Clan MacKillop: A Legacy of Philip’s Sons, Glencoe, Keppoch and the Western Sea Roads
Introduction
Clan MacKillop, also written McKillop, MacKillip, McKillip, MacKellop, Killop, Killips, MacPhilip, MacPhilib, and related forms, is best understood as a Scottish and Irish Gaelic surname and clan-associated tradition, rather than a major independent chief-bearing Highland clan with one universally recognised chief, one ancient castle seat and one continuous chiefly line.
The Gaelic name is:
Mac Fhilib
meaning:
Son of Philip
The personal name Philip comes from Greek Philippos, meaning:
lover of horses
MacKillop families are historically associated with several clan routes, especially:
MacDonald of Glencoe
MacDonnell / MacDonald of Keppoch
Campbell of Dunstaffnage
MacLeod-linked Berneray / North Uist traditions
Arran
Argyll
Inverness-shire
Antrim and the Irish diaspora
ScotlandShop states that in Argyll, MacKillops were a sept of the MacDonalds of Glencoe and were also standard-bearers to the Campbells of Dunstaffnage, while in Inverness-shire they were a sept of the MacDonnells of Keppoch. It also notes migration to the northern Glens of Antrim during the Ulster Plantation in the early 17th century.
The wider Clan Donald motto often used for MacKillop-associated routes is:
“Per Mare Per Terras”
“By sea and by land.”
This suits the MacKillop story well: a name carried across Highland glens, island communities, Argyll, Ulster and the wider diaspora.
Chapter I: Origins of the MacKillop Name
The surname MacKillop comes from Gaelic:
Mac Fhilib
This means:
Son of Philip
Because the Fh in Gaelic is lenited and often silent, Mac Fhilib developed into forms such as MacKillop, McKillop, MacKillip and MacKellop.
Historic spellings and related names include:
MacKillop
McKillop
MacKillip
McKillip
MacKellop
McKellop
Killop
Killips
MacPhilip
MacPhilib
Philip
Philp
Philipson
Phillips, in some Irish and anglicised contexts
Forebears gives the surname definition as Gaelic Mac Fhilib, meaning son of Philip, and notes the uncertainty over which original Philip gave rise to the name. It also explains Philip as originally from Greek Philippos, meaning horse-lover.
For professional heritage writing, the safest wording is:
MacKillop is a Gaelic surname meaning “son of Philip,” with Scottish Highland, Hebridean, Argyll, Inverness-shire, Arran, Ulster and diaspora branches, often associated with Clan Donald lines such as MacDonald of Glencoe and MacDonald / MacDonell of Keppoch.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Associations
MacKillop’s strongest historic associations include:
Argyll
Glencoe
Lochaber
Keppoch
Inverness-shire
Dunstaffnage
Arran
Berneray
North Uist
The northern Glens of Antrim
Loughguile
Cushendall
Ballycastle
The wider Scottish and Irish diaspora
The name does not belong to one single district only.
MacKillop is a multi-route Gaelic surname.
A MacKillop family may have roots in:
Argyll MacKillop, linked with MacDonald of Glencoe or Campbell of Dunstaffnage
Keppoch MacKillop, linked with MacDonell / MacDonald of Keppoch
Arran MacKillop, recorded as a surname family on the island
North Uist / Berneray MacKillop, associated with MacLeod-linked traditions
Antrim McKillop, linked with Ulster migration and Irish Gaelic surname history
Modern surname summaries state that MacKillops were found on Arran, in Argyll, in Inverness-shire, in Berneray / North Uist, and in the northern Glens of Antrim.
For descendants, the key question is:
Which MacKillop line, from which place?
That decides the strongest clan path.
Chapter III: MacKillop and Clan Donald
One of the strongest Scottish clan routes for MacKillop is through Clan Donald, especially:
MacDonald of Glencoe
and
MacDonell / MacDonald of Keppoch
The MacDonalds of Glencoe list MacKillop among their septs and associated names. The MacDonalds of Glencoe are a branch of the wider Clan Donald, also known as Clann Iain Abrach, and they are historically rooted in Glencoe and Lochaber.
This gives many MacKillop descendants a powerful Highland route:
MacKillop → MacDonald of Glencoe → Clan Donald
For others, especially in Inverness-shire, the route may be:
MacKillop → MacDonell / MacDonald of Keppoch → Clan Donald
Because Clan Donald was a sea-lordship as much as a land clan, the motto:
Per Mare Per Terras — By sea and by land
fits the MacKillop story especially well.
Chapter IV: MacKillop and the MacDonalds of Glencoe
The most emotionally powerful MacKillop-associated clan route is through MacDonald of Glencoe.
