Clan MacNab: A Legacy of Glen Dochart, Loch Tay and the Son of the Abbot
Introduction
Clan MacNab, also written Macnab, McNab, MacNabb, McNabb, Mac an Aba, and related forms, is a historic Highland Scottish clan rooted especially in Glen Dochart, Killin, Loch Tay, Inchbuie, Kinnell House, Bovain, Strathearn, Breadalbane, and the wider Scottish diaspora.
The Gaelic name is:
Mac an Aba
meaning:
Son of the abbot
The name refers to descent from, or association with, an abbot or ecclesiastical family. This gives Clan MacNab one of the most distinctive church-linked names in Highland Scotland.
The clan motto is commonly given as:
“Timor Omnis Abesto”
meaning:
“Let fear be far from all.”
The clan crest is:
A savage’s head affrontée Proper.
In simpler terms, this is a wild man’s head facing forward, a fierce Highland symbol of courage, wilderness and defiance.
The clan plant badge is:
Stone bramble
Latin: Rubus saxatilis
The Clan Macnab Society identifies the plant badge as Rubus saxatilis, commonly known as stone bramble.
The historic clan centre is:
Glen Dochart, near Killin, at the western end of Loch Tay.
The island burial place of the chiefs is:
Inchbuie, in the River Dochart.
The current chief is generally listed as:
James “Jamie” William McNab
24th Chief of Clan MacNab
Modern clan summaries list him as the present chief following the death of James Charles Macnab of Macnab in 2013.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan MacNab
The surname MacNab comes from Gaelic:
Mac an Aba
This means:
Son of the abbot
The word aba is connected with abbot, a religious head of a monastery or early church community.
Historic spellings and related forms include:
MacNab
Macnab
McNab
McNabb
MacNabb
Mac an Aba
MacNab of MacNab
Nab, in some shortened forms
Clan MacNab tradition connects the clan’s origin with Glen Dochart and an early ecclesiastical line. Clan summaries state that the traditional progenitor was Abraruadh, described as Abbot of Glen Dochart and Strathearn, and the name itself is derived from Scottish Gaelic Mac an Aba, meaning child of the abbot.
The clan is also sometimes connected with the wider Siol Alpin tradition, linking it to ancient royal origin legends around Kenneth MacAlpin. As with many early clan origin traditions, this should be treated as ancestral memory rather than simple documentary proof.
Clan MacNab is therefore a clan of:
Glen Dochart roots
abbot-name origins
Loch Tay territory
Inchbuie burial memory
Killin heritage
Breadalbane conflict
Campbell-era pressure
stone bramble badge tradition
tartan pride
diaspora survival
Its name gives the clan its deepest identity:
Son of the Abbot.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan MacNab’s historic territories include:
Glen Dochart
Killin
Loch Tay
Inchbuie
Kinnell House
Bovain
Strathearn
Breadalbane
Perthshire
The wider Scottish diaspora
The great symbolic homeland is:
Glen Dochart
Glen Dochart runs westward from Killin and Loch Tay into the Highland heart of Breadalbane.
For Clan MacNab, Glen Dochart represents:
the old clan homeland
the abbot-name tradition
chiefship territory
Highland independence
the place remembered by descendants worldwide
The clan’s most sacred burial place is:
Inchbuie
Inchbuie is an island in the River Dochart at Killin, long associated with the burial of the MacNab chiefs.
For MacNab descendants, Inchbuie represents:
ancestral rest
chiefly memory
the spiritual centre of the clan
the place where the name returns to the earth
The MacNab landscape is one of:
river islands
Highland glens
Loch Tay waters
church memory
stone bramble
clan rivalry
Campbell pressure
survival through dispersal
Chapter III: Glen Dochart and Killin
Glen Dochart
Glen Dochart is the main historical landscape of Clan MacNab.
For Clan MacNab, it represents:
home
identity
chiefship
religious origin tradition
the old lands of the clan
The glen’s position made it strategically important. It lay in a world of routes between Perthshire, Argyll, Breadalbane and the western Highlands.
Killin
Killin, at the western end of Loch Tay, is one of the most important places in MacNab history.
It is associated with:
Inchbuie
the River Dochart
MacNab burial traditions
Breadalbane history
Highland clan memory
Inchbuie
Inchbuie is perhaps the most emotionally powerful MacNab site.
It is the traditional burial island of the chiefs.
For Clan MacNab, it represents:
lineage
death and remembrance
sacred island identity
the enduring link between clan and land
Kinnell House
Kinnell House, near Killin, became associated with later MacNab chiefs.
It represents:
chiefly residence
later estate history
the continuing presence of the name in Breadalbane
Chapter IV: Important People of Clan MacNab
Abraruadh, the Abbot Tradition
The traditional ancestor is:
Abraruadh
He is described in clan tradition as Abbot of Glen Dochart and Strathearn.
From this church-linked origin came the name:
Mac an Aba — son of the abbot
This makes Clan MacNab part of a wider Gaelic world where church office, kinship and local power could become deeply intertwined.
Malcolm de Glendochart
One of the earliest recorded figures connected with the clan’s territory was:
Malcolm de Glendochart
He appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, submitting to Edward I of England. Modern clan summaries mention Malcolm de Glendochart as an early recorded figure.
Gilbert MacNab
The chiefly list commonly begins with:
Gilbert McNab
He is listed as the first chief in modern clan summaries.
Finlay MacNab
Several early chiefs were named Finlay MacNab, showing the continuity of Gaelic naming within the family.
Smooth John MacNab
A famous later figure was:
John MacNab, often remembered by the nickname Smooth John.
He is commonly associated with colourful clan traditions and the later decline of MacNab power.
