Clan Scrymgeour: A Legacy of Dundee, the Royal Standard and the Command to Disperse
Introduction
Clan Scrymgeour, also written Scrimgeour, is a historic Scottish clan rooted especially in Dundee, Dudhope, Fife, Birkhill, Glassary, Fincharn, Fardill, and the eastern and Highland-edge world of Scotland.
The clan motto is:
“Dissipate”
“Disperse.”
The clan crest is:
A lion’s paw erased in bend Or, holding a crooked sword or scimitar Argent.
In simpler terms, this is a golden lion’s paw gripping a curved silver sword.
The clan plant badge is:
Rowan.
The current chief is:
Alexander Henry Scrymgeour
12th Earl of Dundee
Chief of the Name and Arms of Scrymgeour
Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
Modern clan references identify Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee, as chief of Clan Scrymgeour, Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland, and Constable of Dundee.
This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crest, motto, castles, royal offices and modern legacy of Clan Scrymgeour.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Scrymgeour
The surname Scrymgeour is one of the most distinctive in Scotland.
It is commonly understood to come from an old word meaning:
Skirmisher
Fencer
or
Swordsman
The name reflects martial skill. A scrymgeour was not merely a man with a sword. He was a trained fighter, a man of arms, someone associated with weapon handling, defence and battlefield service.
Historic spellings and forms include:
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Scrymgeour
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Scrimgeour
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Scrimger
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Scrimiour
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Scirmechour
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Scrymsour
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Skrimagour
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Skrimshire
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Skymezour
The clan’s earliest great tradition begins with Alexander Carron, also remembered as Alexander Scrymgeour. The Scrimgeour Clan Association states that the first bearer of the name was Alexander Carron, who received the hereditary title of Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland after an act of exceptional courage.
This made Clan Scrymgeour one of the few Scottish clans whose identity is inseparable from a national royal office.
To carry the king’s standard was no small honour. It meant standing where danger was greatest, where armies could see the royal banner, and where the symbol of Scotland’s cause had to remain upright.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Scrymgeour’s historic associations include:
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Dundee
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Dudhope Castle
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Birkhill
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Fife
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Glassary
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Fincharn Castle
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Fardill
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Angus
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Perthshire
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Argyll
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The wider Scottish diaspora
The clan’s famous offices include:
Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
Constable of Dundee
Modern clan references list the seat as Birkhill, north of Cupar in Fife, and the historic seats as Fincharn Castle and Dudhope Castle.
The Scrymgeour story is therefore both local and national.
Locally, it belongs to Dundee and its castles.
Nationally, it belongs to the royal standard of Scotland.
This is a clan of banners, blades, office, honour and service.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Scrymgeour
Alexander Carron / Alexander Scrymgeour
The legendary foundational figure of the clan was Alexander Carron, who became associated with the name Scrymgeour.
Clan tradition says he won the hereditary office of Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland through valour in battle. The Scrimgeour Clan Association identifies him as the first bearer of the name and connects him with the grant of that hereditary royal office.
Alexander Scrymgeour and Robert the Bruce
Clan tradition also connects Alexander Scrymgeour with Robert the Bruce.
Some modern clan summaries describe Alexander Scrymgeour as an early supporter of Bruce and as holding the office of royal standard bearer during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Scrymgeours became strongly associated with loyalty to Bruce, royal service and the defence of Scotland’s independence.
The Constables of Dundee
The Scrymgeours became Constables of Dundee, one of the most important civic and military offices connected with the city.
This office gave the family major local authority and tied them permanently to Dundee’s history.
The Earls of Dundee
The Scrymgeour chiefly line later became linked with the title Earl of Dundee.
Modern sources identify the current chief, Alexander Scrymgeour, as the 12th Earl of Dundee and Chief of Clan Scrymgeour.
Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn
Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn, 11th Earl of Dundee, was the father of the current chief and a major figure in the modern restoration and continuity of the title and clan identity.
Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee
The current chief is:
Alexander Henry Scrymgeour
12th Earl of Dundee
Chief of the Name and Arms of Scrymgeour
Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
Constable of Dundee
He was born in 1949 and succeeded as Earl of Dundee in 1983. He has served as a Conservative politician and hereditary peer, and is also listed as Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland.
Chapter IV: Castles, Houses and Historic Sites
Dudhope Castle
Dudhope Castle in Dundee is one of the most important historic sites connected with Clan Scrymgeour.
It was the great Dundee seat of the Scrymgeours and is strongly tied to their role as constables of the city.
For Clan Scrymgeour, Dudhope represents:
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Dundee authority
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Civic power
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Constableship
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Chiefly identity
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The family’s rise in eastern Scotland
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The Scrymgeours as defenders and officers
Birkhill
Birkhill, north of Cupar in Fife, is listed as the present clan seat.
It represents the modern chiefly line and the continuity of Clan Scrymgeour into the present.
Fincharn Castle
Fincharn Castle is listed as one of the historic seats of the clan.
It connects the family with the Highland and Argyll side of its historic geography.
Glassary
Glassary is important because of the Scrimgeour of Glassary tartan tradition. The Scrimgeour Clan Association states that the main Scrimgeour tartans are based on the Scrimgeour of Glassary design.
Dundee
Dundee itself is central to Clan Scrymgeour.
The clan’s connection to Dundee is not incidental. Through the office of Constable of Dundee, the Scrymgeours became woven into the city’s civic, military and noble history.
Chapter V: Battles, Offices and Clan Events
Clan Scrymgeour history is shaped by royal service, battlefield standard-bearing, the Wars of Independence, civic office, peerage and modern restoration.
The Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
The defining honour of Clan Scrymgeour is the hereditary office of:
Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
The Scrimgeour Clan Association states that Alexander Carron received this hereditary office after exceptional valour.
The royal standard was not merely decorative. It was a battlefield symbol of sovereign authority. If the standard fell, morale could collapse. If it stood, men knew the king’s cause still endured.
The Wars of Scottish Independence
Clan Scrymgeour’s tradition connects the family strongly with Robert the Bruce and the Wars of Scottish Independence.
The Scrymgeours are often described as early supporters of Bruce, and their hereditary office placed them among the symbolic defenders of Scotland’s national cause.
Constables of Dundee
The office of Constable of Dundee gave the clan an enduring civic and military role.
The chiefs were later created constables and then Earls of Dundee, while also retaining their hereditary royal standard-bearing identity.
Creation and Continuity of the Earldom of Dundee
The Scrymgeour chiefly line eventually became associated with the Earldom of Dundee, strengthening the clan’s noble status.
The modern chief, Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee, continues that title and the historic offices linked to the name.
Royal Ceremony and Coronation Service
The current Earl of Dundee is listed as Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland and was among peers carrying royal standards at the 2023 coronation.
This shows that the clan’s ancient ceremonial function is not merely a dead medieval memory. It still carries symbolic meaning in modern royal ceremony.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The Scrymgeour crest is:
A lion’s paw erased in bend Or, holding a crooked sword or scimitar Argent.
This means a golden lion’s paw gripping a curved silver sword.
The symbolism suggests:
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Courage
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Martial skill
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Royal service
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Command
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Defence
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Honour
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A sword-bearing family identity
The lion’s paw adds royal force. The curved sword recalls the clan name’s martial meaning: skirmisher, fighter, swordsman.
Clan Motto
The clan motto is:
“Dissipate”
This means:
“Disperse.”
The motto suggests:
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Break the enemy
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Scatter opposition
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Drive away danger
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Clear the field
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Act decisively in battle
For Clan Scrymgeour, it is a sharp, military motto. It suits a clan whose name itself speaks of fighting skill.
Clan Badge
The plant badge is:
Rowan.
Rowan is one of Scotland’s most symbolic trees. It is associated with:
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Protection
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Watchfulness
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Warding off evil
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Mountain and Highland landscapes
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Resilience
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Red berries and old folk belief
For a clan of standard-bearers, rowan is fitting: protective, visible and rooted in old Scottish tradition.
