Surname: Bourdon

Branch: Lamont
Origins: Scottish
More Info: Scotland
Background: A name
of great antiquity in south
Argyll, where at one
time the chiefs were
described as 'Mac
Laomain Mor Chomhail
Uile' - 'The Great
MacMacLamon of All
Cowal'. Although some
believe the name to be
Norman or French, the
family almost certainly
originated in Ulster.
Logmaor, meaning, in old
Norse, 'Lawman' or
'Law Giver', became in
Gaelic 'Ladhman', and it
is from a son of the great
O'Neill princes of Tyrone that the chiefs are said to descend. The Lamonts were also one time
called Macerchar, from Fearchar, the grandfather of the first Ladhman.

Motto: Ne oarcas nec sperna, Neither spare no dispose.

Arms: Azure, a lion rampant Argent, armed and langued Gules.
Crest: A dexter hand couped at the wrist Proper.
Supporters: The Arms in the hoist and of two tracts Azure and Argent, upon which is
depicted the Crest in the first compartment and the Badge in the second compartment, along
with the slogan 'Ardlamont' in letters Argent upon a transverse band Gules.
Badge: The Chief's crest, encircled by a band containing the motto, with the three eagle
feathers of a clan chief.
Plant: A sprig of crab-apple slipped Proper.
View the Heraldry Dictionary for help.

round 500 AD, a migration to southwest Scotland from the Irish kingdom of Dal

Riata in northern Ireland took place. Our oral traditions and written history state that this
invasion was led by the three sons of Erc, the King of the Irish Dal Riata. This action was the
start of the Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. During this time it is said that the Stone of Destiny
was taken to Scotland by the Gaels that migrated to Argyll, and it became the Coronation
Stone of the early Dalriadan kings at Dunstaffnage. Then, in the ninth century, the stone is
believed to have been transported to Scone, the capital of the Southern Picts. It is here that the
Picts and the Scots became unified in 844 under the direction of Kenneth MacAlpine.
Among the clans that dwelled within this Dalriadan kingdom (including the Outer and Inner
Hebrides, and the region of Argyll) were : The Lamonts, The MacNeils, The MacEwens, The
Gilchrists and MacLachlans.
According to Skene in the Table of the Descent of the Highland Clans, he separates what is
known as the Gallgael to give five major clans, from which nine smaller clans are said to have
sprung forth. One of these, the Siol Alpin, for instance, is considered the Royal line from
which Kenneth MacAlpine came from. Considered the second of these great clans is the Siol
Gillevray and within the sphere of influence of this group is clan MacNeil, MacLachlan
(including Clan Gilchrist), MacEwen, and Lamont.
The Lamonts, like the MacNeils, MacEwens, MacSweens, and the Gilchrists, are said to
descend from the royal line of the O'Neill High Kings of Ireland (who mainly resided in great
numbers in Tir Eoghain [Tyrone], northern Ireland). The Lamonts are believed to descend
directly from Anrothan O'Neill, who gave up his rulership in Ireland and moved to Argyll.
From Anrothan's line came a man named Aodha Alainn O'Neil who had three sons:
Gillachrist, Neill, and Dunslebhe. Gillachrist had a son, Lachlan, who is the ancestors of the
MacLachlans; Neill, who is the ancestor of the MacNeills; Dunslebhe had two sons, Fearchar,
who is the progenitor of the Lamonts, and Ewen, the ancestor of the MacEwens.
From Fearchar came a son named Laumon and it is from him that the Clan Lamont received
it's name. Some sources say that these same Lamonts were known at one time as MacErchar
from Fearchar (as in the original Dal Riata MacErc). It is clear that this clan has very old roots
in the Kingdom of Dalriada, evidenced not only by the previous name MacErchar and the tie
with the original kingdoms of northern Ireland, but also from centuries old conflicts with the
Clan Diarmaid, or Campbell

