Murray of Atholl

Clan Murray
Crest: On a Wreath Or and Sable a demi-savage Proper wreathed about the temples and waist with laurel, his arms extended and holding in the right hand a dagger, in the left a key all Proper.
Motto	Furth fortune and fill the fetters
Profile
Region	Highland
Plant badge	Butcher's Broom, or Juniper
Pipe music	The Atholl Highlanders
Chief
Bruce Murray
12th Duke of Atholl
Seat	Blair Castle
Historic seat	Bothwell Castle
Septs of Clan Murray Balneaves, Buttar, Butter, Butters, Corson, Flamanc, Flamang, Flamench, Flamyng, Fleeman, Fleeming, Flemen, Fleming, Flemmynge, Flemyn, Flemyne, Flemyng, Flemynge, Fleymen, Fleyming, Fliming, Flymen, Flymyng, MacKinnoch, MacKmurrie, MacMurray, MacMurre, MacMurree, MacMurrie, MacMurry, MacMurrye, MacMury, Mirrey, Monchryf, Moncref, Moncrefe, Moncreife, Moncreiff, Moncreiffe, Moncrief, Moncriefe, Moncrieff, Moncrieffe, Moncrif, Moncrife, Moncriffe, Monkreff, Monkreth, Montcreffe, Montcrief, Montcrif, Moray, Morey, Morray, Morrow, Mouncref, Mowray, Mulmurray, Mulmury, Muncrefe, Muncreff, Muncreif, Muncreiffe, Muncreyfe, Muncrif, Muncrife, Munkrethe, Muray, Murra, Murrai, Murraue, Murray, Murrey, Murrie, Murry, Mury, Neaves, Pepper, Phylemen, Piper, Pyper, Ratray, Ratre, Ratteray, Rattray, Retrey, Rettra, Rettray, Rotray, Smail, Smaill, Smal, Smale, Small, Smalle, Smalley, Smaw, Smeal, Smeall, Spaden, Spadine, Spaldene, Spaldeng, Spalding, Spaldyn, Spaldyng, Spaldynge.
Clan branches Murray of Atholl (chiefs) Murray of Dunmore Murray of Mansfield Murray of Stormont See also: Murray Baronets Murray of Aberscross
Allied clans Clan Sutherland
Rival clans Clan Drummond Clan Hannay

Clan Murray ( listen ) is a Highland Scottish clan.

The progenitor of the Clan Murray was Freskin who lived during the twelfth century. It has been claimed that he was Pictish but it is much more likely that he was a Flemish knight, one of a ruthless group of warlords who were employed by the Norman kings to pacify their new realm after the Norman conquest of England.David I of Scotland who was brought up in the English court, employed such men to keep hold of the wilder parts of his kingdom and granted to Freskin lands in West Lothian. The ancient Pictish kingdom of Moray (Moireabh in Scottish Gaelic) was also given to Freskin and this put an end to the remnants of that old royal house. In a series of astute political moves Freskin and his sons intermarried with the old house of Moray to consolidate their power. Freskin's descendants were designated by the surname de Moravia ("of Moray" in the Norman language) and this became 'Murray' in the Lowland Scottish language. The original Earls of Sutherland (chiefs of Clan Sutherland) descend from Freskin's eldest grandson, Hugh de Moravia, whereas the chiefs of Clan Murray descend from Freskin's younger grandson, William de Moravia.

Sir Walter Murray became Lord of Bothwell in Clydesdale thanks to a marriage to an heiress of the Clan Oliphant. He was a regent of Scotland in 1255. He also started construction of Bothwell Castle, which became one of the most powerful strongholds in Scotland. It was the seat of the chiefs of Clan Murray until 1360 when it passed over to the Clan Douglas.