James Charles Macnab of Macnab
A modern chief was:
James Charles Macnab of Macnab
He died in 2013, after which the chiefship passed to the present line.
James “Jamie” William McNab
The current chief is generally listed as:
James “Jamie” William McNab
24th Chief of Clan MacNab
Chapter V: Clan Conflicts and Highland Politics
Clan MacNab lived in a dangerous region between powerful Highland neighbours.
Its story includes conflict with:
Clan Neish / MacNeish
Clan Campbell
Clan Robertson
Clan MacLaren
Breadalbane powers
The MacNab and Neish Feud
One of the most famous MacNab traditions concerns conflict with the Neishes.
The story is often connected with Loch Earn and a raid in which MacNab sons are said to have crossed through wild Highland conditions to strike at their enemies.
Whether every detail is legend or history, the story reflects a real Highland theme:
family honour
revenge
dangerous night travel
the violent world of clan feud
Campbell Pressure
Like many Highland clans in Perthshire and Argyll, the MacNabs eventually faced pressure from the expanding power of the Campbells of Breadalbane.
This pressure contributed to changes in MacNab landholding and influence.
Jacobite Complexity
MacNab history, like many Highland clan histories, includes mixed and changing political loyalties.
Different branches and individuals could take different positions depending on the period, local pressure and survival needs.
For Clan MacNab, the larger story is not one simple political label.
It is a story of maintaining identity in a world where stronger powers pressed from every side.
Chapter VI: Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The MacNab crest is:
A savage’s head affrontée Proper
This means:
A wild man’s head facing forward in natural colours.
The savage or wild man symbol suggests:
fierceness
untamed Highland strength
wilderness courage
raw survival instinct
a warning not to underestimate the clan
Clan Motto
The motto is:
“Timor Omnis Abesto”
This means:
“Let fear be far from all.”
It suggests:
courage
fearlessness
steadfast action
a refusal to be ruled by terror
For Clan MacNab, this motto fits the old Highland world of Glen Dochart: a clan surrounded by rivals, yet carrying a name rooted in spiritual authority.
Plant Badge
The plant badge is:
Stone bramble
Latin: Rubus saxatilis
The Clan Macnab Society identifies stone bramble as the plant badge of Clan MacNab.
Stone bramble suggests:
rough Highland ground
low-growing endurance
quiet survival
a plant of stony places
For Clan MacNab, this is an ideal badge: not showy, but hardy and rooted where the ground is difficult.
Chapter VII: Clan MacNab Tartans
MacNab Clan Tartan
The MacNab tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2669.
This is one of the main tartans associated with the clan.
MacNab Old Tartan
The MacNab Old tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2671.
This gives MacNab descendants more than one recognised tartan route.
MacNab Ancient, Modern and Old Options
Modern tartan options may include:
MacNab
MacNab Old
MacNab Ancient
MacNab Modern
MacNab Weathered
MacNab Dress, 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.
Old designs preserve a historically recognised sett or older recorded form.
The Meaning of MacNab Tartan Today
For modern MacNab descendants, tartan represents:
Glen Dochart
Killin
Inchbuie
the abbot-name tradition
the motto “Let fear be far from all”
stone bramble
family pride and diaspora identity
The MacNab tartans give this ancient Highland clan a strong and visible Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan MacNab represents a Highland identity built on ecclesiastical origins, Glen Dochart territory, Loch Tay memory, fierce independence and survival through hardship.
Its story includes:
Mac an Aba — son of the abbot
Glen Dochart
Killin
Loch Tay
Inchbuie burial island
Kinnell House
the abbot tradition of Abraruadh
Malcolm de Glendochart
MacNab and Neish conflict traditions
Campbell pressure in Breadalbane
the savage-head crest
the motto “Timor Omnis Abesto”
stone bramble plant badge
MacNab tartans
a living recognised chief
Associated names and spellings include:
MacNab
Macnab
McNab
MacNabb
McNabb
Mac an Aba
Nab
The name’s strength lies in its unusual meaning.
MacNab is not simply a surname of blood or land.
It is a surname of sacred office:
the son of the abbot.
Chapter IX: Clan MacNab Today
Today, Clan MacNab remains a recognised Highland clan with a living chief.
The current chief is generally listed as:
James “Jamie” William McNab
24th Chief of Clan MacNab
Modern Clan MacNab identity can be found through:
Clan Macnab Society
family history research
MacNab tartan wearing
visits to Killin and Glen Dochart
study of Inchbuie and Kinnell House
research into Breadalbane and Loch Tay records
Scottish heritage events
Highland games
diaspora family networks
For MacNab descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s spelling and region:
MacNab?
McNab?
MacNabb?
McNabb?
Glen Dochart?
Killin?
Loch Tay?
Breadalbane?
Perthshire?
Strathearn?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine the strongest family-history path.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan MacNab
The story of Clan MacNab begins with a sacred office:
the abbot.
From Mac an Aba came the name:
Son of the abbot.
From Glen Dochart came the homeland.
From Killin came the river-crossing memory.
From Inchbuie came the burial island.
From the crest came the wild man.
From the badge came stone bramble.
From the motto came courage:
Timor Omnis Abesto — Let fear be far from all.
That phrase captures the MacNab spirit: ancient, fearless, church-rooted, Highland, stubborn and hard to erase.
From Glen Dochart to Loch Tay, from Inchbuie to descendants across the world, Clan MacNab continues to carry its heritage forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, stone bramble, savage crests, river islands, old abbots, Highland feuds, 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 MacNab is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Glen Dochart, Killin, Loch Tay, Inchbuie, abbot-born origins, stone bramble, tartans and the fearless motto: Let fear be far from all.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com