In 1235,Sir Laumon, signed a charter granting lands to the Paisley Abbyll This charter isstill
in existence. Few clans can document their existence at such an early date. Sir Walter Scott
refers to Sir Laumon in Antiquary as "Lamon mor ", or the Great Lamont in English. Sir
Laumon's mother is believed to have been a daughter of the great Somerled, ancestor of the
MacDonalds. Tradition, supported by a genealogical work of 1682 found in Inveraray Castle,
maintains that a son of Sir Laumaon, had to flee Cowal as a result of a murder; and founded
the Lyons of Glamis. He took the name of Lyon from the Lamont arms, and chose as his arms,
the reverse of the Lamonts, a blue lion on a silver field.
As the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, is a Lyon of Glamis, if this tradition is correct, the
Queen Elizabeth II is a Lamont on her mothers side !
In the early 1300s, came a great down turn in the Clan's fortunes. Laumon's grandson, Sir
John, supported the MacDougalls of Lorne against Robert the Bruce. The Lamonts of
Ardlamont, however, who held their land as vassals of the High Steward in Bute, may have
fought in Bruce's bodyguard at Bannockburn. When Bruce was secure on the Scottish throne
the Lamont Chief suffered with the House of Lorne and the Clan's land was claimed by the
king's loyal supporter, Campbell, Black Knight of Lochawe. By the end of the 14th century a
great deal of the original territory of the clan had been lost ; and thus began a feud between
the Lamonts and the Campbells which continued on and off for centuries in spite of
considerable intermarriage .
In the 17th century wars of Montrose, Sir John, 14th chief. who had been knighted by King
Charles. after much shilly-shallying, joined Argyll's Covenanting army and in the inglorious
rout of that force at Inverlochy he and his brother were taken prisoner. He then threw in his lot
with Montrose the Royalist general. Archibald, the chiefs brother, with Colkitto's fighting
Irish, crossed Loch Long in boats provided by the Lamonts and landed at the Point of Strone.
After defeating a Campbell force in the heights above the point the Royalist army mustered at
Toward and then harried far and wide in the Campbell lands. The Lamonts had their share in
this killing and plundering particularly in North Cowal, and they attacked the old tower of
Kilmun and the bishop's house in Dunoon. Dunoon is a place of grim memory for the
Lamonts. There the Campbells carried out one of the massacres which stain their clan's
history.. In 1646 the Campbells made a concentrated attack on the Lamont castles of Toward
and Ascog, and, when the garrisons surrendered under written guarantee of liberty, the
Campbells ignored the terms of capitulation. The survivors of the defenders were carried in
boats to Dunoon and in the church were sentenced to death. About 100 were shot or stabbed
to death and another 36 of 'the special gentlemen' of the Lamonts were hanged from a tree in
the churchyard and dead and dying were buried in pits. The Chief and his close kin were
hustled away to Inveraray, where some were hanged The Chief and his brothers being kept
prisoner for five years. It was 16 years before the ringleaders of the massacre were brought to
justice, and Sir Colin Campbell was beheaded.. The Clan Lamont Society in 1909 raised a
monument on the spot where so many met their deaths.More on the Lamont Memorial
After 1646, the much reduced Clan Lamont had a fairly peaceful history, finally having the

