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A Sept is much like a subdivision of a Clan - but needs to be distinguished from a "cadet".

Cadet lines have been established when younger sons of Chiefs or Chieftains who remained in Grant territory, continued their allegiance to the Chief and became important landholders and bulwarks against intrusion from outside. Thus the Chieftains of Glenmoriston are cadets - stemming directly from the line of chiefs. The Grants of Sheuglie were cadets of the Grants of Corriemony - themselves cadets of the Chief.

"Septs", however do not carry the Grant name. In Stathspey the overwhelming majority of ordinary peasant clansmen took the name Grant from 1483, but substantial Grant lands were added after this date (Glenurquhart, Rothiemurchus, much of Abernethy etc.) and in those cases many of the peasants "acquired" already had their own surname. [For example Glenmoriston already had numbers of MacDonalds before it came to the Grants in 1509.] In some cases these names will have been changed to Grant, but in many other cases the existing surname was adhered to. Moreover the population was by no means as static as many people may suppose - so there was a not infrequent influx to Grant territory - even Strathspey - of people with other surnames who would, nevertheless, be required to owe their allegiance etc. to the Chief of Grant. Thus many MacGregors - whose name was proscribed and who were exiled from their lands - came to Strathspey and many of them took the name Grant (some others chose eg "MacAlpin(e)").The so-called "Trochie Grants" are believed to have been Farquharsons. On the other hand many Stewarts in Strathspey may owe their name to the time when a Stewart was lord of Kincardine etc.

In recent times attempts have been made to codify all this and some "names" have come to be claimed as especially associated with Grant. These have included: Allan, Allen, Bisset(t), Bowie, Buie, Gilroy, MacAllan, M(a)cgilroy, M(a)cIlroy, M(a)cKerran, M(a)cKiaran, M(a)cKessock, Pratt and Suttie.

Some of these associations have an explanation which is known. But such an arbitrary list is not true on two counts:
(i) it excludes many people carrying different surnames who nevertheless have been resident in Grant territory, often for hundreds of years and
(ii) by no means everyone bearing these names have any connection whatsoever with the Clan Grant.

So this list is unreliable and should not be used as a guide.

Membership of the Clan Grant Society is open, of course, to all those with an interest in the Clan and applications are particularly welcomed from those who are not Grants but do have a historical connection in the ways outlined above.

To attempt to remedy this obvious mess, Lord Strathspey issued the following announcement in 2005 (printed in Standfast, Summer 2005)

The question of "Septs" has been a vexed one for a long time. What do we think that a "sept" actually is? What is the nature of its connection to the "parent" clan?

A few years ago George Way and Romilly Squire had to face these questions head-on when they wrote and edited the "Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopaedia": they chose a minimalist course: a name would only be recognised as a "sept" of another name if there was good positive evidence for it. Tradition, romanticism and wishful thinking would not be enough. Recent researches into Grant Clan history have confirmed the wisdom of the view these experts took and the recently instituted Clan Grant DNA project (and others) is adding further grist to the mill.

On the other hand we have the natural instinct, to be "inclusive" - not to turn anyone away who wishes to associate - and this seems particularly true over the pond in the

Americas

. Their experience is further complicated by other factors: (a) there has been a confusion between Scottish and Irish traditions and practices including, in some cases, situations where real Irish associations have been believed to be Scottish; (b) in some places, the clan surname was so prevalent that people used alternatives to identify themselves and each other. Thus we may refer to "Glenmoriston" knowing full well that his surname is Grant. But others hearing us might not know this and so may assume that is his surname.

The Bottom Line
Let us be clear that there is no name apart from Grant that can be wholly, uniquely and confidently associated only with the Grants. To this extent there are no septs per se at all - so there cannot be a list, however small of "Sept names" and no-one with a name other than Grant can claim an association with the Grants by virtue of their name alone.

The Good News
(a) On the other hand it is true that there have always been a significant number of people living in Grant territory and owing their allegiance to the Chief of Grant who nevertheless did not bear the name Grant. All these people and their descendants, irrespective of the name they bear, can lay claim to this association if they can prove it.
(b) In principle there is no restriction on who can be a member of any clan. In recent times both George Way and Romilly Squire - neither particularly Scottish by ancestry - chose (as it happens) to become members of the Clan MacMillan. Of course this was only possible with the agreement of the Chief of Macmillan. It was accomplished by the signing of a Bond of Mutual Assistance.

(c) None of this has any bearing at all on membership of the Clan Grant Societies.

The Way Forward
Lord Strathspey has decided that the best interests of the Clan are served most effectively by facilitating the regularising of the position of people who thought they were "sept" members through the use of such bonds. The bond is between the individual and the chief - so it is lasts as long as they both live, unless officially abrogated for good reason. Such has been the interest shown by those to whom the idea has been floated informally that bonds will be made available also (i) for those with no historic connection, but who wish to become members of the clan and (ii) to those Grants who wish to have their membership of the clan overtly endorsed in this way.

In olden times the specifics of the Bonds could be quite onerous. On the one hand the chief provided such Social Security / Welfare as there was. On the other hand the clansman had to pay his rent, work on the Chief's land and turn out to fight at his command. These new bonds, however, will be fitted for the 21st Century.

For the would-be clansman it should be appreciated that one requirement, for example, will be a basic knowledge and understanding of Clan History and Lore. Other requirements have yet to be decided - but they will be made clear in due course. Regarding the details of the "Letters Patent" of the Bond, it is envisaged that the crest will be there, the bond will be signed by both parties and it is intended that a seal will be applied. In the case of "sept" members, it is expected that the nature of the claim of historic association will be specified (and will have had to be demonstrated, of course). Other details - of the wording, the style etc. on the letters patent of the bond - have also yet to be finalised, but to give a flavour of the way thinking is going, we append here two examples of the sort of text which is being considered.

Despite this fluid state of thinking, it is considered useful to give non-Grant clansmen and would-be clansmen now the assurance that their position will be fully regularised just as soon as possible and that there is no intention to be in any way arbitrarily exclusive

The Clan Grant Septs

The Issue of Septs- an announcement from Lord Strathspey