Clan MacGillivray: A Legacy of Dunmaglass, Clan Chattan and the Cat That Must Not Be Touched
Introduction
Clan MacGillivray, also written MacGillivary, McGillivray, MacGillevray, MacIlvoray, MacIlvrae, MacIlroy, and related forms, is a historic Highland Scottish clan rooted especially in Dunmaglass, Strathnairn, Inverness-shire, Moy, Clan Chattan country, the Western Isles, Mull, and the wider Scottish diaspora.
The Gaelic name is commonly given as:
Mac Gille Bhràth
often interpreted as:
Son of the servant of judgement
The clan motto is:
“Touch Not This Cat.”
The clan crest is:
A wildcat.
The clan war cry is:
“Dunmaghlas”
or
“Dunmaglass.”
The clan plant badges are usually listed as:
Boxwood
and
Red whortleberry
Clan MacGillivray is a member of the historic Clan Chattan Confederation, the great Highland alliance of clans connected with Mackintosh, Macpherson, Shaw, Davidson, MacBean, MacGillivray, MacThomas, Farquharson, MacQueen and others. Modern summaries list Clan MacGillivray as part of the Clan Chattan Confederation, with the historic seat at Dunmaglass, motto Touch not this cat, war cry Dunmaghlas, and plant badges boxwood and red whortleberry.
Clan MacGillivray currently has no recognised clan chief. The last recognised chief was John Farquhar MacGillivray, who died in 1942. Following a family convention at Culloden in 2016, Iain Donald MacGillivray became commander of the clan.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan MacGillivray
The surname MacGillivray is Gaelic.
It is usually explained from:
Mac Gille Bhràth
meaning:
Son of the servant of judgement
The name belongs to the old Gaelic style of devotional or service names, where Mac Gille means son of the servant of. ScotsConnection gives the meaning of the name as Son of the Servant of Judgement and notes early MacGillivray appearances in western-isles folklore associated with the Macleans of Mull.
Historic forms and related spellings include:
MacGillivray
McGillivray
MacGillivary
McGillivary
MacGillevray
MacIlvoray
MacIlvrae
MacIlroy
MacGilroy
MacElroy
Gillivray
Gilvray
The clan has early associations with the Western Isles and Mull, but its strongest later clan identity is tied to Dunmaglass and the Clan Chattan Confederation.
Clan MacGillivray is therefore a clan of:
Gaelic name roots
western-isles memory
Clan Chattan loyalty
Dunmaglass chiefship
wildcat symbolism
Jacobite sacrifice
Culloden tragedy
diaspora survival
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Touch Not This Cat.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan MacGillivray’s strongest historic associations include:
Dunmaglass
Strathnairn
Inverness-shire
Moy
Clan Chattan country
Mull
The Western Isles
Badenoch
The wider Highland diaspora
The historic seat was:
Dunmaglass
Dunmaglass lies in Strathnairn, south of Inverness, within the broad Highland world of Clan Chattan.
For Clan MacGillivray, Dunmaglass represents:
chiefship
clan homeland
Clan Chattan loyalty
the war cry of the name
the old seat of the MacGillivray chiefs
The war cry itself is:
Dunmaghlas
This means the clan’s heartland was not merely a place on a map. It was a word shouted in war, memory and gathering.
The MacGillivray landscape is one of:
Highland glens
wildcats
red whortleberry
Clan Chattan bonds
Moy and Mackintosh power
Jacobite battle memory
Culloden sorrow
Chapter III: Clan Chattan and the MacGillivrays
Clan MacGillivray is one of the important clans of the Clan Chattan Confederation.
Clan Chattan was not a single surname clan. It was a confederation of Highland kindreds that acted together under shared leadership and mutual defence.
Members included clans and families such as:
Mackintosh
Macpherson
MacGillivray
Shaw
Davidson
MacBean
MacPhail
MacQueen
MacThomas
Farquharson
Clan Chattan’s own crest symbolism is the wildcat, with the famous warning motto usually rendered as Touch not the cat but a glove.
Clan MacGillivray’s motto:
Touch Not This Cat
clearly belongs to that same wildcat identity.
For Clan MacGillivray, Clan Chattan gave:
military alliance
protection
identity
battlefield unity
a shared wildcat symbol
a place in one of the great Highland confederations
Chapter IV: Important People of Clan MacGillivray
The Early MacGillivrays of the Western Isles
MacGillivray traditions appear early in the western Highland and island world, especially around Mull and the Hebrides.
