Clan History

The name Anderson likewise Andrew and MacAndrew were associated in a lot of cases with the patron saint of Scotland St. Andrew and this puts a lot of red herrings in the task of pinning down an exact trail of Clan Anderson.

Clan Anderson is a Clan with some Armigers ( individual Andersons entitled to bear Heraldic Arms ) as members making it an Armigerous Clan. However it does not at present have a Chief of the Clan as recognised by the Court of The Lord Lyon King of Arms. Thus making it an Armigerous Clan without a Chief.

The Clan, as a single entity in a single location does not seem to be the case. There could be any number of reasons for this and probably the main one being with the origin of the name whereby it could appear at different locations and each "son - or follower - of Andrew" having no knowledge of the others existence. Other reasons for the spread, could also be in the area the main family lived, not being fertile enough to sustain offsprings, resulting in son's setting out with their families for pastures new. Area clearances by landlords would not help either.

Historically there are other names have had strong connections but they have since gone their separate ways:

Charles Anderson of Ardbrake and Westerton. Whose family lived up by Keith in Banffshire and owned the Westerton Estates in the 1600's. A little tragic epitaph at Botriphnie church reads, "Here beneath lie the ashes of ANN GORDON and KATHARINE LESLIE, the beloved wives of John and James Anderson of Ardbrake, together with those of children of each ; the latter succumbed to fate, 9th March 1667, aged 39, and the former closed her eyes, 19th Nov 1670, when a matron of ..... years, to whose honour and lasting reputation, for they were of distinguished birth, and adorned with eminent virtues, John and James Anderson, father and son, in testimony of their deep affection, and regard for the deceased, caused this monument to be erected over them"
They were a powerful and influential family at that time and held Westerton until it was eventually sold to the neighbouring Duffs of Drummuir Estate in the late 1800's. They were known as Andersons of Noth.

Another noteworthy line was the Anderson's of Candacraig. The first Laird of Candacraig was a Patrick Anderson who built his home there in the early 1500's. Over the generations the family thrived and the house grew into a large estate. In 1834, at the height of the clearances, times were tough and some of the family left to seek their fortunes in Quebec Canada.
Meanwhile back home in Scotland in 1847 the 11th Laird Robert Anderson died and his nephew, Alexander Anderson of Huntingdon, returned to take up the title. Scotland was not to be to his liking and he sold the estate in 1866 and returned to Canada.
The main house is now the residence of Billy Connolly, Scottish comedian, and his family.

There was also a strong Jacobite following among the Andersons of Rathven and Arradoul in Banffshire. Alexander Anderson of Arradoul was one of the sixteen landowners who surrendered at Banff in 1716 following the Banffshire uprisings in 1715.
There are a lot of Andersons mentioned in the burials around this period, noted by the session clerk a Mr William Anderson who was also the local schoolmaster.
Another notable at that time was a Lady Arradoul - some sources mention as as Mrs. Anderson. In 1746 Prince Charles Edward Stuart traveled to Elgin from Inverness, falling ill with a feverish cold he stayed for 11 days at Thunderton House, before returning to await the arrival of the King's army. Mrs Anderson, a passionate Jacobite, kept the sheets that the Prince slept on and was buried in them 25 years later.

A William Anderson, married Marjorie Gilzean and joined up to a Hanoverian Regiment in Elgin in 1746. The regiment moved south and was posted abroad on duty. In 1748 an exhausted Marjorie arrived back in Elgin with child, after a journey of hundreds of miles on foot, William was killed in action. Marjorie, whose parents had died, had to live rough and rely on the pity of the locals. In 1760 the young Andrew, by now a teenager, was running an errand for a soldier about to leave for India. Andrew tagged along.
64 years later, after an astonishing career, General Andrew Anderson, died in 1824. In his will he bequeathed £70,000 to the town so that an institution could be provided for the welfare of the elderly poor people and for the education of the town's orphaned children. The Anderson Institute was built in the east end of the town in 1832 with accommodation for 50 children and 10 elderly people. It is still in existence today at andersonscarehome

William Anderson of Waverley

David Anderson of Westland

Donald Anderson of Kinneddar

Alexander Anderson of Montrave