C is for Cameron.

On day three of the challenge, C is for Cameron. 

As in Clan Cameron: of Lochaber in the West Highlands of Scotland, descended from Donald Dubh and enemy of the MacIntosh clan. As in the name that provides us, Cam's Fam, with a sense of history and lineage and connects us to each other and thousands of others around the world.

The name evolved from the Scottish Gaelic words cam-shròn or 'crooked nose'. No doubt such a prominent feature of one of our forebears that the nickname was used by others to identify him and then adopted by him, and in turn his family, as his importance grew. Over time his influence in the lands where he lived meant that he commanded loyalty from those nearby or they offered allegiance in return for protection. We don't really know when or who this first Camshron was. However, by marriage, by allegiance, by birth and even battle the name spread and the clan with it so that by the early 1400s it  was well enough established to a. be considered a clan and b. have their first real Chief - a man by the name of Donald Dubh (or Donald the Black)[1].

The history is a little complicated and my research a little hazy but suffice it to say, the clan's history reads like a novel with battles, allegiances, political intrigue and even a blood feud! And like every respectable Scottish clan, the Camerons have a castle, a tartan and a crest (see the blog banner for the latter two)! I will continue to recount the Clan's tale in future posts but it's been a long week (yes, I know it's only Tuesday) so I will sign off and wish you all,

"Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil"

[1] It seems that naming sons for fathers and/or grandfathers is a Cameron trait not limited to our branch! All of the last six Chiefs are Donalds! 


p.s. The gobbledegook Gaelic phrase above is the Cameron war cry and translates to "Sons of the hounds, come here and get flesh"