This earlier western association places the name in the sea-road culture of the Gaelic west before its later inland identity in Clan Chattan country.
The MacGillivrays of Dunmaglass
The most important chiefly line became:
MacGillivray of Dunmaglass
Dunmaglass became the great territorial and symbolic centre of the clan.
Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass
One of the most famous figures in clan history was:
Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass
He led the Clan Chattan regiment at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 and was killed there.
For Clan MacGillivray, Alexander represents:
chiefly courage
Jacobite loyalty
battlefield sacrifice
the clan’s most tragic heroic moment
John Lachlan MacGillivray of Dunmaglass
A later chief was:
John Lachlan MacGillivray, 10th Laird of Dunmaglass.
The Clan MacGillivray site describes him as chief at the time and as a prosperous Highland laird with extensive lands.
John Farquhar MacGillivray
The last recognised chief was:
John Farquhar MacGillivray
He died in 1942, after which the clan had no recognised chief.
Iain Donald MacGillivray
After a family convention at Culloden in 2016, Iain Donald MacGillivray became commander of Clan MacGillivray.
He represents the modern leadership and revival of a clan whose chiefship is currently dormant.
Chapter V: Castles, Lands and Historic Sites
Dunmaglass
Dunmaglass is the great historic seat of Clan MacGillivray.
For Clan MacGillivray, Dunmaglass represents:
the chiefs
the war cry
the homeland
the clan’s Highland identity
the old power centre of the name
Strathnairn
Strathnairn is the wider district around Dunmaglass.
It connects the clan to:
Inverness-shire
Clan Chattan country
Mackintosh influence
Culloden-era history
Highland settlement records
Moy
Moy is important because it is strongly associated with the Mackintoshes and the leadership world of Clan Chattan.
For MacGillivrays, Moy represents the wider confederation network in which the clan fought and lived.
Culloden Battlefield
Culloden is one of the most important MacGillivray memory sites.
At Culloden, the MacGillivrays fought within the Clan Chattan regiment on the Jacobite side.
The death of Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass made Culloden central to the clan’s historical identity.
For Clan MacGillivray, Culloden represents:
loyalty
sacrifice
defeat
Highland tragedy
the fall of the old clan world
Mull and the Western Isles
The clan’s earlier traditions connect the name to Mull and the Western Isles, especially through old folklore and associations with the Macleans of Mull.
These western connections give the clan a wider Gaelic background beyond Dunmaglass alone.
Chapter VI: Battles, Jacobites and Culloden
Clan MacGillivray history is deeply connected with the Jacobite rising of 1745–1746.
Jacobite Rising of 1745
As part of Clan Chattan, many MacGillivrays supported the Jacobite cause.
They fought for Prince Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, in the final attempt to restore the Stuart line.
Battle of Culloden — 16 April 1746
At Culloden, Clan Chattan fought in the Jacobite army.
The MacGillivrays were heavily involved.
Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass led the Clan Chattan regiment and was killed in the battle.
Culloden was catastrophic for the Jacobite army and devastating for Highland society.
For Clan MacGillivray, the battle is remembered as:
the death of a chief
the sacrifice of a clan
the end of a military world
the beginning of repression and dispersal
Aftermath
After Culloden, Highland clans faced military occupation, disarmament, cultural restrictions and economic transformation.
Like many Highland families, MacGillivrays later spread through:
the Lowlands
Canada
the United States
Australia
New Zealand
This diaspora helped preserve the name across the world.
Chapter VII: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The MacGillivray crest is:
A wildcat.
ScotsConnection gives the MacGillivray crest as a wildcat.
The wildcat suggests:
ferocity
independence
watchfulness
Highland courage
danger when provoked
Clan Chattan identity
The wildcat is one of the strongest animal symbols in Highland heraldry.
Clan Motto
The motto is:
“Touch Not This Cat.”
This is a warning motto.
It means:
do not provoke the clan
do not attack without expecting resistance
do not mistake silence for weakness
the wildcat will strike if touched
For Clan MacGillivray, this motto fits its Clan Chattan identity perfectly.
It is direct, fierce and unforgettable.
Clan War Cry
The war cry is:
“Dunmaghlas”
This is the Gaelic form associated with Dunmaglass, the clan seat.
