathnairn?
Inverness-shire?
Badenoch?
Ulster?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine the strongest family-history path.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan MacBean
The story of Clan MacBean begins with a name of life:
Mac Bheathain — son of Beathan.
From Kinchyle came the chiefship.
From Loch Ness came the landscape.
From Clan Chattan came the confederation.
From Culloden came the legend of Gillies Mòr MacBean.
From the crest came the wildcat.
From the badge came red whortleberry.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Touch not a catt bot a targe — Touch not the cat without a shield.
That phrase captures the MacBean spirit: fierce, guarded, loyal and dangerous when provoked.
From Kinchyle to Dores, from Inverness-shire to descendants across the world, Clan MacBean continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, wildcats, red berries, Loch Ness hills, Clan Chattan memory, Culloden courage, 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, surnames, castles, kirkyards, tartans, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan MacBean is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Kinchyle, Loch Ness, Clan Chattan, wildcat crests, red whortleberry badges, Culloden bravery, tartans and the fearless warning: Touch not the cat without a shield.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com