The MacDonalds of Glencoe are remembered for:
Glencoe
Clan Donald identity
the MacIain line
the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692
Jacobite loyalty
Highland survival
Modern Glencoe clan summaries list MacKillop among the septs of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, alongside names such as MacIan, MacKean, MacPhilip, Philip and Philp.
For MacKillop descendants whose family tradition points to Glencoe or Lochaber, this connection gives the name a place in one of Scotland’s most tragic and remembered clan landscapes.
Glencoe represents:
hospitality betrayed
winter violence
Clan Donald sorrow
survival through memory
a name carried under the wider shield of MacDonald
Chapter V: MacKillop and the MacDonnells of Keppoch
Another important MacKillop route is through the MacDonnells of Keppoch.
ScotlandShop notes that in Inverness-shire, MacKillops were a sept of the McDonnells of Keppoch.
The Keppoch MacDonalds / MacDonnells belonged to the wider Clan Donald world of Lochaber.
They were known for:
Highland independence
Lochaber identity
Jacobite loyalty
conflict with government authority
strong Clan Donald bloodlines
For MacKillop families from Inverness-shire or Lochaber, this may be the strongest clan association.
Chapter VI: MacKillop and the Campbells of Dunstaffnage
MacKillop is also connected with Campbell of Dunstaffnage traditions.
Some MacKillops are said to have been standard-bearers to the Campbells of Dunstaffnage in Argyll. This tradition is recorded in surname and clan references.
A standard-bearer was not a minor symbolic role.
In clan warfare, the standard was the visible rallying point.
To carry it meant:
trust
honour
courage
battlefield responsibility
public loyalty to the chief or lord
For MacKillop descendants with Argyll or Dunstaffnage roots, this gives the name a strong martial and ceremonial identity:
the sons of Philip carrying the banner in Campbell country.
Chapter VII: Arran, North Uist and Antrim
Arran
MacKillop appears as a surname on the Isle of Arran. Modern surname summaries note MacKillop families on Arran as one of the name’s Scottish routes.
Arran matters because it sits between:
Kintyre
Ayrshire
Bute
the Clyde sea routes
Ireland
It is a natural place for surname movement between Highlands, islands and Lowlands.
Berneray and North Uist
Some MacKillops of Berneray / North Uist are known in Gaelic as MacPhàic and are associated with the MacLeods.
This gives another possible Hebridean route for the name.
The Glens of Antrim
The surname is also important in Ireland.
MacKillops migrated to the northern Glens of Antrim during the Ulster Plantation in the early 17th century, and the name became common around Loughguile, Cushendall and Ballycastle.
Irish surname reference material also gives Mac Fhilib as a form behind names such as MacKillip, MacKillop, MacKellop, Killops, Philson, Philipson and Phillips.
For many descendants, the strongest route may therefore be:
MacKillop → Antrim Glens → Scottish west Highland or Ulster Gaelic heritage
Chapter VIII: Clan Status and Heraldic Caution
MacKillop should be handled accurately.
It is not usually treated as a major independent Scottish clan with:
a current Lord Lyon-recognised Chief of MacKillop
one ancient MacKillop castle seat
one universal MacKillop plant badge
one continuous chiefly MacKillop genealogy
Instead, it is best described as:
A Gaelic surname and clan-associated tradition, meaning “son of Philip,” with major associations to MacDonald of Glencoe, MacDonald / MacDonell of Keppoch, Campbell of Dunstaffnage, Arran, North Uist and Antrim.
This gives the name dignity without inventing a separate chiefship.
Possible heritage routes include:
MacKillop surname identity
MacDonald of Glencoe sept route
MacDonell of Keppoch sept route
Campbell of Dunstaffnage standard-bearer tradition
Arran family-history route
Berneray / North Uist MacLeod-associated route
Antrim / Irish McKillop route
Chapter IX: Crest, Motto and Badge Traditions
Motto Tradition
Because MacKillop is usually treated as a clan-associated surname rather than a separate chief-bearing clan, mottoes depend on the family’s strongest clan route.
The most commonly listed MacKillop clan-finder motto is the wider Clan Donald motto:
“Per Mare Per Terras”
meaning:
“By sea and by land.”
This is appropriate where the MacKillop line identifies through:
MacDonald of Glencoe
MacDonell of Keppoch
Clan Donald
Alternative Motto Tradition
A clan-profile PDF gives a MacKillop motto as:
“Cadal cha’n aom air fear faire”
and lists the crest as not available. It also gives arms as a black shield with a silver stag’s head cabossed.
Because this is not as widely standardised as major chief-bearing clan heraldry, it should be presented cautiously.
Crest Caution
MacKillop does not have one universally accepted independent chiefly crest in the same way as a major chief-bearing clan.
