There are three branches to this ancient Celtic clan. The Fergusson's of Kilkerran hailed from Ayrshire and have held their land since the days of King Robert the Bruce while the Fhearghuis of Stra-chur, hereditary Maers of Glenshillich, hailed from Argyll. The third, the Fergusson's of Dunfallandry, have been chiefs of the clan in Athol for many centuries. As to whether they are related to one another, no one is quite sure.

It was noted that a Fergusson was granted charter from King Robert the Bruce after the battle of Bannockburn when the English King Edward the second was soundly beaten and put to flight on the twenty-fourth day of June 1314. It would seem apparent that the holder of the charter would have been a loyal Bruce subject and most likely that they had taken part in the most famous battle of Scotland 's History.

The very first recorded version of their name is in Kilkerran and the person was called John Fergusson and that was in the year 1464.

The Ayrshire Fergusson's adopted the protestant faith during the reformation. Sir John Fergusson of Kilkerran, fought for the royalist cause during the civil war.. His grandson was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in The year 1703.

Robert Fergusson �the plotter' was involved in the Ryehouse Plot but escaped and died in 1714. The clan has produced some quite interesting individuals. To name but a few.

James Fergusson, Major-General, fought at Blenheim under Marlborough . Adam Fergusson was a historian and moral philosopher, Robert Fergusson was a poet and Sir William Fergusson was a Fellow of the Royal Society. �Annie Laurie', the famed heroine of the song bearing her name was the wife of Fergusson of Craigdarroch.

Last who may be noted was Sir Adam Ferguson, son of the above and long a familiar friend of Sir Walter Scott, who as a Captain of the 101st Regiment read the Sixth Canto of The Lady of the Lake to his company in the lines of Torres Veciras, afterwards became keeper of the Regalia of Scotland, and was knighted in 1822. Regarding him Lockhart in his Life of Scott recounts an amusing incident in which the poet Crabbe was concerned. He quotes the Life of Crabbe, in which that poet describes how on this occasion he met "Lord Errol, and the MacLeod, and the Fraser, and the Gordon, and the Ferguson ," and conversed at dinner with Lady Glengarry. In a note regarding the allusion to Fergusson, Lockhart says: "Sir Walter's friend, the Captain of Huntly Burn, did not, as far as I remember, sport the Highland dress on this occasion, but no doubt his singing of certain Jacobite songs, etc., contributed to make Crabbe set him down for a chief of a clan. Sir Adam, however, is a Highlander."

This clan is an ancient Celtic one and the first Forbes to bear the name was John, a contemporary of King William the lion. He succeeded to the Duthus of Forbes, probably by marrying its heiress, which had been held from the days of O'Conochar bear killer. The clan was looked upon as a good family and were strong and brave.

Their clan and family lands spread from the mountainous ranges near Aberdeen to the coastal areas of Banff and Buchan. It is a huge area and took a lot of work and cooperation by the Forbes family Clan.

During the Wars of Independence, Alexander Forbes defended Urquhart Castle against Edward I, and was killed, slaughtered with its entire garrison that was in the year 1304. The Forbes family were well represented on the most famous day in Scotland 's bloody history.

On the twenty-fourth of June 1314 Edward of England approached the Bannockburn near the town of Stirling . Edward was confidant of an easy victory over the Scots who were led By King Robert the Bruce. Edward the second was soundly beaten on that day and retreated at haste over the border to his native England .

From Sir John Forbes of Forbes, a contemporary of King Robert II, is descended the Lords Pitsligo. Alexander Forbes of Forbes was created Lord Forbes by Queen Joan Beaufort; widow of King James The first and Regent of Scotland of Scotland in 1442 and the sixth Lord Forbes was greatly admired by King James the fifth. The tenth Lord fought under the banner of Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the 30 years wars

Charles the seconds life was saved by Sir Alexander Forbes of Tolquhoun at the battle of Worcester (this branch produced the Lairds of Culloden) this battle was a bad day for the royalist army as they were decimated from the start. The army didn't seem to have any sort of leadership on the day and this caused confusion among the individual commanders. There were too many acts of bravery that day to ever have a true record of the sacrifices made by the Scottish clans. It was a slaughter and many Clan members from all the families died.

Chief: Lord Forbes

Clan Seat: Castle-Forbes, and Drumminor Castle , Aberdeenshire

Plant: Broom

Memorials : None

Sir Simon was avenged for his horrific death when King Robert the Bruce defeated the huge English army at the battle of Bannockburn on the twenty-fourth day of June 1314. The English had been commanded by Edward the second, but the Scots forced him to hastily retreat back across the border to his own country.

Hugh Fraser, said to be no relation to Sir Simon, was styled �of Lovat' and he is the progenitor of the clan designed as such. His son was made Baron by King James the second. We are told that the Lovat clan are a distinctly different people to the Frasers

Chief: Lord Fraser

Clan seat: Castle Fraser, Sauchen

Plant: Yew

Memorials: Rathen Kirk