good sense or luck to not get involved with any more losing causes. We stayed out of both the
1715 and 1745 Jacobite uprisings. This may have been due to the fact that they were now
pretty well surrounded by Campbells, who always sided with the English government (To
their great profit).
With the destruction of the Clan system in 1745, the structure of Highland society was
changed for all time. When the power of the Chiefs was eliminated, so was their need for
dedicated clansmen to protect and expand the clan lands. The result of this, in time, was the
infamous Highland clearances; where chiefs cleared the land of crofters, and substituted the
more profitable sheep. As was the case with the Lamonts, some chiefs tended to sell off the
clan lands instead of shifting to sheep. Sadly, as a result of this policy, there are now none of
the ancestral lands in Lamont hands. Starting very early, even before 1600, Lamonts have
tended to disperse, and are now one of the most widespread of clans.
On a more positive note, over the years, the Lamonts have tended to devote the energy once
expended in battling Campbells, to achievements in science, government, the military, and the
arts. Colin Lamont (1754-1851) a famous Astronomer, Major General John Lamont, (17731829) 19th Chief, Thomas W. Lamont Wall Street financier, John Swainson (1926-1994)
Governor of Michigan 1960's, and Norman Lamont British Chancellor of the Exchequer in
the early 1990's are just a few examples.
Name Variations: Black, Blackie, Blaik, Blaikie, Blake, Bourdon, Broun, Brown, Burden,
Burdon, Clement, Douglas, Forsyth, Lamb, Lambie, Lammie, Lammond, Lamond,
Lamondson, Lamont, Landers, Lemmon, Lemond, Limond, Limont, Lucas, Luck, Luckie,
Luke, Lyon, MacAldowie, MacAlduie, MacClement, MacClymont, MacEaracher, MacErchar,
MacErracher, MacFarquhar, MacGilledow, MacGillegowrie, MacGorrie, MacIldowie,
MacIlwhom, MacIlzegowie, MacKerchar, MacKerracher, MacLamond, MacLemon,
MacLucas, MacLuckie, MacLuke, MacLymont, MacMunn, MacPatrick, MacPhorich,
MacPhun, MacSorley, Meikleham, Meiklem, Munn, Paterson, Patrick, Sorley, Toward,
Towart, Turner, White, Whyte.
References:
One or more of the following publications has been referenced for this article.
The General Armory; Sir Bernard Burke - 1842.
A Handbook of Mottoes; C.N. Elvin - 1860.
Scottish Clans and Tartans; Neil Grant - 2000.
Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia; George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire - 1994.
Scottish Clans and Tartans; Ian Grimble - 1973.
World Tartans; Iain Zaczek - 2001.
Clans and Families of Scotland; Alexander Fulton - 1991.

Modern

Ancient

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The Burdens of Feddal and Others of the

Clan
By George Burden | Wed, May 28, 2014 at 7:00 am | 4 Comments

The Burden family, though originally from Durham, England, has

a long and interesting presence in Scotland going back to the middle of the 13th century and it is
a known and respected sept (or subgroup) of the highland Clan Lamont. We see documents going
back to this time when William de Bourdon witnessed a charter of Scottish King Alexander III,
Sir Walter Burdone, no doubt reluctantly, swore fealty to Edward I in 1291 by the banks of the
River Tweed, and Rogier de Burghdone of Blackadder (yes, an actual barony) also agreed to pay
homage to the English king. John Burdoune is recorded as being the reader at Balquhidder (i.e.
Blackadder) in 1567.
Depending on which sources you believe, the familys connection with the Clan Lamont goes
back to a younger son of King Robert III of Scotland in the late 1300s, though other accounts
describe how a Lamont, fleeing the persecution of his clan, sought refuge with and assumed the
name of Burden at their castle in Feddal.
According to The Red Book of Perthshire, the Burdens of Auchingarrich and Feddall
claimed descent from the family of Lamont of Inneryne, in Argyllshire. James Burden, 4th of
Auchengarrich submitted an account of his family to the Lord Lyon which was attested and
verified by the then Chief of the Lamonts.
In the 16th century the Burdens owned estates in Auchingarrich but by 1659 had extensive lands
including a mill in Feddal, near Braco, Perthshire. Here the Burdens would remain until the late
1800s. Contemporary accounts indicate that comprising almost 1000 acres and with almost 1000
pounds annual revenue, Feddal was one of the most productive estates in Perthshire.
When James Burden died in 1710, his son, the younger James took possession of Feddal. A
colourful character, he was known to be a crack swordsman and once challenged the famous
Scottish outlaw, Rob Roy.
James Burden was no doubt a Jacobite, sympathetic to the Stuart claim to the throne of England
and Scotland. We do know that his son-in-law, Archibald Menzies, who was married to his

