Clan MacFarlane: A Legacy of Arrochar, Loch Lomond and the Moonlit Cattle Raids
Introduction
Clan MacFarlane, also written Macfarlane, McFarlane, McFarland, MacFarland, McFarlin, and related forms, is a historic Highland Scottish clan rooted especially in Arrochar, Loch Lomond, Loch Sloy, Tarbet, Luss, Lennox, Argyll, and the wider Scottish diaspora.
The Gaelic name is:
Clann Phàrlain
meaning:
Children of Parlan
or
Descendants of Parlan / Bartholomew
The name Parlan is a Gaelic form of Bartholomew.
The clan motto is:
“This I’ll Defend.”
The clan slogan is:
“Loch Sloy”
from Gaelic Loch Slòigh, often interpreted as:
The Loch of the Host.
The clan crest is:
A demi-savage brandishing a broadsword and pointing to an imperial crown.
In simpler terms, this is a wild man holding a sword and pointing toward a crown, a powerful symbol of royal defence and clan readiness. The Clan MacFarlane Society gives the motto as This I’ll Defend, the slogan as Loch Sloy, the plant badge as European cranberry, and the crest as a demi-savage with a broadsword pointing to an imperial crown.
The historic clan seat was:
Arrochar, at the head of Loch Long, near Loch Lomond.
Clan MacFarlane is currently usually treated as armigerous, meaning it has clan identity, tartans, arms, history and society, but no current chief recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon. The last recognised chief was William MacFarlane, 20th chief, who died in 1866.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan MacFarlane
The surname MacFarlane comes from Gaelic:
Mac Phàrlain
meaning:
Son of Parlan
The name Parlan is the Gaelic form of Bartholomew.
Historic spellings and related names include:
MacFarlane
Macfarlane
McFarlane
McFarland
MacFarland
MacFarlin
McFarlin
Parlan
Pharlan
Bartholomew, in name-origin terms
Clan MacFarlane descends from the old Earls of Lennox, making the clan part of the great Lennox kindred of western Scotland. The clan occupied lands on the western side of Loch Lomond, especially around Arrochar, Tarbet and Loch Sloy. Modern clan summaries describe the MacFarlanes as descended from the medieval Earls of Lennox and occupying the land forming the western shore of Loch Lomond from Tarbet upwards.
One of the most important early figures was:
Malcolm Mac Pharlain
ScotlandShop notes that Malcolm, son of Parlan, was granted a charter for the lands of Arrochar above Luss around 1344, and that some regard him as the true founder of Clan MacFarlane.
Clan MacFarlane is therefore a clan of:
Lennox descent
Loch Lomond roots
Arrochar chiefship
royal defence
moonlit cattle raids
Loch Sloy war cries
tartan identity
diaspora survival
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
This I’ll Defend.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan MacFarlane’s historic territory includes:
Arrochar
Loch Lomond
Loch Sloy
Tarbet
Luss
Loch Long
Lennox
Argyll
Dumbartonshire
The western Highlands
The wider Scottish diaspora
The heart of the clan was:
Arrochar
Arrochar sits near the head of Loch Long, close to the western shore of Loch Lomond. This placed Clan MacFarlane in one of the most dramatic strategic landscapes in Scotland: a meeting place of lochs, passes, Highland routes and Lennox power.
For Clan MacFarlane, Arrochar represents:
the old clan seat
the lands of the chiefs
the gateway between Loch Long and Loch Lomond
the Highland-Lowland edge
the heart of MacFarlane identity
The clan’s most famous slogan, Loch Sloy, comes from a loch above Arrochar. The Clan MacFarlane Society gives Loch Sloy as the clan slogan and explains it as Loch Slòigh — the Loch of the Host.
The MacFarlane landscape is one of:
steep hills
dark lochs
narrow passes
moonlit raids
Lennox ancestry
royal loyalty
cattle-lifting legend
Chapter III: Important People of Clan MacFarlane
Parlan / Bartholomew
The clan takes its name from Parlan, a Gaelic form of Bartholomew.
From Parlan came:
Mac Phàrlain — son of Parlan
This naming ancestor gives the clan its identity and surname.
Malcolm Mac Pharlain
Malcolm Mac Pharlain is one of the key founding figures of the clan.
He is associated with the first charter to a MacFarlane for the lands of Arrochar in the 14th century. ScotlandShop notes that this charter was made out to a Mac Pharlain around 1344, and that Malcolm is sometimes treated as the true founder of the clan.
