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 Labhran (MacLaren), an ancient Scottish clan that can trace its history back to the 1200s.
The traditional clan lands are centred around the village of Balquhidder situated on the banks of Loch Voil in Stirlingshire, Scotland.
The clan's rallying point is Creag An Tuirc a rocky outcrop above the village. The phrase Creag An Tuirc (The Boar’s Rock) is also the clan's rallying cry.
Florian MacLaren is the late Chief Donald MacLaren’s named Tanist.
The Clan MacLaren Society of Australia is affiliated with
Clan MacLaren Society based in Scotland (www.clanmaclarensociety.com)
Clan MacLaren Society of North America (http://www.clanmaclarenna.org/)
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 Society.
Variations of Clan MacLaren / MacLaurin names and Septs include:
FAED LAIR LARNAC LAURENCE LAURENSEN
LAURIE LAW LAWRENCE LAWSON LOW
LOWRIE LOWSON MACCLARENCE MACCRORIE MCFADE
MACFAIT MACFATER MACFEAT MACFEAD MACGRORIE
MACLERAN MACPATRICK MACPHAIT MACPHATER MACPETRIE
MACRORIE PAT(T)ERSON PATRICK PETERKIN PETERS
RORIE RORISON
A more comprehensive list of names can be found at https://www.clanmaclarenna.org/names.htm
Membership Benefits.
Membership Application forms are available for download on the More Info page or are available through general inquiries directed to the Secretary via the contact link..
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.
MacLaren History on the web
http://www.clanmaclarensociety.com/history.html
http://www.clanmaclarenna.org/
https://clanmaclaren-history.org/about
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 the same 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)
Acknowledgement of Country.
McLaren Vale lies in the Taringga area of the Kaurna people, the traditional owners and custodians of the Adelaide region.
The Clan MacLaren Society of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past and present.
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
MacLaurin Hall, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4726044
Named for Sir Norman MacLaurin who served as Chancellor from 1896 - 1914.
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/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.
CMSA Affiliations
The Clan Maclaren Society of Australia has affiliations with several bodies concerned with the promotion of Scottish culture in Australia.
The Scottish Australian Heritage Council http://www.scottishaustralianheritagecouncil.com.au/
The Celtic Council of Australia http://www.celticcouncil.org.au/
The Scottish Gaelic Association of Australia (Comunn Gàidhlig Astràilia) http://www.ozgaelic.org/ is a non-profit organisation that promotes Scottish Gaelic language and culture.
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Genealogy and family histories
While we do not offer ancestry or genealogy services people tracing their family histories may be interested in the following resources:
Scotland - https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
http://www.clanmaclarensociety.com/history.html
Please visit the Clan MacLaren North America website http://www.clanmaclarenna.org/ for further information and information regarding the MacLaren DNA project.
Australian Migration