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Welcome to Clan Hunter

Clan Chief: Madame Pauline Hunter of Hunterston and of that Ilk and 30th Laird. Chief of Clan Hunter.

Crest:

Motto:

Slogan/War Cry:

Region:

Historic Seat:

Plant badge:

Pipe music:

Gaelic name:

Use of the Clan Hunter Crest Badge

Crest Badge of a member of Clan Hunter

As a Clan Member you may use our Clan Crest Badge for personal use and we do encourage this. It is a way to show your own allegiance to Clan Hunter. However, you should ensure that the wording: "Crest badge of a member of Clan Hunter" appears underneath which may be in small letters. This shows that you are not misappropriating the heraldic content (the motto and crest - hound) within it which are the personal heraldic property of the Clan Chief whomever that is at any specific time, presently my sister Pauline. Heraldic property is protected under the jurisdiction of Scots law (Scotland has a different legal system to England) by the Lyon Court. See: Office of the Lord Lyon - https://www.courtofthelordlyon.scot/ This would mean that any commercial usage would come under the authority of the owner (our Clan Chief). I enclose a line print drawing for members to copy as you wish for your own personal use - for example as a heading on notepaper or on a Tee shirt for your own use. Any further questions please refer to me by email - charleshunterofhunterston@gmail.com

Clan Team

Team Goals

The focus of this team's work is to identify, improve and maintain profiles associated with the Lairds and Chiefs of Clan Hunter together with members bearing the name Hunter, the related families and those recognised as septs of Clan Hunter.

Team To Do List

This list will be developed by the Team. If you are working on a specific task, please list it here:

• promoting the entries of those bearing the name Hunter on Wikitree.
• ensuring entries appearing on Wikitree are as accurate as possible, correcting mistakes once spotted.
• encouraging interest in and study of Clan Hunter.

Septs

CLAN HUNTER - Septs

Sept /sɛpt/ - noun: a subdivision of a clan

Clan Hunter does not have any septs. None. The early variant of the name spelling (Huntar) may be considered as an historical spelling of Hunter. There is a misconception that the surnames Hunt, Huntingdon, Huntsman etc. are connected to our Clan. They are not. These are English surnames not in any way connected to our ancient Scottish Clan. The Lord Lyon will reconfirm this in writing shortly and this will be posted here. An earlier letter from the Lyon Office stating this fact has been mislaid. Please refer all new member enquiries related to this matter to this page.

Clan Hunter Administration - 2021

Clan History

Clan Branches

Other Names Associated with the Clan

Allied Clans

Rival Clans

Clan Research and Free Space Pages

Source Material

Image Credits and Acknowledgements

Information below this line can be summarized and integrated into the Team page. Detailed information should be added to additional Clan pages.

Joining Clan Hunter Surname variants: Hunter, Hunt, Huntar, Huntress and Hunta, descendants of someone with one of those surnames, and anyone in agreement with the purpose of the Clan Hunter Association

Origins of the Clan Hunter The first Hunters arrived in Ayrshire in the last years of the 11th Century. They were experts in hunting and fieldcraft with generations of experience in the forests of their land of origin, Normandy, northern France. William Hunter was invited to Scotland by David I, who was himself brought up in the Norman Court. He must have had considerable skills to have been so honoured, he was responsible for providing the Scottish Court with meat and game, a osition that the Hunters held throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. In papers relating to the King's Inquisition in 1116, we find mention of Williemo Venator (William the Hunter, 1st Laird), who was appointed as Royal Huntsman while his wife had the honour of serving Queen Matilda s lady-in-waiting. William put his expertise to good use in the wild forests and fens, then rich with wildlife, which surrounded the site of the timber fortress later to become Hunter-s Toun. As recognition of his family's skills the title of Royal Huntsman became a hereditary appointment. Source: https://www.scotweb.co.uk/info/hunter

Clan Seat & Castle The seat of the chief of Clan Hunter has been at Hunterston Castle for over 907 years.

History, pictures, and paintings Clan Hunter - the Clan Hunter Castle at Hunterston, also the Hunter Clan tartan and some Clan History and pictures and paintings. www.scotlandinoils.com/clan/Clan-Hunter.html January 7, 2018 and many times before this date

Clan Hunter Association, USA A branch of The Hunter Clan Association of Scotland, founded by the late Charles M. Hunter and incorporated in Birmingham, Alabama on February 8, 1993. Clan Hunter. Clan Hunter (Gaielic: "Clann an t-Sealgair") is a Scottish clan which has its seat at Hunterston. https://www.clanhunterusa.org/history January 7, 2018 and many other times in the past.