The Chiefs of Arrochar
The chiefs of Clan MacFarlane were long associated with Arrochar.
The chief’s Gaelic title is often given as:
Mac Phàrlain
or:
Mac a’ Bhàirling
Modern clan summaries list these Gaelic chiefly titles in connection with Clan MacFarlane.
The MacFarlanes and the Crown
The clan crest points directly to royal defence: a wild man holding a sword and pointing to a crown.
This symbolism matches the motto:
This I’ll Defend.
It presents the clan as defenders of crown, honour and rightful authority.
William MacFarlane, 20th Chief
The last recognised chief was:
William MacFarlane
20th Chief of Clan MacFarlane
He died in 1866, after which the clan became armigerous.
Chapter IV: Castles, Lands and Historic Sites
Arrochar
Arrochar is the central place in MacFarlane history.
For Clan MacFarlane, Arrochar represents:
chiefship
clan homeland
Lennox roots
Loch Long and Loch Lomond power
the heart of the MacFarlane name
Loch Sloy
Loch Sloy is one of the strongest symbolic places in the clan’s heritage.
It gives the clan its slogan:
Loch Sloy!
The name is associated with the Gaelic:
Loch Slòigh
meaning:
The Loch of the Host.
For MacFarlane descendants, Loch Sloy represents:
war cry
gathering place
clan host
Highland memory
the sound of the clan being called together
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is central to the clan’s geography.
The MacFarlanes occupied lands along the western shore from Tarbet upwards, placing them in one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes.
Tarbet
Tarbet sits between Loch Lomond and routes toward Loch Long.
It was strategically important because it linked waterways, passes and movement through the Lennox and Argyll worlds.
Luss
Luss matters because early MacFarlane lands lay above Luss and in the wider Lennox region. ScotlandShop connects Malcolm Mac Pharlain’s charter with the lands of Arrochar above Luss.
Lennox
The old Earldom of Lennox is central to MacFarlane origins.
The clan’s descent from the Earls of Lennox gave it status, ancestry and a powerful regional identity.
Chapter V: Moonlight, Cattle Raids and the MacFarlane Reputation
Clan MacFarlane became famous for raiding, especially cattle lifting.
This was not unusual in the Highlands and Borders. Cattle were wealth, and raiding was part of the violent economy of many regions.
But MacFarlane cattle raids became especially legendary because of their association with moonlight.
The Moon as MacFarlane’s Lantern
The MacFarlanes were sometimes associated with the moon because raids were said to be carried out under moonlight.
The clan pipe music is linked with cattle lifting. Modern clan summaries list “Thogail nam Bó”, translated as “lifting the cattle” or “to lift the cows by the light of the moon.”
This gave rise to the famous idea that the moon was:
MacFarlane’s lantern
or that a bright moon was good weather for MacFarlanes.
For Tartan Time Machine storytelling, this is one of the best visual hooks for the clan:
dark hills, silver moon, cattle moving quietly through the pass, and the cry of Loch Sloy in the night.
Conflict with Clan Colquhoun
Clan MacFarlane had a long rivalry with Clan Colquhoun.
Modern clan summaries list Clan Colquhoun among MacFarlane’s rival clans.
This rivalry belongs to the wider conflict landscape of Loch Lomond and Lennox.
Alliances
Clan MacFarlane’s alliances are often listed with:
Clan Campbell
Clan MacGregor
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Modern clan summaries list these as allied clans.
This places the clan in the western Highland network of kinship, conflict and survival.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The MacFarlane crest is:
A demi-savage brandishing a broadsword in his right hand and pointing with his left hand to an imperial crown.
The Clan MacFarlane Society gives the crest as a demi-savage brandishing a broadsword and pointing to an imperial crown.
The savage, or wild man, suggests:
raw strength
wilderness courage
untamed Highland power
readiness to defend
The broadsword suggests:
warrior honour
direct action
defence of the clan
The crown suggests:
royal loyalty
lawful authority
a cause worth defending
Clan Motto
The motto is:
“This I’ll Defend.”
ScotsConnection also gives the MacFarlane motto as This I’ll Defend and describes the crest as a demi-savage holding a broadsword and pointing to a crown.
It means:
I will protect what is mine
I will defend crown, clan and honour
I will not abandon my duty
I stand guard
For Clan MacFarlane, this motto fits perfectly: a clan of strongholds, raids, crowns, swords and Loch Sloy.
