Clan Wood: A Legacy of Largo, Scotland’s Admiral and Safety on the Waves
Introduction
Clan Wood is a historic Lowland Scottish clan rooted especially in Fife, Largo, Largo Bay, North Esk, Angus, Kincardineshire, and the wider east coast of Scotland.
The clan motto is:
“Tutus in Undis”
“Safe on the waves.”
The clan crest is:
A ship under sail Proper.
The principal historic seat is:
Largo Castle, Fife.
The modern chief is:
Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo
Baroness of Largo
Chief of the Name and Arms of Wood
The official Clan Wood Society records the arms of Wood of Largo with a ship under sail as crest and the motto Tutus in Undis, while also noting the succession of Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo after the death of the late chief, Timothy Fawcett Wood.
This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crest, motto, castles, seafaring identity and modern legacy of Clan Wood.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Wood
The surname Wood is common throughout Britain and has two main origin traditions.
The first is topographical. It could describe a person who lived near, worked in, or was associated with a wood or forest.
The second is a nickname origin. In older usage, “wood” could sometimes refer to someone considered wild, fierce, eccentric or intense.
Historic spellings and associated forms include:
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Wood
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Woods
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Wode
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Wod
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Woode
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Woud
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de Bosco
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Attewood
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Bythesea, in some broader maritime surname contexts
In Scotland, the strongest clan identity belongs to the Woods of Largo in Fife.
Clan Wood is therefore best understood as a Lowland and east-coast Scottish clan, not a Highland clan of glens and island warbands. Its story is shaped by ships, royal service, naval warfare, trade protection, Fife coastal power and the memory of Sir Andrew Wood of Largo.
The motto tells the story clearly:
Safe on the waves.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Wood’s historic associations include:
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Largo
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Largo Bay
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Fife
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North Esk
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Angus
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Kincardineshire
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Balbegno
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Red Castle near Muir of Ord
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The east coast of Scotland
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The wider Scottish diaspora
The principal seat was:
Largo Castle
Largo Castle stood north of Lower Largo in Fife. It dated from the 15th century and was later replaced by Largo House, begun around 1750. Today, only a round tower with a conical roof remains from the older castle tradition.
Other Wood-associated places include:
Balbegno Castle, Kincardineshire
Red Castle, near Muir of Ord
Largo Bay, Fife
Tartan Shop’s Wood places summary lists Largo Castle, Balbegno Castle, and Red Castle among important Wood-related sites.
Clan Wood belongs to the coastal and seafaring world of eastern Scotland. Its heart is not a mountain pass or Highland glen, but a shoreline, a harbour, a castle and the North Sea routes of trade and war.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Wood
Sir Andrew Wood of Largo
The greatest figure in Clan Wood history is:
Admiral Sir Andrew Wood of Largo
He was a celebrated Scottish sailor, merchant, privateer and naval commander in the service of King James III and King James IV.
St Kilda Store describes Sir Andrew Wood as a famous merchant and privateer employed by James III to protect Scotland’s trade with continental Europe.
He became so important to Scottish naval history that the Clan Wood Society calls him “Scotland’s Admiral.”
Sir Andrew Wood’s story gives Clan Wood its maritime identity.
He was not simply a local laird.
He was a defender of Scottish sea power.
The Woods of Largo
The Woods of Largo became the principal family of the name.
Their arms, crest and motto are centred on maritime symbolism:
A ship under sail
and
Safe on the waves
This shows how closely the chiefly identity is tied to sea service and naval strength.
Timothy Fawcett Wood of Largo
Timothy Fawcett Wood of Largo was recognised as hereditary chief of the Name and Arms of Wood.
A Clan Wood history source notes that the Lord Lyon recognised Timothy Fawcett Wood of Largo as hereditary Chief of the Name and Arms.
Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo
The current chief is:
Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo
Baroness of Largo
Chief of the Name and Arms of Wood
The Clan Wood Society states that after the death of Timothy Fawcett Wood, his daughter and nominated heir, Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo, was greeted as chief.
Chapter IV: Castles, Houses and Historic Sites
Largo Castle
Largo Castle is the great historic seat of Clan Wood.
It stood north of Lower Largo in Fife and was connected with Sir Andrew Wood. The castle dated from the 15th century, though it was later replaced by Largo House. Today, only a single round tower with a conical roof remains.
For Clan Wood, Largo Castle represents:
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Chiefship
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Fife roots
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Naval service
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Sir Andrew Wood
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Coastal strength
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The motto “Safe on the waves”
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Scotland’s early maritime defence
Largo Bay
Largo Bay is central to the clan’s atmosphere.
This coastline places the clan in the world of ships, fishing, trade, privateering and royal naval service.
For Clan Wood, the sea is not background scenery.
It is identity.
Balbegno Castle
Balbegno Castle in Kincardineshire is listed among Wood-related places.
It reflects the wider spread of the name beyond Fife.
Red Castle
Red Castle, near Muir of Ord, is also listed as a Wood-associated place and is linked in some traditions with Sir Andrew de Bosco.
The Latin form de Bosco means of the wood, showing how the surname could appear in medieval-style documentary forms.
Chapter V: Battles, Ships and Clan Events
Clan Wood’s history is shaped less by Highland cattle raids and more by naval service, trade protection, royal favour and maritime power.
Royal Service to James III
Sir Andrew Wood served King James III and helped protect Scottish trade with continental Europe.
This was vital because Scotland’s prosperity depended heavily on sea trade, especially with the Low Countries, France, Scandinavia and Baltic routes.
