Camerons of Perthshire

[richardcameron]

I have traced my Cameron forebears back to North East Perthshire on the Atholl estates at 1700.I also have linkages taking them back to 1600 at the same locations.Along the way many of them migrated to North America possibly in the 18th century but certainly in the 19th century.
What I have not been able to show is why these people took Cameron as an alias around 1600 in this area and whether they were descended from Lochaber Camerons to the West or from their lowland counterparts to the South and East.
I have a large database of information on the subject and will be willing to share info with anyone who has an insight on these topics.
I would also appreciate advice as to whether taking the DNA test will help in resolving these issues.

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Hi Richard,
Welcome to the message board and happy new year!
Where specifically in Perthshire were your Camerons? Abernethy parish, in South East Perthshire has been home to a large number of Camerons. From our Clan website reference guide:
"ABERNETHY PARISH:
A former civil and ecclesiastically unified parish (Abernethy and Kincardine – abolished in 1975) in Clan Grant territory. Located south of the Firth of Tay’s head, a considerable distance southeast of Lochaber. Home to a sizable population of Camerons, legended to have been descended from 12 young Camerons who escorted a lady of the House of Lochiel to marry a Stewart of Kincardine in the mid-1500s. It has been suggested that one of these men might have been Donald Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe Cameron, and the men were his followers. Similar to the history of the Camerons of Hilton."
In his "History of Clan Cameron", author John Stewart tells a similar tale, although the location is a bit different - it still may provide a plausible explanation for Camerons in Perthshire.
"In and around the burial ground at the Church of Kincardine in Strathspey, there grew some plants of the Dwarf elder, a plant otherwise unknown in that district. The Strathspey tradition is that a daughter of Lochiel married a Stewart Laird of Kincardine at the end of the 15th century. Lochiel sent with her a bodyguard of twelve of his clansmen to protect her on her journey and these men settled in that country, being known as the 'Blue Bonnetless Lads' because they did not wear the head-dress common in that country, but a flat steel cap.
When Lochiel's daugher died, she requested that she should be buried in the soil of her own country, and Kincardine sent to Lochaber and had soil brought from there so that she was buried in a grave filled with Lochaber soil. Some seeds of the Dwarf Elder were in the soil, and plants established themselves in this one spot. They were known locally as 'The Baron Lady's Flower'....
... The Camerons who settled there flourished and became a numerous tribe...The tribe was known as "Sliochd nan Gillean Maola Dubh' (The race of the Bald Dark Lads).
It is supposition, but entirely possible that your Camerons descend from these men.

A DNA test may be helpful. It would indicate whether you are probably connected to the Camerons who know they descend from the Camerons of Lochaber. A positive match would indicate that you are - but a negative result wouldn't necessarily mean that you aren't (does that make sense?). My forebears came from Lochaber - and my DNA is in the database. But my DNA doesn't necessarily match all of the Camerons who came from Lochaber. In any case, it may provide you with some clues.

All the best in your searching, and if you find anything conclusive, please let us know.

Slainte,

John

[richardcameron]

Thank you for the reply.
I would think the web site needs to be corrected.
The Camerons around Kincardine and Abernethy are in Strathspey to the North of Perthshire not in the small town of Abernethy to the South East of Perth.
An alternative reason for Cameron being a common name in Strathspey and Aberdeenshire is that the original Camerons of Balledgarno owned much of Strathdon.