Logan Surname Origin

Logan Surname Origin

Origins

Logan is a famous Scottish surname and confusingly has origins in both Scotland and Ireland; and in both countries may have Norman roots. The ‘de Logan’ family existed in Normandy even before the 1066 invasion by William the Conqueror. These ‘de Logan’s’ accompanied Richard de Clare, nicknamed Strongbow, the Anglo-Norman lord and 2nd Earl of Pembroke, on his 1170 invasion of Ireland. Could these ‘de Logan’s’ be the ancestors of the Logan’s that would spread across Ireland and Scotland? In Ireland the name is generally considered to derive from the Gaelic O’Leoghain which translates to “the descendant of the Warrior”. Variations of the Logan name appear as Loggan, Lobhan, Loban, Lagan, Laggan, MacLennan, Loganach and many others.

A Logan Clansman wearing the traditional Clan Tartan, by R.R. McIan

A Logan Clansman dressed in the traditional clan tartan

by R.R. McIan

In Scotland there are two distinct Logan branches; one of the Highlands and one of the Lowlands. There is no historical record to link the two. The Highland Logan’s claim descent from the Logan’s of Drumderfit in Easter Ross; whom are often closely linked with the MacLennan’s. In Gaelic, “Lagan” means “dwellers in a little hillside hollow”, and is often shortened to mean “little hollow”. As a surname, Logan is a territorial name describing the area of the inhabitants, and therefore the name can arise in several places independent of each other. Although this may be the case, Black’s “Surnames of Scotland” gives the origins of the Clan Logan from an area known as “The Lands of Logan” in Ayrshire; it is from here that the Lowland Logan’s claim descent.

Historical References

The earliest record of the surname is of Robert Logan who is recorded as witnessing the resignation of the lands of Ingilbristoun in 1204. The name is variously recorded throughout the 13th century. Several Logan’s are recorded as paying homage to Edward I of England within the Ragman Roles of 1296. These are Phelippe de Logyn (burgess from Montrose), Thurbrandus de Logyn (from Dumfriesshire), Andreu de Logan (from Wigtonshire), and Wautier Logan (from Lanarkshire).

Walter Logan, lord of Hartside was a sheriff of Lanark in 1301. In 1298 he had received a grant of the lands of “Lus” from Robert Bruce. This Walter Logan appears twice on a roll of landowners forfeited in 1306 by Edward I, for supporting Robert the Bruce.

In 1306 Dominus Walter Logan was taken prisoner by the English forces and hanged at Durham, in the presence of Edward of Carnarvon (the future Edward II of England).

In 1330 two Logan’s of note were killed in Spain while accompanying Sir James Douglas in his quest to take the heart of the dead King Robert I of Scotland to the Holy Land. Douglas and his company had been received by Alfonso XI of Castile, who was campaigning against the Moors, in the Kingdom of Granada. Near the Castillo de la Estrella, Alfonso's army fought the Saracens at the Battle of Teba. During the battle Douglas observed a knight of his company surrounded by Moorish warriors, and with his remaining men attempted to relieve his countryman. As the knights were hard pressed and outnumbered by the Moors, Sir James Douglas took the silver casket containing the heart of Robert Bruce, and threw it before him among the enemy, saying, "Now pass thou onward before us, as thou wert wont, and I will follow thee or die." Sir James Douglas and most of his men were slain, among them Sir Robert Logan and Sir Walter Logan.

A 15th Century depiction of the battle of Teba where brothers Robert and Walter Logan perished

The leading Logan family's principal seat was in Restalrig, near Edinburgh. Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig married Katherine Stewart, daughter of King Robert II of Scotland, who was the son of King Robert the 1 (the Bruce) and later in 1400 Sir Robert was appointed Admiral of Scotland.

Sir Robert Logan was one of the hostages given in 1424 to free James I of Scotland from being held in England. Robert's son or grandson, John Logan of Restalrig, was made principal sheriff of Edinburgh by James II of Scotland.

In 1555 Logan of Restalrig sold the superiority of Leith (the principal seaport of Edinburgh) to the queen regent Mary of Lorraine (Marie de Guise).

The last Logan to possess the barony was Robert Logan of Restalrig, who was described by contemporaries as "one godless, drunkin, and deboshit man". Sir Walter Scott described him as "one of the darkest characters of that dark age".

The last Logan of Logan, in Ayrshire, was celebrated for both his wit and eccentricity. Logan was known for his The Laird of Logan, published after his death, which was a compilation of amusing anecdotes and puns. He had one daughter, who married a Mr Campbell.

Our Ancestors

Around the mid 1700’s another Robert Logan was born. Little is known about this Robert Logan apart from the fact that he is our ancestor. We know that he was married to Margaret McRae and they had two sons (recorded). Benjamin, who was born in 1784 in St. Johns Town of Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire, and John, who was born in the same place in in 1789. We descend from this John Logan who married Mary McNaught in about 1815. The couple lived in Black Laggan, in the parish of Minnigaff, Kirkcudbrightshire where they raised more than 10 children; whose descendants have now spread abroad and are scattered across the world.