CLAN GUNN

Welcome to the Eastern Canada Branch of the Clan Gunn Society of North America (CGSNA).

The Gunns descend from the Norse Jarls of Orkney and the Pictish Mormaers of Caithness, and this makes them one of the oldest Scottish clans. The name comes from Gunni, born around 1170, who was the grandson of Sweyn Asleifson, the famous pirate of the Orkneyinga Saga. Around 1198, King William the Lion gave Gunni the hereditary title of Crowner and approved his marriage to Ragnhild, the heiress of the Moddan Clan in Cattaig (now Caithness and Sutherland). They lived in great splendor in their castles in the north of Scotland. The Gunns were then at the height of their power. They appeared to possess virtually the whole of Caithness, which was then passing from the influence of the Norse Earldom to that of the King of Scots. Upon Gunni’s death, his son Snaekoll (White head) became chief of the Clan. He is reputed to have built Castle Gunn at Bruan, on the east coast of Caithness.

Little more is known of the history of the Clan during the 13th and 14th centuries except that the Gunns were obviously being dispossessed of their lands by the Sinclairs, the Keiths, the Mackays and others as tensions grew. Therefore, by the mid-15th century, George Gunn of Ulbster, Chief of Clan Gunn and Crowner of Caithness, held his main lands at Ulbster and Clythe in Caithness. George was also known as "Am Braisdeach Mor", or "Big Broochy" from the insignia that he wore as Crowner of Caithness. After many skirmishes, he tried to reconcile with the Keiths as shown in the following quotation taken from a manuscript written in the reign of King James VI: “About the year of God 1478 (or 1464), there was some dissention in Caithness betwixt the Keiths and the Clan Gunn. A meeting was appointed for their reconciliation, at the Chapel of St. Tayre, in Caithness, hard by Girnigo, with twelve horses on either side. The Crowner (chieftain of Clan Gunn) with the most part of his sons and chief kinsmen came to the chapel, to the number of twelve; and, as they were within the chapel at their prayers, the Laird of Inverugie and Ackergill arrived there with twelve horses, and two men upon every horse; thinking it no breach of trust to come with twenty-four men, seeing they had but twelve horses as was appointed.So the twenty-four gentlemen rushed in at the door of the chapel, and invaded the Crowner and his company unawares; who, nevertheless, made great resistance. In the end the Clan Gunn were all slain, with the most of the Keiths.”

In 1978, Lord Michael Kintore, Chief of Clan Keith, and Iain Gunn of Banniskirk, Commander of Clan Gunn, signed a Treaty of Friendship between the two clans at the site of the chapel, ending the 500-year-old feud.              

After the death of George ‘the Crowner’ and two of his sons, Robert and John, the Clan split into five distinct branches: James or Seumas, the Crowner's eldest son, who was not present at the famous battle, moved with his family to the Strath of Kildonan, first at Killearnan and later at Badenloch; the children of Robert lived in Braemore, in southern Caithness and were known as the Robson Gunns; those of John of Cattaig or Bregaul, went to Dalemore in the higher reaches of the River Thurso; the children of Henry, known as the Henderson Gunns, and those of William later held lands in Halkirk and Westerdale.

The old line became extinct in 1782 when Morrison Gunn, the 9th MacHeamish, died at Gibraltar. Later, a distant relative George of Rhives became chief and this line continued until the death of his son Donald, without a male heir, in 1874. In the absence of a recognized chief, Iain Gunn of Banniskirk was appointed Commander of the Clan in 1972 by the Lord Lyon King of Arms at the request of the landed and armigerous members of the Clan.

There were Gunns working for the Hudson’s Bay Company since the early 1700s but the emigration of Gunns to Canada started around 1750 first in Nova Scotia, then Quebec and Ontario. In the early to mid- 1800s, the Clearances were carried out in Scotland with the object of ‘clearing the Highlanders from the land to make way for the raising of sheep’, a more profitable business for the landlords. The Kildonan Valley, known as the Valley of the Gunns, was much affected by these ‘Clearances’. Finding themselves without homes and without work, many moved to other parts of the U.K. or emigrated to other countries.

Among those who came to Canada, some settled in the Montreal region and were members of the St. Gabriel Street Presbyterian Church in Lachine. One such person was Daniel Gunn who was born in Edinburgh in 1787 and emigrated to Canada with his family; he died at Lachine in 1821. His son, Daniel Charles later moved to Hamilton where he became known for producing the first Canadian-built steam locomotives. He is an ancestor of Richard (Rich) Gunn, the current president of CGSNA. Another prominent member of the St. Gabriel Street Church was William Gunn. He was born in Lanark, Scotland in 1802 and emigrated to Canada as a child. William was an elder of the Lachine Church and he worked for the Bank of Montreal, first in Montreal and afterwards in Quebec City when he was named manager of that bank. He was also an elder of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Quebec City; he died there in 1856. Other Gunn associated families (known as septs) in the Montreal region, included Wilsons, Williamsons, Johnsons, Nelsons and Thomsons.

Today there are members of the Clan in Clan Gunn Societies in the UK, North America, Nova Scotia, New Zealand and Australia, all bound by strong links of friendship and kinship. Some related websites are: www.clangunnsociety.org   www.clangunn.us  www.clangunn.com   www.clangunn-ns.com  and www.clangunn.org

The Clan Gunn Society of North America (CGSNA) was formed in 1969 (about nine years after the UK Society) and includes the USA and all provinces of Canada, except Nova Scotia, which has its own society. Membership is open to those persons of Scottish descent who bear, by birthright, descent (paternal or maternal), marriage, or legal adoption, the surname of Gunn or of one of the septs.

Septs of Clan Gunn (Associated Surnames): Allisterson, Croner, Crownar, Crowner, Cruiner, Cruner, Eanrig, Enrick, Galdie, Gallie, Gailey, Ganson, Gauldie, Gaunson, George, Georgeson, Henderson, Inrig, Jameson, Jamieson, Jamison, Johnson, Kean, Keene, MacAllister, MacChruner, MacComas, MacCorkill, MacCorkle, MacCullie, MacDade, MacDhaidh, Mackeamish, Mackean, Mackendrick, MacMains, MacManus, MacNeil, MacOmish, MacRob, MacRory, MacSheoras, MacWilliam, Magnus, Magnusson, Main, Mains, Mann, Manson, Maness, Manus, More, Neilson, Nelson, Robinson, Robeson, Robison, Robson, Rorieson, Sandison, Swan, Swann, Swanney, Swanson, Thomson, Tomson, Will, Williamson, Wills, Wilson, Wylie, Wyllie.

Information taken from various sources and posted by: Louise & Edward (Ted) Gunn, FTC, Co-Commissioners, Eastern Canada Branch, Clan Gunn Society of North America (CGSNA)

Prepared for the Program of the Montreal Scottish Festival and Highland Games held at Pierrefonds, QC on August 1st. 2010.