Clan Urquhart

Clan Urquhart
Motto	Meane weil speak weil and doe weil.
War cry	Trust and go forward
Profile
Plant badge	Wallflower.
Chief
Colonel Wilkins Urquhart of Urquhart, 28th Chief of Clan Urquhart.
28th Clan Chief of Clan Urquhart.
Seat	Castle Craig
Historic seat	Castle Craig
Septs of Clan Urquhart Urquhart, Cromarty

Urquhart ( listen ) is a Highland Scottish clan.

Urquhart is a name that is derived from the place name, Airchart. Airchart is first recorded in the early life of Saint Columba, the great Celtic saint. In modern times there are two parishes in Scotland named Urquhart, one in Elgin and one on the Black Isle. The meaning of the word Urquhart itself has been given various Scottish Gaelic translations including woodside, by a rowan wood, or fort on a knoll. There is also Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. One legend associated with Urquhart Castle involves Conachar of the royal house of Ulster, who is said to have come to Scotland to fight for Malcolm III of Scotland. Conachar was rewarded with the castle. The legend is also that Conachar was on the point of being mauled to death by a wild boar when his dog attacked the beast and although the dog died it saved his master. This is one explanation for the boar's head and hounds on the Urquhart chief's coat of arms.

William de Urchard is said to have defended the Moote of Cromarty in the time of William Wallace against supporters of the English Crown. From the reign of David II of Scotland the Urquhart chiefs were hereditary sheriffs of Cromarty.