Clan MacLaren Society of Australia

The Clan MacLaren Society of Australia is part of a worldwide network celebrating the history and people associated with the Clan MacLaren, an ancient Scottish clan that can trace its history back to the 1200s.

Donald MacLaren of MacLaren and Achlskine is the Chief of the MacLaren Clan worldwide. The MacLaren is also the current Convener of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. 

The Clan MacLaren Society of Australia is affiliated with the 

Clan MacLaren Society based in Scotland (www.clanmaclarensociety.com) and the 

Clan MacLaren Society of North America (http://www.clanmaclarenna.org/) and 

The Friends of Clan MacLaren in Germany (http://www.clanmaclaren.org/). 

We welcome new members, particularly those with a connection to the name.              

Membership eligibility guidelines:

A) Persons bearing or connected with the name MacLaren or MacLaurin in any of its spellings by birth, marriage or descent 

B) Persons bearing or connected with the name of any sept of the Clan in any of its spellings by birth, marriage or descent 

C) Others who may be admitted at the discretion of the the Society.

Variations of Clan MacLaren/MacLaurin names and Septs include: 

FAED                         LAIR                    

LARNAC                   LAURENCE        

LAURENSEN           LAURIE               

LAW                          LAWRENCE   

LAWSON                 LOW        

LOWRIE                   LOWSON        

MACCLARENCE   MACCRORIE

MACFADE               MACFAIT                    

MACFATER             MACFEAT          

MACFEAD               MACGRORIE            

MACLERAN             MACPATRICK                                                                                 

MACPHAIT             MACPHATER 

MACPETRIE            MACRORIE

PAT(T)ERSON         PATRICK         

PETERKIN               PETERS    

RORIE                      RORISON

Newsletter – CLAN LABHRAN 

Members receive a regular newsletter with information on Clan activities and interesting articles on Clan and Scottish history. 

Clan Activities - Members of the Clan MacLaren Society of Australia meet at the Annual General Meeting held in June of each year at various locations. 

Members represent the Clan at various Scottish events across the country. There are a number of Highland Gatherings across the country and some members are active at these events. Scottish Heritage Week in Sydney (organised by the Scottish Australian Heritage Council generally during the first week in July).

Membership Application forms are available for download below or are available through general enquiries directed to the Secretary via the contact 

MacLaren History on the web 

http://www.clanmaclarensociety.com/history.html   

http://www.clanmaclarenna.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_MacLaren 

Suggested Reading 

• The MacLarens, A History of Clan Labhran. Margaret MacLaren of MacLaren (reprinted 4th ed 2014).  
• Creag an Tuirc, A social history of the members of the Clan Labhran (MacLarens and MacLaurins). Neil McLaurin. (3rd ed 2014) 
• The Braes O Balquhidder, An Historical Guide to the District. Elizabeth Beauchamp. (4th Edition 1993) 
• The Scots in Australia, Malcolm Prentis. (2008)

Maclaren Immigration History to Australia.  

In the extensive emigration from the old world in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the majority of emigrants chose North America in preference to Australia and New Zealand.  The westward voyage under sail across the Atlantic could take one month, but at least three times longer if travelling to Australia or New Zealand.    

McLarens were well represented in the early arrivals of free settlers with their families in all Australian states.  In 1834, John Barclay McLaren arrived in Tasmania; in 1837, Daniel McLaren arrived in Sydney and the following year James McLaurin arrived in Sydney and then settled in the Riverina.  In Victoria, one of the first was John McLaren who arrived at Portland in 1854 and settled in the Western district, and in thesame year Peter McLaren arrived in Melbourne and initially settled there.          

In South Australia, the name McLaren stands out in early history.  Unlike other states, South Australia was not established as a government penal colony, but by private enterprise in the form of The South Australian Company.  In 1837, one year after settlement started, David McLaren took over the position of manager and started to build it into a successful company.  As the company prospered, so did the young colony.  McLaren Vale, well known for its quality wines, was named after John McLaren from the South Australian Survey Office, who surveyed the area. (Bruce D McLaren)

MACLAREN REGISTER 

Ian F McLaren's “MacLaren Register”, a card index of more than 3,000 cards, covering genealogical and biographical details of Australian MacLarens.  It was compiled by Ian over 35 years and is held in the Baillie Library at the University of Melbourne.  (It forms part of the McLaren Collection, in the Special Collections Section on the third floor.)  Ian’s main sources of information were the births, marriage and deaths in newspapers.  There are no plans to publish the McLaren Register at present. 

CLAN MARKERS IN AUSTRALIA    

Australian Scottish Cairn, Mosman NSW http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/landscape/settlement/display/22323-scotland-australian-cairn    Members of the Clan MacLaren Society’s in both Scotland and Australia were involved in the establishment of this monument to Scottish settlers.    

Australian Standing Stones, Glen Innes NSW  https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/landscape/settlement/display/21272-australian-standing-stones  The Clan MacLaren stone is number 26 situated to the left of the axis at the southern end of the circle.  

The Clan Wall on Tynwald Hill contains a stone from the dry stone wall near the Kirkton Burn at Creag an Tuirc, Balquhidder, Perthshire, Scotland.