Lundin Clan History

Ancient Lundin charters show that the progenitor of the clan was Philip, Chamberlain in the time of King Malcolm IV, who was granted the barony of Lundin in Fife. It is from these lands that the clan takes its name (“de Lundin”). By the 15th century the barony and name had become “Lundy” which in the 17th century became “Lundie”. While by the 18th century, the chief and many landed clansmen had reverted to “Lundin” again, many more ordinary clansmen kept Lundy or Lundie; thus all those of Scots descent of surnames Lundie, Lundy or Lundin are members of this clan.

Little is known of Philip de Lundin’s ancestry. Some 18th century texts claim him to be the brother of Thomas who was granted the barony of Lundie in Angus; there is however no contemporary evidence for this. Philip was succeeded in Lundin by his son Walter, who in turn was succeeded by his son Thomas. It has been claimed that a daughter of one of these chiefs married Robert, the illegitimate son of King William the Lion (indeed a ‘new’ coat of arms was granted to the Lundin chief in 1669 on this basis), but there is again no evidence for this. It is far more likely that the lands of Lundin, and chieftainship of this clan passed from father to son from their grant to Philip in 1164 to the death of John Lundie of Lundie in 1647 (who was succeeded by his daughter’s husband).

Following the grant of Lundin to Philip, the clan acquired additional baronies and lands through marriage (Conland, Gorthy, Balgony and Benholm); numerous smaller cadet branches were also founded (such as the Lundins of Auchtermairne, Glasswell, Drums and Strathairlie). The Lundin lairds held numerous positions of power and influence including Lord High Treasurer, Sheriff of Fife, keeper of the palace at Falkirk and governor of Stirling Castle. Records show that the Lundins were also participants in many of the great Scottish wars and battles; indeed a recently discovered chronicle shows that Sir Richard de Lundy was a co-leader (with William Wallace) of the early rising of the Scots against Edward I of England.

While at one time influential, in the 17th and 18th centuries the fortunes of many of the cadets of the clan waned, and at the same time the chief of the clan (a Lundin on his mother’s side) succeeded to the Earldom of Perth, resumed his paternal surname of Drummond, and sold the barony of Lundin. By the middle of the 19th century, all of the clan lands had been sold.

Text provided by Robert Lundie Smith, author of ‘The History of the Clan Lundy, Lundie, Lundin