The safest wording is:
MacKillop descendants should use crest, motto and badge symbolism according to their documented clan association, especially MacDonald of Glencoe, Keppoch, Campbell of Dunstaffnage, MacLeod-linked Hebridean lines or Antrim family tradition.
Plant Badge Route
Where a MacKillop line follows MacDonald of Glencoe / Clan Donald, the plant badge route is:
Common heath / heather
The MacDonalds of Glencoe list common heath as their plant badge.
For MacKillop families with Glencoe or Clan Donald roots, heather is an appropriate symbolic plant.
Chapter X: Clan MacKillop Tartans
MacKillop Tartan
The MacKillop tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2538.
This gives MacKillop a recognised tartan identity.
MacKillop Scottish Tartan Society Tartan
The MacKillop (Scottish Tartan Society) tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2539.
Clan Donald Tartan Route
Because many MacKillop families are associated with Clan Donald branches, descendants may also use relevant Clan Donald tartans where family tradition supports that route, such as:
MacDonald of Glencoe
MacDonald of Keppoch
MacDonald
MacDonald of the Isles
Clan Donald
MacKillop Ancient, Modern and Weathered Options
Modern suppliers commonly offer MacKillop tartans in:
Ancient
Modern
Weathered
Muted, where available
The usual distinction is dye tone:
Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
Weathered colours are muted and aged.
Muted versions are more restrained.
The Meaning of MacKillop Tartan Today
For modern MacKillop descendants, tartan represents:
Mac Fhilib identity
the sons of Philip
Glencoe and Keppoch clan routes
Argyll and Dunstaffnage tradition
Arran, North Uist and Antrim memory
family pride and diaspora survival
The MacKillop tartan gives this multi-route Gaelic surname a visible and wearable Scottish identity.
Chapter XI: Heritage, Identity and Family Tradition
Clan MacKillop represents a Gaelic identity built on name meaning, clan association, Highland service, island movement and diaspora memory.
Its story includes:
Mac Fhilib — son of Philip
MacDonald of Glencoe sept tradition
MacDonell / MacDonald of Keppoch association
standard-bearers to Campbell of Dunstaffnage
Arran surname families
Berneray and North Uist MacLeod-associated lines
Antrim migration
MacKillop tartans
Clan Donald motto tradition
diaspora family history
Associated names and spellings include:
MacKillop
McKillop
MacKillip
McKillip
MacKellop
McKellop
Killop
Killips
MacPhilip
MacPhilib
Philip
Philp
Philipson
Philson
Phillips, where Irish or anglicised records support it
This is not a single-castle Highland saga.
It is a surname story of movement, service, clan association and memory across Scotland and Ireland.
Chapter XII: Clan MacKillop Today
Today, MacKillop is best described as a Scottish and Irish Gaelic surname and clan-associated tradition.
Modern MacKillop identity can be found through:
family history research
MacKillop tartan wearing
MacDonald of Glencoe association where supported
MacDonell of Keppoch association where supported
Campbell of Dunstaffnage tradition where supported
Arran records
North Uist / Berneray records
Antrim Glens genealogy
Scottish and Irish heritage events
diaspora family networks
For MacKillop descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s spelling and region:
MacKillop?
McKillop?
MacKillip?
McKillip?
Killop?
MacPhilip?
Philp?
Glencoe?
Keppoch?
Argyll?
Dunstaffnage?
Arran?
North Uist?
Berneray?
Antrim?
Loughguile?
Cushendall?
Ballycastle?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine whether the strongest heritage path is Clan Donald, Glencoe, Keppoch, Campbell of Dunstaffnage, MacLeod-linked Hebridean, Antrim Irish, or another family line.
Chapter XIII: Legacy of Clan MacKillop
The story of Clan MacKillop begins with a name:
Mac Fhilib — Son of Philip.
From Philip came the horse-lover meaning.
From Glencoe came one Clan Donald route.
From Keppoch came another.
From Dunstaffnage came the standard-bearer tradition.
From Arran and North Uist came island memory.
From Antrim came an Irish chapter.
From tartan came visible identity.
Its strongest motto route gives the name a sea-road voice:
Per Mare Per Terras — By sea and by land.
That phrase captures the MacKillop spirit: mobile, Gaelic, westward-looking, carried through glens, islands, banners and emigration.
From Glencoe to Keppoch, from Argyll to Antrim, from Scotland to descendants across the world, Clan MacKillop continues to carry its heritage forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, heather, standards, Gaelic names, Highland records, Antrim family lines 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 MacKillop is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Philip’s sons, Glencoe, Keppoch, Dunstaffnage, Arran, Antrim, tartans and the west Highland motto: By sea and by land.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com