Jump To Section:
Clan of the Month - Terrific Thom(p)sons
From fierce border reivers to skating ministers, join us as we uncover the history of Clan Thom(p)son, March's Clan of the Month, and find out where they are today.
What's in a name?
The name Thom(p)son is patronymic in nature, meaning that the family name comes from the personal name of the family's father. Therefore, the name means, 'son of Thom'. The use of the suffix 'son' is more common throughout the lowland clans, with it being the anglicised version of 'Mac'. Hence, 'Mac' is used as a prefix by highland clans and 'son' as a suffix by lowland clans to describe 'son of...'.
Due to the widespread use of the name Thom(p)son and it being one of the most common surnames in Scotland, there is no single ancestor from which the clan is descended. This means that not all Thom(p)sons are linked.
As I'm sure you have noticed, the spelling of Thom(p)son can vary. To P or not to P that is the question. Well actually, there is an answer to this one...Thomson is more popular in Scotland, Thompson in the North of England and Thomas in Wales.
Where do you come from?
There is no single member or family from which the Clan Thom(p)son are descended. This makes it particularly difficult to pinpoint a particular location from which the clan originated. Due to the nature of the name, it is more likely that the use of the name Thom(p)son appeared throughout Scotland over some time. However, it is particularly popular in the Borders, Lothians, Perth and Argyll. Thom(p)sons can even be found in the Shetlands, where the name is Thomason!
The earliest known appearance of Clan Thom(p)son was in the 12th Century, in and around the Scottish Borders. It is thought that if you are a Thom(p)son with a 'P' or an 'A' that you are descended from the Thom(p)sons of the Borders. The Thom(p)sons from this region were known to be fierce border reivers, and would raid and plunder unprotected towns to steal cattle, amongst other treasured possessions!
In the Scottish Borders town of Duns, where ScotlandShop is based, we celebrate 'Reivers Week' starting on the first Sunday of July each year. Although, there's not quite so much raiding and cattle rustling these days! During this week, there are several events throughout the town to celebrate our heritage and the men of Duns ride out on horses to patrol the town's borders.
Most historic Thom(p)sons living on or near the border shared many similarities with the English in the region. Unlike the highland clans who reared cattle and sheep, the lowland clans were farmers and thought of themselves as being more cosmopolitan; in part, due to their proximity to England. This could also be seen in there dress, with kilts a rare sight in the Borders. With the border moving a great amount throughout history, the clan could be Scottish or English at any given time. This means that Thom(p)son's could be found on both sides of the border, with some even fighting for England.
Thompson Insignia
Reiver Crest
This crest is officially used by the Clan Thom(p)son Society. It incorporates the reiver heritage of Clan Thom(p)son in the Scottish Borders, sporting a mounted reiver armed with a lance. The motto used in this crest is in English and reads: Deny Us Not.
The Many Tartans of Clan Thom(p)son
Clan Thom(p)son have 8 different variants meaning that there's plenty of great tartans to choose from.
Thom(p)son Red
Did you know that Thom(p)son Red is the same as MacTavish tartan? Available in both ancient and modern variants, this tartan is formed with a red base colour, overlaid with a black and white check. This is a beautiful tartan, with the ancient variant being considerably lighter in tone in comparison to the modern variant.
Thom(p)son Colours
Alongside the Thom(p)son Red tartan, there is also Blue, Black, Grey, and Camel variants. Aren't you Thom(p)sons a colourful bunch! Does Thom(p)son Camel look familiar? That's because it's very similar to the famous Burberry check!
Thom(p)son Hunting
The final Thom(p)son variant is Hunting and it is available in both modern and ancient. This tartan would have been worn by the clan to camouflage into the surrounding landscape, hence, the use of browns, greens, and black in its design.
Clan Thom(p)son Has a Spring in Their Step!
Thom(p)son Camel is a key part of our Spring Collection for 2020 and featured in our recent photoshoot in Edinburgh alongside some of the city's most famous landmarks. The Dome and Scott Monument provide a great backdrop and are all places you can explore yourself when you are next in Scotland's capital. Most importantly all can be found within ten minutes walk of our flagship store where you can see the fullSpring Collection and our range of Thom(p)son Camel products on show.