Clan Slogan
The slogan is:
“Loch Sloy!”
Meaning:
The Loch of the Host
This was the cry of gathering and identity.
Clan Badge
The plant badge is commonly given as:
European cranberry
The Clan MacFarlane Society gives European cranberry as the plant badge.
Other sources also mention cloudberry as an attributed badge. Modern clan summaries note both cranberry and cloudberry traditions.
Cranberry suggests:
moorland survival
red fruit in rough ground
Highland resilience
a plant of wet, wild places
Chapter VII: Clan MacFarlane Tartans
Clan MacFarlane has a rich tartan tradition.
Modern clan summaries report several MacFarlane tartans, including:
Red MacFarlane
Hunting MacFarlane
Black and White / Mourning MacFarlane
Black and Red MacFarlane
Dress MacFarlane
Lendrum MacFarlane
MacFarlane Red Tartan
The red MacFarlane tartan is one of the boldest and most recognisable MacFarlane designs.
It represents the clan’s strong visual identity and is often used for formal Highland dress.
MacFarlane Hunting Tartan
The hunting tartan is darker and more subdued, fitting the clan’s Highland landscape of Arrochar, Loch Lomond and moonlit hills.
MacFarlane Mourning / Black and White Tartan
The black-and-white or mourning tartan gives the clan a more solemn variant, suited to remembrance and formal heritage use.
MacFarlane Ancient, Modern and Weathered Options
Modern suppliers commonly offer MacFarlane tartans in:
Ancient
Modern
Weathered
Hunting
Dress
Mourning / Black and White
The usual distinction is dye tone:
Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
Weathered colours are muted and aged.
Hunting tartans are usually darker and more practical.
Dress tartans are often brighter or more formal.
The Meaning of MacFarlane Tartan Today
For modern MacFarlane descendants, tartan represents:
Arrochar
Loch Lomond
Loch Sloy
Lennox ancestry
the motto “This I’ll Defend”
the moonlit cattle-raid legends
family pride and diaspora identity
The MacFarlane tartans give this Highland clan a powerful and visible Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan MacFarlane represents a Highland identity built on Lennox ancestry, Loch Lomond lands, mountain strongholds, raiding legends and royal defence.
Its story includes:
Mac Phàrlain — son of Parlan
Arrochar
Loch Lomond
Loch Sloy
Tarbet and Luss
the Earls of Lennox
the slogan “Loch Sloy”
the motto “This I’ll Defend”
the demi-savage and crown crest
European cranberry plant badge
moonlight cattle lifting
MacFarlane tartans
armigerous modern status
Associated names and spellings include:
MacFarlane
Macfarlane
McFarlane
Mcfarlane
McFarland
MacFarland
McFarlin
Modern clan summaries list these forms as septs or related spellings of Clan MacFarlane.
Chapter IX: Clan MacFarlane Today
Today, Clan MacFarlane is generally treated as armigerous, because it has no current recognised chief.
The last recognised chief was:
William MacFarlane
20th Chief of Clan MacFarlane
He died in 1866.
Modern Clan MacFarlane identity can be found through:
Clan MacFarlane Society
family history research
tartan wearing
study of Arrochar and Loch Lomond
research into Lennox records
Scottish heritage events
Highland games
diaspora family networks
For MacFarlane descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s spelling and region:
MacFarlane?
McFarlane?
McFarland?
MacFarland?
McFarlin?
Arrochar?
Loch Lomond?
Lennox?
Dumbartonshire?
Argyll?
Ulster?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine the strongest family-history path.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan MacFarlane
The story of Clan MacFarlane begins with Parlan, sonship, and the old Earls of Lennox.
From Parlan came the name.
From Lennox came the bloodline.
From Arrochar came the homeland.
From Loch Sloy came the war cry.
From Loch Lomond came the landscape.
From the crest came the sword and crown.
From moonlight came the cattle-raid legend.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
This I’ll Defend.
That phrase captures the MacFarlane spirit: watchful, fierce, loyal, and ready to protect what belongs to the name.
From Arrochar to Loch Lomond, from Loch Sloy to descendants across the world, Clan MacFarlane continues to carry its heritage forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, swords, crowns, mountain lochs, moonlit passes, old records, family stories 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 MacFarlane is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Arrochar, Loch Lomond, Loch Sloy, Lennox ancestry, moonlit cattle raids, sword-and-crown crests, tartans and the proud motto: This I’ll Defend.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com