It means the clan’s war cry is the name of its homeland.
Clan Plant Badge
The plant badges are:
Boxwood
and
Red whortleberry
Modern summaries list both boxwood and red whortleberry as plant badges of Clan MacGillivray.
Red whortleberry is also strongly associated with Clan Chattan identity. ScotlandShop gives red whortleberry as the Clan Chattan plant badge.
These plants suggest:
Highland endurance
rough hill country
Clan Chattan loyalty
life in hard ground
Chapter VIII: Clan MacGillivray Tartans
MacGillivray Tartan
The MacGillivray tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2440.
This is the principal tartan associated with the clan.
MacGillivray / MacGillavary Tartan Tradition
Modern tartan sources describe the MacGillivray tartan as connected with Wilson’s of Bannockburn in the early 19th century. Clan.com notes a MacGillavary design registered by Wilsons of Bannockburn in 1819.
MacGillivray Dress Tartan
The MacGillivray Dress, Janice tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans.
MacGillivray Ancient, Modern and Hunting Options
Modern suppliers commonly offer MacGillivray tartans in:
Ancient
Modern
Hunting
Dress
Weathered, where available
The usual distinction is dye tone:
Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
Hunting tartans are usually darker and more subdued.
Dress tartans are often brighter or more formal.
Weathered colours are muted and aged.
The Meaning of MacGillivray Tartan Today
For modern MacGillivray descendants, tartan represents:
Dunmaglass
Strathnairn
Clan Chattan
the wildcat crest
the motto “Touch Not This Cat”
Culloden sacrifice
family pride and diaspora identity
The MacGillivray tartans give this Highland clan a powerful and visible Scottish identity.
Chapter IX: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan MacGillivray represents a Highland identity built on Gaelic naming, Clan Chattan loyalty, wildcat symbolism, Dunmaglass chiefship and Culloden memory.
Its story includes:
Mac Gille Bhràth
Dunmaglass
Strathnairn
Clan Chattan Confederation
Mull and western-isles traditions
Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass
Culloden
the wildcat crest
the motto “Touch Not This Cat”
the war cry “Dunmaghlas”
boxwood and red whortleberry plant badges
MacGillivray tartans
modern commander leadership
Associated names and spellings include:
MacGillivray
McGillivray
MacGillivary
McGillivary
MacGillevray
MacIlvoray
MacIlvrae
MacIlroy
MacGilroy
Gillivray
Gilvray
These spellings show how the Gaelic name changed across regions, clerks, emigration records and generations.
Chapter X: Clan MacGillivray Today
Today, Clan MacGillivray is a recognised Highland clan and member of the Clan Chattan Confederation.
It currently has no recognised chief.
The last recognised chief was:
John Farquhar MacGillivray
He died in 1942.
The clan commander is:
Iain Donald MacGillivray
He was appointed after a family convention held at Culloden in 2016.
Modern Clan MacGillivray identity can be found through:
Clan MacGillivray associations
Clan Chattan Association
family history research
tartan wearing
study of Dunmaglass and Strathnairn
Culloden remembrance
Scottish heritage events
Highland games
diaspora family networks
For MacGillivray descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s spelling and region:
MacGillivray?
McGillivray?
MacGillivary?
MacIlroy?
Dunmaglass?
Strathnairn?
Inverness-shire?
Mull?
Western Isles?
Clan Chattan country?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine the strongest family-history path.
Chapter XI: Legacy of Clan MacGillivray
The story of Clan MacGillivray begins with a Gaelic name of service:
Mac Gille Bhràth — son of the servant of judgement.
From the western isles came early memory.
From Dunmaglass came the seat.
From Clan Chattan came the confederation.
From the crest came the wildcat.
From the war cry came the homeland.
From Culloden came sacrifice.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Touch Not This Cat.
That phrase captures the MacGillivray spirit: quiet until provoked, loyal to the confederation, fierce in defence, and dangerous when challenged.
From Dunmaglass to Culloden, from Strathnairn to descendants across the world, Clan MacGillivray continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, wildcats, red whortleberry, Highland glens, Culloden 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, surnames, castles, kirkyards, tartans, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan MacGillivray is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Dunmaglass, Clan Chattan, wildcat crests, red whortleberry badges, Culloden sacrifice, tartans and the fierce warning: Touch Not This Cat.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com