Scottish Naval Power
Sir Andrew Wood became one of the most famous naval commanders in late medieval Scotland.
His story belongs to the period before Scotland had a large permanent navy, when powerful merchant captains and privateers could become essential to national defence.
The Woods of Largo and the Sea
The very crest and motto of the clan make the maritime theme unmistakable:
A ship under sail
Tutus in Undis — Safe on the waves
These symbols preserve the memory of Sir Andrew Wood and the clan’s seafaring reputation.
Modern Clan Recognition
Clan Wood has a recognised modern chief. The official Clan Wood Society identifies the Wood of Largo arms and records the succession of Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo after the death of Timothy Fawcett Wood.
This gives Clan Wood a living recognised leadership tradition rather than only an armigerous surname identity.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The Wood crest is:
A ship under sail Proper.
The Clan Wood Society gives the crest of Wood of Largo as a ship under sail Proper.
The symbolism suggests:
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Sea power
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Trade
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Navigation
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Royal service
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Maritime defence
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Movement and survival
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Safety through skill
It is one of the clearest maritime crests in Scottish clan heraldry.
Clan Motto
The clan motto is:
“Tutus in Undis”
This means:
“Safe on the waves.”
The Clan Wood Society gives this motto for Wood of Largo.
The motto means:
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Protected at sea
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Skilled in danger
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Secure despite storms
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Trusted on the waves
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Safe through seamanship
For Clan Wood, this motto is perfect: it speaks of shipmasters, sea roads, trade protection and Scotland’s coastal strength.
Clan Badge
A distinct plant badge for Clan Wood is not consistently recorded in the main clan references.
For accuracy, the strongest Wood symbols are:
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The ship under sail
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The motto “Tutus in Undis”
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Largo Castle
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Largo Bay
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Sir Andrew Wood
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The Wood tartan
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The oak tree in the chief’s arms
The chief’s shield includes an oak tree, which also naturally echoes the surname Wood.
Chapter VII: Clan Wood Tartans
Wood Tartan
The Wood tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans as a Clan/Family tartan.
The register notes that the Wood tartan incorporates colours from the Duke of Fife and Angus district tartans, reflecting areas historically connected with the Woods. It was initiated by Leslie N. Wood, designed by Keith Lumsden, approved by the Chief of Clan Wood and adopted by the Clan Wood Society.
Wood Dress Tartan
The Wood Dress tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans. The register notes that a woven sample has been received for permanent preservation in the National Records of Scotland.
Wood Ancient and Modern Tartans
Modern tartan suppliers may offer Wood tartans in different colourways such as:
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Modern
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Ancient
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Dress
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Muted
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Weathered, where available
The usual distinction is dye tone:
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Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
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Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
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Dress tartans are often brighter or more formal.
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Weathered colours are muted and aged.
The Meaning of Wood Tartan Today
For modern Wood descendants, tartan represents:
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Fife roots
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Largo Castle
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Sir Andrew Wood
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Maritime heritage
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The motto “Safe on the waves”
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The ship-under-sail crest
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Angus and Fife connections
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Family pride and diaspora identity
The Wood tartan gives this east-coast Scottish clan a visible and wearable identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Wood represents a Scottish identity built on seamanship, royal service, coastal strength, trade protection and Lowland family continuity.
Its story includes:
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Largo Castle
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Largo Bay
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Fife roots
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Sir Andrew Wood of Largo
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Service to James III and James IV
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Scottish maritime defence
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The ship-under-sail crest
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The motto “Tutus in Undis”
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The Wood tartan
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A living recognised chief
Associated names and spellings include:
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Wood
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Woods
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Wode
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Wod
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Woode
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Woud
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de Bosco
The Wood story is not a Highland saga of mountain warfare.
It is a sea-facing Scottish story of ships, oak, castle towers, royal service and safety through skill.
Chapter IX: Clan Wood Today
Today, Clan Wood remains a recognised Scottish clan with a living chief.
The current chief is:
Oonagh Fawcett Wood of Largo
Baroness of Largo
Chief of the Name and Arms of Wood
The Clan Wood Society records her succession after the death of Timothy Fawcett Wood of Largo.
Modern Clan Wood identity can be found through:
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Clan Wood Society
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Family history research
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Tartan wearing
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Study of Largo and Fife
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Scottish maritime history
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Interest in Sir Andrew Wood
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Scottish heritage events
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Diaspora family networks
For Wood descendants, useful research paths include:
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Fife parish records
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Largo records
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Angus records
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Kincardineshire records
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Maritime records
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Royal service references
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Scottish Register of Tartans entries
The clan stands today as a symbol of seafaring courage, Fife heritage, naval service, Lowland identity and Scottish family pride.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Wood
The story of Clan Wood begins in the eastern Lowlands, where forest-name, coastal life and maritime service came together.
From Largo came the family’s great symbol.
From Sir Andrew Wood came its greatest fame.
From the sea came its motto.
Its crest, the ship under sail, speaks of movement, command and trust in dangerous waters.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Tutus in Undis — Safe on the waves.
That phrase captures the Wood spirit: steady at sea, loyal in service, and skilled enough to survive the storm.
From Largo Castle to Largo Bay, from Scotland’s trade routes to descendants across the world, Clan Wood continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, ships, oak, sea spray, castle stone, naval 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, castles, battles, kirkyards, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Wood is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Fife roots, Largo Castle, Scotland’s Admiral, ship crests, tartans, royal service and the proud maritime motto: Safe on the waves.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com