Chief, Chieftain or Laird
In Scotland the heads of sometimes very large family groupings are known as clan chiefs. Clan members in the past believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of a Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief represents this founder, and thereby the clan.
In the Scottish clan system, the term chief denotes a greater chief than that of a chieftain. In consequence, branch chiefs (heads of branches of a clan) are designated chieftains.
By the second half of the 16th century Highland chiefs were styled by the Crown as 'of that Ilk' (the chief being head of the family and owning the name-place, eg Moncreiffe of that Ilk), but other chiefs varied between this form and a territorial designation (eg Maclean of Duart).
After the Union of 1707, Highland chiefs moved to a straightforward reiteration of the name (eg Macdonald of Macdonald) because of the difficulty in explaining 'of that Ilk' in England, and most other families have since followed suit.
For centuries some chiefs have abbreviated their style and adopted the definite article, eg Chisholm of Chisholm is known as 'The Chisholm', and Macnab of Macnab as 'The Macnab'.
Others use the definite article as well as the clan or territorial designation, eg The MacLaren of MacLaren, The MacKinnon of MacKinnon and The Macneil of Barra. The use of 'The' by certain chiefs in place of the forename is officially recognised by the Lord Lyon.
How to address a Chief, Chieftain or Laird
In Scotland it is normal to write to Chiefs, Chieftains and Lairds by their designation or estate, and not by their surname. Neither 'Mr' nor 'Esq' are added to the name on the envelope.
The recommended (social) style of address is as follows:
|
Beginning of letter |
Dear Chisholm (note: a non-Scotsman who writes to a Chief or Laird with a Service rank, especially a correspondent who is younger or junior in rank, would write to The Mackintosh as 'Dear Admiral Mackintosh of Mackintosh', and a member of a Clan or Name would write to his Chief as 'Dear Chief') Examples of other types of name, are shown below in table, e.g. Col Cameron, The MacNeil of Barra etc. |
|
End of letter |
Yours sincerely |
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Envelope |
The Chisholm/Colonel Donald Cameron of Lochiel/ The MacNeil of Barra/Henry Forbes Irvine of Drum/Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Bt |
|
Verbal address |
Lochiel/Mackintosh (ie by Clan or territorial designation, not by surname) |
|
Invitation |
The Chisholm |
|
Joint invitation & joint form |
The Chisholm and Mrs (or Madam) Chisholm of address.... |
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Description in conversation |
Lochiel/Mackintosh/The Chisholm |
|
List of Directors or Patrons |
The Chisholm/Colonel Donald Cameron of Lochiel/ The MacNeil of Barra/Henry Forbes Irvine of Drum/Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Bt |
|
Place Card |
The Chisholm/Colonel Donald Cameron of Lochiel/ The MacNeil of Barra/Henry Forbes Irvine of Drum/Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Bt |
