ANDERSON

This surname literally meant the son of Andrew, but as held by families of Lowland origin, denotes, it has been suggested, a "servant of St. Andrew," the patron saint of Scotland. The name is common all over the Lowlands, as well as in Aberdeenshire. The gaelic equivalent of Anderson is "Mac Aindrea," son of Andrew, or "Gilleaindrais"- Gillanders, or St Andrew's gille, so that these Andersons are probably an off-shoot of Clan Aindreas (Ross). These MacAndrews are regarded as a sept of Clan Chattan. Kinrara (1676) after recording the association of the MacQueens, or Clan Revan, says: "and sick-like Donald MacGillandrish, of whom the Clan Andrish are named, came out of Muidart, with Mora MacDonald, lady MacKintosh" (Clan Ranald's daughter). The descendants of macGillandrish settled in Connage of Petty. In course of time the name was anglicised as macAndrew. Gillanders is another variation of the original Gaelic. The most predominate branches of Clan Anderson have been the Andersons of Dowhill, traced from 1540, the Andersons of Wester Ardbreck, in Banffshire, and the Andersons, lairds of Candacraig in Strathdon for ten generations prior to 1865. Arms were awarded in the 16th century to "Anderson of that Ilk" but this family has not been identified. No place "Anderson ever existed and what the registration implies is that one of the Lindsay Lord Lyons, in the exercise of the Crown's armorial perrogative vested in the Lyon's office, "recieved and numbered" one of the Anderson chieftains as representer of the "clan" as henceforth an "honorable community" wherefore the successive heirs of that house would be received in public ceremony as Representers of the race ,or clan of Anderson.