Chapter VII: Clan Scrymgeour Tartans
Clan Scrymgeour has recognised tartans.
Scrymgeour Tartan
The Scrymgeour tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 3754.
The register lists it as a Clan/Family tartan, designed by Trudi Mann, with a tartan date of 1 January 1971.
Scrimgeour of Glassary Tartan
The Scrimgeour of Glassary tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 5277.
The Scrimgeour Clan Association states that there are three tartans, all based on the same Scrimgeour of Glassary design and differing mainly in colour tone. It notes that the most popular is the Ancient Scrimgeour, predominantly orange, with a brighter Modern version also available.
Scrymgeour Ancient and Modern Tartans
Modern tartan suppliers and clan sources commonly refer to:
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Scrymgeour / Scrimgeour Ancient
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Scrymgeour / Scrimgeour Modern
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Scrimgeour of Glassary
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Other tone or weight variations
The usual distinction is dye tone:
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Ancient colours are softer and often more orange or weathered in appearance.
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Modern colours are brighter and stronger.
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Heavier and lighter cloth weights may also alter the scale and appearance of the sett.
The Meaning of Scrymgeour Tartan Today
For modern Scrymgeour descendants, tartan represents:
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Dundee identity
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Dudhope Castle
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Birkhill and Fife
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Glassary heritage
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The royal standard-bearing office
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The motto “Disperse”
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The lion’s paw and sword crest
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Family pride and diaspora connection
The Scrymgeour tartans give this ancient office-bearing clan a visible and wearable Scottish identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Scrymgeour represents a Scottish identity built on arms, royal service, civic authority and hereditary honour.
Its story includes:
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Alexander Carron / Alexander Scrymgeour
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Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
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Service to Robert the Bruce
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Constable of Dundee
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Dudhope Castle
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Fincharn Castle
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Birkhill
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Glassary
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The Earls of Dundee
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The lion’s paw and scimitar crest
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The motto “Dissipate”
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Rowan plant badge
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Scrymgeour tartans
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A living recognised chief
Associated names and spellings include:
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Scrymgeour
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Scrimgeour
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Scirmechour
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Scrimger
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Scrimiour
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Scrymsour
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Skrimagour
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Skrimshire
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Skymezour
Clan Scrymgeour is not merely a surname. It is an office-bearing clan whose identity is tied to the symbols of Scotland’s kings.
Chapter IX: Clan Scrymgeour Today
Today, Clan Scrymgeour remains a recognised Scottish clan with a living chief.
The current chief is:
Alexander Henry Scrymgeour
12th Earl of Dundee
Chief of the Name and Arms of Scrymgeour
Hereditary Royal Standard Bearer of Scotland
Constable of Dundee
The current seat is commonly listed as:
Birkhill, north of Cupar in Fife.
Modern Clan Scrymgeour identity can be found through:
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Scrimgeour Clan Association
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Family history research
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Tartan wearing
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Study of Dundee and Dudhope Castle
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Study of Birkhill and Fife
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Scottish heritage events
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Genealogy projects
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Diaspora family networks
The clan stands today as a symbol of royal service, standard-bearing honour, martial skill, Dundee heritage and Scottish family pride.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Scrymgeour
The story of Clan Scrymgeour begins with a warrior and a banner.
From Alexander Carron came the name.
From royal service came the office.
From Dundee came the constableship.
From the Earls of Dundee came the modern chiefly line.
Its crest, the lion’s paw holding the curved sword, speaks of strength, courage and skill in arms.
Its badge, rowan, speaks of protection and old Scottish belief.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Dissipate — Disperse.
That phrase captures the Scrymgeour spirit: strike, scatter, defend and carry the standard forward.
From Dudhope Castle to Birkhill, from Bruce’s wars to modern royal ceremony, from Scotland’s standard to descendants across the world, Clan Scrymgeour continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, banners, swords, rowan, castles, royal offices, 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, castles, battles, kirkyards, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Scrymgeour is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Dundee, Dudhope Castle, royal standards, lion’s paw crests, curved swords, rowan badges, tartans and the battle-sharp motto: Disperse.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com