Clan Hunter Worldwide Clan Hunter Branches
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Hunterston - The Lands, the Castle, and the Brooch
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Worldwide Hunters (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and USA)

Clan Hunter

Origins of the clan

Clan Name: Hunter - various spellings mention of latin Venator ( procurer ) in the 12th century and Huntar in the 14th century.

A traditional ancestor of the Hunters was with Rollo, a Viking, at the sack of Paris in 896.[4] He was appointed as a huntsman to one of Rollo's descendants.[4] The Hunters later followed Matilda, queen of William the Conqueror, to England and as a result their name is not included amongst those who accompanied William.[4]

It is likely that the Hunters came to Scotland with David I of Scotland upon his invitation and were given lands named Hunter's Toune.[4]

In 1296 Aylmer le Hunter of the county of Ayr appears on the Ragman Rolls submitting to Edward I of England.[4]

A charter signed by Robert II of Scotland on 2 May 1374 has survived that confirmed a grant of land to William Hunter for his faithful service rendered and to be rendered to us in return for a silver penny payable to the Sovereign at Hunterston on the Feast of Pentecost.[4] To this day the Laird of Hunterston, chief of Clan Hunter keeps silver pennies, minted in the reigns of Robert II and George V in case of a royal visit on the day appointed for payment of his rent.[4] The William Hunter who received this charter is reckoned to have been the tenth Hunter of Hunterston.[4] In earlier records both William Hunter and Norman Hunter appear using the Latin form of the name, Venator

The Hunters were hereditary keepers of the royal forests of Arran and Little Cumbrae by the fifteenth century.[4] The family appear to have held this office from an early date and also claim a long descent from people who held similar offices in England and Normandy before they came to Scotland.[4]

During the sixteenth century the Hunters rendered chiefly military service.[4] John Hunter, the fourteenth Laird was killed with his king at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.[4] His son was Robert who was trublit with sikness and infirmity and was excused from military service in 1542 by James V of Scotland, providing that he sent his eldest son in his place.[4] His son was Mungo who was killed at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547

In the 15th century the Hunter's were the hereditary Keepers of the Royal Forests at Arran and Little Cumbrae. In the 16th century Royal demands were more of a military type. John Hunter 14th Laird died at the Battle of Flodden in England on September 1513 while serving his King. His son Robert, "was trublit with sikness and infirmity" and in 1542 was excused army service to the king provided he sent his eldest son. His son Mungo succeeded as Laird in 1546 but was killed the next year whilst serving King James the 5th at the Battle of Pinkie.

Robert, son of the 20th Laird graduated from Glasgow University in 1643 and became a minister at West Kilbride. He was the founder of the cadet branch known as Hunter's of Kirkland, when he purchased land in that area. Also in the seventeenth century from a younger son of the house descended the Hunter's of Long Calderwood. This branch of the family produced Dr. John Hunter the anatomist and his brother William Hunter who founded the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, which is the oldest public museum in Scotland opened in 1807.

Crest:

Motto: Cursum perficio (Latin) - I have completed the course

Slogan:

Region: Lowlands

District: Ayrshire

Clan Seat: Hunterston Castle, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland

Clan Lands: Ayrshire, Arran, Bute, Cumbraes.

Plant badge: Sea Pink – Ameria Maritima

Pipe music:

Gaelic name:

Septs:

Names associated with the clan:

See Also:

• Wikipedia Clan Hunter

• Lairds List

CHARLES HUNTER·FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020· Lairds of Hunterston - Clan Hunter Administration 2020 © The ancestors of the early lairds of Hunterston were Norsemen. They came to Normandy in longships with Rollo (c.860-930 AD) and conquered the region, laying siege to Paris in 911 and settling in Northern France with Rollo taking the title Duke of Normandy. [1] 1 Guilielmus Venator (William The Hunter) was born in Venables in northern France and is named as one of the witnesses, with Hugh de Morville, at an inquisition in 1116 by David, Prince of the Cumbrians (later King David I of Scotland) regarding lands pertaining to the Church of Glasgow. William is known to have come to Scotland from Normandy after the conquest of England in 1066. Many of the ancient Scottish lowland families have similar Norman origins. 2 Norman Venator (Norman I) is referred to in a Royal Charter of King Alexander III of Scotland dated 1271 confirming that he had previously been granted lands in the Barony of Arnele on the coast of Ayreshire by King Malcolm IV of Scotland (1153-65). Ardneil farm neighbours Hunterston land and would have been in the possession of the lairds at one time. 3 Venator (The Hunter) was named in charters of King Alexander II of Scotland who reigned 1214-49. 4 John Deo Venator the 4th laird, was a witness to a deed in the Glasgow Church records of 1233. 5 Ardneil Hunter the 5th laird, maintains the link with the land at Hunterston through his name. Ardneil bay extends from West Kilbride toward Portencross on the southern side of the Hunterston peninsula. He would have been engaged at the Battle of Largs in 1263 where the Vikings under Haakon Haakonarson, the King of Norway were finally repulsed from the Scottish mainland. [2] 6 Norman Hunter. Details of the 6th laird are uncertain and so we have named him Norman II. His date of birth would have been about 1240. 7 We have no information on Norman’s son either and so have named him Norman III. He was the 7th laird. His date of birth would have been approximately 1260. 8 Aylmere le Huntar (Aylmer I) the 8th laird, was one of the Scottish Magnates who signed the famous Ragman Rolls in 1296, as an act of homage in submission to King Edward 1st of England. [3] 9 Born in 1320, the Christian name of Aylmer’s son is unknown and so we refer to the 9th laird as Aylmer II. 10 William Huntar of Ardneil the 10th laird (William I) was granted a Royal Charter by King Robert II of Scotland (1371-1390) signed in Stirling on the 2nd May 1374. This Charter is preserved at Hunterston with the original Royal seal intact. It remains the oldest document in the possession of Clan Hunter consolidating their unbroken link with the lands at Hunterston. In Scotland, all lands were forfeit to the Crown in times of war. Afterward, being restored in exchange for services to the reigning Monarch. William was born in 1350. 11 Born in 1390, the 11th laird is referred to as William Huntar II as we have no information excepting that he had two children: William and John. 12 William III the 12th laird of Hunterston is on record as paying 11 years Blench Duty and Double Succession Money accounted for in the Exchequer Roll for 1447. On William’s death in 1454 his younger brother John succeeded as Hereditary Forester as his nephew, William’s son Archibald was a minor at the time. 13 The 13th laird, Archibald Huntar of Ardneil, married Margaret Kerr on 14th June 1462. An entry in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland 1488 translated from Latin reads: Account of Robert Chamberlaine of Bute … and he charges himself with 30 shillings being rent of the land of Almolach and for the office of Forester of Arran and with 3 chalders of oats and 2 silver pennies being payment for Blenche Ferme due to the King by John Hunter. The lairds are thus established as Hereditary Keepers of the Royal Forests on the islands of Cumbrae and Arran (Holy Isle). Venison was a significant source of meat at this time and these islands were ideal for confining deer. Blenche Ferme was a nominal sum paid to the Crown in recognition of a Royal appointment. 14 Archibald’s son John became the 14th laird of Ardneil and Huntarstoune and married Margaret, daughter of 2nd Lord Cathcart on 13th June 1505. Producing the Charter granted to his ancestor before the Court of Justices in Ayr, he was exonerated from all claims proving his lands were held …in Blenche of the Crown on payment of one silver penny. John was killed at the Battle of Flodden on 9th September 1513 in the service of the Scottish Crown. 15 Robert Huntar (I) of Huntarstoune (15th laird) was a minor when his father fell and inherited on 6th May 1515. He consolidated family land holdings and in 1542 was granted a licence by King James V permitting his absence from wars …he being weak and tender of complexion and troubled with sickness and infirmity. He died in 1546. 16 Kentigern (Mungo) Huntar of Huntarstoune, the 16th laird …was present with our Sovereign Lady’s army at Dumbarton on the 11th of July 1546, at the siege of the Castle. Mungo died …at the Faith and Peace of Queen Mary under her Standard at the Battle of Pinkie 10th September 1547. He was named after Kentigern, a 6th century Apostle of the Scottish Kingdom of Strathclyde, also known at Mungo, he founded and is the Patron Saint of the City of Glasgow. [4] 17 The 17th laird, Robert Huntar (II) was a minor at his father’s death but he too fought for Mary, Queen of Scots at the Battle of Langside (1568) where he was seriously wounded. Surviving, he became a supporter of the Reformed Religion (Protestantism). He died in 1581. Robert’s brother James is considered the founder of several genealogical branches of the extended Hunter family (Abbotshill, Barjarg, Thurston, Doonholm, Auchterarder and the Hunter-Blair baronets). 