daughter Margaret, went off to join Bonnie Prince Charlie as the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The
following obituary in the 1833 edition of The Gentlemans Magazine explains his fate:
Scotland-August 18. (die) At Muthill, aged 90, Miss Mary Campbell, sister to the late Mrs.
Graham Burden of Feddal. She was led, while a child, to see the retreating forces of Charles
Edward (i.e. Bonnie Prince Charlie) pass from Falkirk to Culloden. Her uncle, the Laird of
Feddal and Shawn, in whose house she was brought up followed the fortunes of the Prince to
battle, was never more heard of, alive or dead.

Other branches of the Burden family achieved the status of nobility in Sweden
for service to King Charles X and in France as well. The word bourdon means pilgrim in
French and for all branches of the family the coat of arms is the Bourdon Or depicted as one of
more golden pilgrim staves. For example this same motif is found in the arms of the Bourdon de
Plessix family in Brittany, France.
Interestingly, Scottish court records of the 1800s show that members of the Burden family were
involved in an acrimonious legal dispute.
Perhaps as a result of this in 1878 George S. M. Burden, the last recorded Laird of Feddal, sold
his estates for the then very handsome sum of 32,500 pounds and emigrated to the colonies. He
is reported as having died in 1902 in an Adelaide, Australia newspaper, the last Lord of Feddal.

However, George Marshall in The Genealogist reports that the

Burden family seems to have had a tendency to scatter, for in the West Indies were a
governor of the Bermuda Islands 1622 and Colonel John Bourden, a member of Assembly of
Jamaica 1675. Henry Burden left Perthshire, Scotland in the early 1800s and emigrated to
Canada, then the United States. He subsequently becoming a wealthy steel magnate and was the
first to invent a machine to mass produce horseshoes. Two of his grandsons married into the
Vanderbilt family.

My great uncle, Captain Eugene Gene Burden was an Antarctic explorer who surveyed some
of the last unexplored coastline in the world in the 1940. The Burden Passage at the tip of the
Antarctic Peninsula was named for him.

The Cecil Jr.

My grandfather, Captain George Burden, sailed three masted tern schooners all over the world in
the early 1900s. His adventures and misadventures included being rammed by a steamship in the
Mediterranean, sinking in the mid-Atlantic and running aground at Cape St. Mary,
Newfoundland. The remnants of the schooner, Robert J. Dale can still be seen there to this day.
Once while in Spain, Captain Burden treated himself to front row seats at a bull fight. Apparently
the bull jumped over the barricade and ended up almost on top of him causing him to scramble
up and into the private box of King Alfonso XIII. Captain Burden received only the 9th
certificate for a Master of a Coastwise Vessel issued in Newfoundland. It was received in 1929
after he ceased going to sea.

The Robert J. Dale

The Burden Museum and Gardens in Baton Rouge, Lousiana was once the Windrush Plantation
belonging to the Burden family from the mid-1800s until donated to Lousiana State University
by the family.

Burden House, Burden Gardens: Louisiana State University

Despite Vanderbilt descendant Wendy Burdens book, Dead End Gene Pool, the Burden family
still appears to be alive and kicking.
Who knows where well turn up next?

REFERENCES

1.

The Genealogist: Volume III pp.145-150 by George W. Marshall, LL.D., Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries London, George Bell
and Sons, Covent Garden, 1879

2.

The Gentlemans Magazine, Volume 103, Part 2; Volume 154, 1833

3.

The Red Book of Perthshire, 2014 by Gordon MacGregor

4.

Dunblane Traditions : Being a Series of Warlike and Legendary Narratives, Biographical Sketches of Eccentric Characters, &c. (1887)
by John Monteath E. Johnstone, Bookseller MDCCCXXXV