Our model, Lauren, shows off the new length Kilted Skirt, paired with a Lambswool Sweater and the cutest Kitten Heels in Thom(p)son Camel. Topped off with a Muckle Fantoosh Handbag this makes quite the statement outfit. And if you have no idea what muckle fantoosh means visit the product page to brush up on your Scots lingo.
The History of Clan Thom(p)son
The Border Reivers
Hailing from the Scottish Borders, with land covering Dumfriesshire to Roxburghshire and the Lothians, the Thom(p)sons of Eskdale were a fierce band of 15th Century reivers. Although fairly small in size, they were closely aligned to the larger clans of Beattison and Nixon. The Thom(p)sons of Eskdale were known to raid and plunder on both sides of the border indiscriminately! Their nefarious activities soon attracted the attention of a few English lords, following several attacks on English towns and villages. In 1547, the incessant reiving forced several lords to ride out and cross the River Esk into the lands of Clan Thom(p)son. The lords quickly brought a stop to the reivers and their activities, with the Thom(p)sons, amongst other reivers, forced to swear an oath of obeisance to the King of England. A list of those who had surrendered to the King was once stored in the Carlisle Cathedral Library.
Although the reivers had signed an oath, the raids continued. In the rich farmlands of Berwickshire, the men who farmed the land attempted to distance themselves from the ferocious reivers. They condemned their actions and, in 1569, approached the Scottish Privy Council, advisors to the monarch, with a list of names of the worst reivers. The Thom(p)sons were included in this list.
Following the Union of the Crowns in 1603, King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England and Ireland. He was determined to bring about peace in the Borders by any means necessary. By sword, noose, or fire, the reivers were vanquished, and it was said that hardly a building stood in the regions of Eskdale and Liddesdale following the conflict! Several clan chiefs were hanged, and many more defeated. Those that remained were banished from their lands, causing the clans to scatter, the Thom(p)sons among them. Many of Clan Thom(p)son fled to the lands of Ulster in Northern Ireland, later travelling further afield to North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Those that remained settled in Cumberland, now Cumbria, south of the border.
The Thomsons of Duddingston
The Thomsons of Duddingston were a rich landowning family who held Duddingston on the outskirts of Edinburgh. One of the most famous of their number was the minister and landscape painter, Rev. John Thomson. He was the minister of Duddingston Kirk from 1805 to 1840 and was famous for his beautiful paintings, which resulted in him becoming fairly wealthy.
Duddingston Loch is famous for curling and skating, and is, in fact, the setting for the iconic painting, 'The Skating Minister'. Although the painting itself is not of Thomson, rather Rev. Robert Walker, who was the minister of Canongate Kirk (I wonder what he would have thought of KiltSkate?) The loch is also home to Thomson's Tower, which was built by the Duddingston Curling Society to store their equipment; whilst Thomson used the top floor as his studio. The society themselves were the first group to write down the rules of curling.
Did you know that we Scots are quite good at curling? Although our national sport is football, not that we're particularly good at it, we invented the sport of curling. It is one of the strongest sports in the Winter Olympics for Team GB and around 60%-70% of all curling stones come from the island of Ailsa Craig, but that's a story for another time. For now back to the Thom(p)sons!
Today Duddingston Loch is a part of a nature reserve and is the only natural loch in the city of Edinburgh.
Clan Thom(p)son Today
Today, Clan Thom(p)son can be found across the world from the UK and Europe; to North America and Australasia. This is in part due to the Lowland clearances which contributed to them abandoning their traditional lands. The clan lives on through the Clan Thom(p)son Society, which began in 2006, and was recognised by the Lord Lyon as the only clan society representing Thom(p)sons worldwide in 2012. The society is one of the youngest clan societies in the world, but it provides a great opportunity for you to explore your roots and meet the members of your clan. All in all, Clan Thom(p)son is very much alive today through the great work of the Society.
Well there you have it, the history of Clan Thom(p)son. The story continues next week where we will have the opportunity to meet a few of the clan's most famous faces, so be sure to check back then. If you're a Thom(p)son yourself, don't forget to find out more about theClan Thom(p)son Society and meet the fellow members of your clan.