18 Robert Huntar (III) the 18th laird was an infant at his father’s death. Born in 1564, he married Margaret Peibles of Broomlands but they had no children. The lairdship was passed through his sister Jean to her daughter (also called Jean) and Jean’s husband Patrick whom Robert made his heir of entail in 1611. There was no requirement for a name change as Patrick was the son of William Hunter of Beneberrie Yairds, Ayrshire. Diverting the inheritance through the female line explains the remarkable way the Hunters of Hunterston have maintained their unbroken history in Scotland. A marriage contract dated 1704 states that: In the absence of a Male Heir, a Female may succeed under condition that she marries “A Gentleman who will assume the name of Hunter”. 19 As Lady Hunterston, Jean and Patrick (I) became co-heirs of Hunterston. Patrick is listed as the 19th laird but the inheritance came through his wife and her mother, both named Jean. They had five children together and Patrick died in 1665 aged 74. 20 Robert (IV) the 20th laird, entered Glasgow University in July 1627. One of his grandchildren also named Robert, was Governor of Virginia and New York 1709-1719.[5] The 20th laird also served in the Ayrshire Yeomanry and died in 1679. [6] Robert’s brother Francis is the ancestor of the Hunters of Long Calderwood. 21 As the 21st laird Patrick (II) had his title to the land ratified by King William II on 27th June 1698. Marrying Marion Cunningham of Langmuir, they had 7 children. Patrick’s brothers Robert and James founded the branches of Hunters of Kirkland and of Croyland Abbey respectively. 22 Patrick (III) was reputed to have been a gambler and alienated much of the land holding before he was forced to make a disposition to his eldest son (Patrick IV) transferring the remaining lands. Patrick married Marion Crawford and they had ten children. He died in 1738. 23 Patrick’s younger son Robert (V) became the 23rd laird in 1732, succeeding his elder brother (Patrick IV) who died young and unmarried. Robert married Janet Atchison daughter of Mathew Atchison a Glasgow merchant and they had five children. Thomas and Patrick, their two sons both died young and two of their daughters died unmarried. Their third daughter Eleonora (I) succeeded her father on his death in 1796. 24 Eleanora (I) Helen Hunter became the 24th laird in 1796. Helen married her cousin Robert Caldwell in the same year. Robert was a mariner and shipowner and he assumed the name of Hunter. Together they made significant improvements at Hunterston. They constructed the first Hunterston House, a Georgian building later remodelled, and greatly improved the farming by draining marshland surrounding Hunterston Castle. They had seven children. Helen was born in 1764 and died in 1851. 25 Born in 1799, Robert (VI) trained as a lawyer and Justice of the Peace and was Deputy Lieutenant of Ayrshire. As the 25th laird, he obtained a Royal Charter for the lands at Hunterston from King George IV in 1829. Robert married Christian, daughter of William Crawford of Cartsburn near Greenock and they had two daughters, Jane and Eleanora (II). Robert was the last laird to be born in the Castle. 26 Jane married Gould Read Weston a career officer in the British Indian Army, in 1863. She obtained a Royal licence from Queen Victoria to assume the name and Arms of Hunter-Weston in 1880. They had two sons, Aylmer (III) and Reginald. As the 26th laird, Jane competently managed the estate herself. She was a Lady Justice of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and her husband a Knight of Justice, OStJ. Gould undertook the first genealogical research on the Hunters of Hunterston. 27 Lieutenant General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston, KCB, DSO, JP, DL, Member of Parliament to North Ayrshire for over 25 years.[7] The General as the 27th laird is known in the family, married Grace Strang Steel of Philiphaugh, Selkirk in 1905. However, they had no children. Aylmer (III) died in 1940 and Grace in 1954. Although it might be expected for the Hunterston inheritance go to Aylmer’s younger brother, Reginald, it passed to the descendants of his Aunt, Eleanora (II). Reginald migrated to New Zealand and his Hunter-Weston descendants are actively involved with Clan Hunter today. 28 On the death of Grace Hunter-Weston, Aylmer’s widow, in February 1954, Eleanora (III) Agnes Cochran-Patrick (Aunt Nora) matriculated Arms as the 28th laird. As Aylmer and Grace had no children, Hunterston passed across to the descendants of Jane Hunter’s sister (Eleanora II). During her tenure, Aunt Nora fought but lost a compulsory purchase order by the government to build a nuclear power station at Hunterston. 29 Neil Hunter the 29th laird (1927-1994) continued the conflict against the incursion of further industrialisation onto the remaining original Clan lands. Known for his sailing prowess, Neil represented the United Kingdom in two Olympic Games and was awarded a silver medal in Melbourne (1956). Neil was a distinguished archer and a member of the Queen’s Royal Bodyguard for Scotland [8]. He married Sonia Furlong of Gloucestershire in England and they had seven children, one daughter and six sons. 30 Madam Pauline Natalie Hunter became the 30th Chief of Clan Hunter following the death of her father in 1994. The eldest of Neil’s seven children, she has been most active in the promotion of Clan Hunter worldwide, holding regular Clan Gatherings in Scotland and planning a secure future for the spiritual home of Clan Hunter to benefit all Clansfolk and their families. She is our fifth female Clan Chief following in the footsteps of Jean Hunter (19th), Helen (24th), Jane (26th) and Eleanora, the 28th laird.

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