Moot roots
My family history goes a long way back. One ancestor of mine founded the Belfast Newsletter-which may be the oldest continuously published English language newspaper in the world- in 1737. His grandson led Wolfe Tone's Rebellion in Ulster, and went heroically to the gallows in 1798. Like Tone himself, Henry Joy McCracken was a Protestant.
But Joys and McCrackens aside, I really don't know where the last name "Waters-" common not only in Ireland itself, but in both Scotland and England- comes onto the scene. I do know that my grandfather, John Waters, emigrated from our family seat in Belfast, Northern Ireland; his wife, the former Sarah Fisher, was born in Dublin but lived thereafter in Downpatrick. Since Grandfather Waters came to the States to study for the Presbyterian ministry, there seems little doubt that the family originated in Scotland. Of course, many of the lowland Scots in the southwestern part of the country originated in Counties Antrim and Down, and the Antrim coast is separated from the Scottish isles by only fourteen miles; people have emigrated back and forth across the North Channel of the Irish Sea for millenia. We're almost certain to have ancient roots on both sides of the Channel.
Most of the Ulster Scots came from the Lowlands, and therefore were not necessarily associated with a clan or prominent family. But "Waters" is a sept (an allied family) of clans Forbes and Buchanan. The lands of the Forbes clan are in Aberdeenshire- in the Lowlands, but on the opposite side of Scotland from the North Channel and rather far to the north. The Buchanans are from much closer: the Loch Lomond area, only barely in the Highlands, and much closer to the North Channel. To complicate matters, the Buchanans (like many of the Clans) seem to have actually originated in Ireland!
Various listings also associate the Waters name with clans Buchan, Watson and- as I recently discovered- Ross and Sinclair. I was recently surprised to find out that there is allegedly a Waters clan in its own right. Its tartan and clan badge are below:
The motto- Non Inferiora Secutus, or "Following not the inferior-" seems suspicious, though, being also the motto of the Buchan clan- one of those of which Waters is a sept. The Buchan tartan and clan badge:
also look suspiciously familiar.
Clan Buchanan is an entirely different outfit:
The motto means "Brighter the honor hence." Geography would seem to favor the Buchanans as the clan affiliation of our branch of the Waters ilk, if we have one. Sadly, the Buchanan Clan Society itself only accepts members with the last names Buchanan (obviously), McAuslan, McWattie (probably a variation of "Waters" or "Walters," but apparently not close enough) and Risk.
I used to play Risk a lot in college, but I don't think that would get me in, either.
Clan Ross is from 'WAY up north. As I mentioned earlier, the best bet for affiliation among the Lowland clans (or families, or whatever; officially only Highlands families are "clans," though convention uses the term for Lowlanders as well) of which Waters is a sept seems to be Clan Forbes:
Being a Lutheran, I must confess that I rather like the Forbes clan motto ;)
I've found the listservs for Clan Forbes much more welcoming than those for the Buchanans. Certainly that's true of the Forbes Clan Society. One of its members actually suggested that, since in ancient times strangers were recruited into or affiliated with clans voluntarily, I simply throw ambiguity to the winds and join up! I kind of like the Forbeses. And since I would have no trouble qualifying for membership, I'm tempted to take Geordie Waters up on his invitation.
Meanwhile, I'm under the impression that while English arms belong properly only to one specific bloodline, and Scottish arms properly apply to only one specific person, any individual from any family with the proper surname is entitled to use an Irish or Scottish family coat of arms. I've always sort of regarded the Irish version
as my own family crest. Now, though, I find that there is also a Scottish Waters family crest. Which Waters this is, of course, I have no idea.
What have I learned from all of this? Get yourself a geneologist. Or else, find a nice, friendly clan that's willing to take members from all of its septs.
But Joys and McCrackens aside, I really don't know where the last name "Waters-" common not only in Ireland itself, but in both Scotland and England- comes onto the scene. I do know that my grandfather, John Waters, emigrated from our family seat in Belfast, Northern Ireland; his wife, the former Sarah Fisher, was born in Dublin but lived thereafter in Downpatrick. Since Grandfather Waters came to the States to study for the Presbyterian ministry, there seems little doubt that the family originated in Scotland. Of course, many of the lowland Scots in the southwestern part of the country originated in Counties Antrim and Down, and the Antrim coast is separated from the Scottish isles by only fourteen miles; people have emigrated back and forth across the North Channel of the Irish Sea for millenia. We're almost certain to have ancient roots on both sides of the Channel.
Most of the Ulster Scots came from the Lowlands, and therefore were not necessarily associated with a clan or prominent family. But "Waters" is a sept (an allied family) of clans Forbes and Buchanan. The lands of the Forbes clan are in Aberdeenshire- in the Lowlands, but on the opposite side of Scotland from the North Channel and rather far to the north. The Buchanans are from much closer: the Loch Lomond area, only barely in the Highlands, and much closer to the North Channel. To complicate matters, the Buchanans (like many of the Clans) seem to have actually originated in Ireland!
Various listings also associate the Waters name with clans Buchan, Watson and- as I recently discovered- Ross and Sinclair. I was recently surprised to find out that there is allegedly a Waters clan in its own right. Its tartan and clan badge are below:
The motto- Non Inferiora Secutus, or "Following not the inferior-" seems suspicious, though, being also the motto of the Buchan clan- one of those of which Waters is a sept. The Buchan tartan and clan badge:
also look suspiciously familiar.
Clan Buchanan is an entirely different outfit:
The motto means "Brighter the honor hence." Geography would seem to favor the Buchanans as the clan affiliation of our branch of the Waters ilk, if we have one. Sadly, the Buchanan Clan Society itself only accepts members with the last names Buchanan (obviously), McAuslan, McWattie (probably a variation of "Waters" or "Walters," but apparently not close enough) and Risk.
I used to play Risk a lot in college, but I don't think that would get me in, either.
Clan Ross is from 'WAY up north. As I mentioned earlier, the best bet for affiliation among the Lowland clans (or families, or whatever; officially only Highlands families are "clans," though convention uses the term for Lowlanders as well) of which Waters is a sept seems to be Clan Forbes:
Being a Lutheran, I must confess that I rather like the Forbes clan motto ;)
I've found the listservs for Clan Forbes much more welcoming than those for the Buchanans. Certainly that's true of the Forbes Clan Society. One of its members actually suggested that, since in ancient times strangers were recruited into or affiliated with clans voluntarily, I simply throw ambiguity to the winds and join up! I kind of like the Forbeses. And since I would have no trouble qualifying for membership, I'm tempted to take Geordie Waters up on his invitation.
Meanwhile, I'm under the impression that while English arms belong properly only to one specific bloodline, and Scottish arms properly apply to only one specific person, any individual from any family with the proper surname is entitled to use an Irish or Scottish family coat of arms. I've always sort of regarded the Irish version
What have I learned from all of this? Get yourself a geneologist. Or else, find a nice, friendly clan that's willing to take members from all of its septs.
Comments