FAMILY NAME
The family name derives from a hill near Coldingham, just south of St. Abbs Head on the Berwickshire coast almost due east of Edinburgh. The first recorded reference is in 1098, when King Edgar founded the Priory of Coldingham, endowing it with the villages of Coldingham, Aldecambus, Lummesdene, Renton and Swinewood in the county of Berwick.
The earliest recorded names of the possessors of the Lumsdaine lands are those of Gillen and Cren de Lumisden, who are witnesses to a charter of Earl Waldeve of Dunbar, undated but issued between 1166 and 1182. The next known recording came about through an event which occurred in 1286 and which led to the wars of Scottish Independence.
Alexander III was killed by a fall from his horse, leaving as heiress his baby granddaughter Margaret, Maid of Norway, who was betrothed to Prince Edward of England – later King Edward II. She died on the voyage to Scotland. Unable to agree on the succession, the Scots Barons asked King Edward I of England to mediate and choose one of three claimants to the throne of Scotland. Edward chose John Balliol to be his puppet King. When he showed some independence at the urging of the Scottish nobles, his reign was ended. Edward invaded Scotland in 1292, subdued all opposition, and removed the Crown and the Stone of Destiny to England. The heads of noble landowning families were forced to sign an acknowledgment of Edward as their King. This document, known as the Ragman Roll, was signed by Adam de Lumisden and his son Roger de Lummisdene in 1296.
By 1329 the estates of Blanerne were in possession of the family through marriage, and by 1350 they had obtained the lands of Drum and Conland in Fife, and East and West Medlar (Cushnie) in County Aberdeen. The Lumsdaines and Lumsdens of Airdrie, Innergellie and Strathvithie in Fifeshire, and the Lumsdaines of Australia are descended from the senior Blanerne line. From the Cushnie line descended the Lumsdens of Tillycairn, Clova and Auchindoir, Belhelvie, Pitcaple, Balmedie, Sluie and Banchory in the Counties of Aberdeen and Kincardine.
The Lumsdaines of Blanerne and Innergellie were soldiers and merchants. Sir James Lumsden served under King Gustavius Adolphus in the 30 Years War, and both he and his brother William fought in the Civil War following Marston Moor in 1644.
The variable spelling of Lumsdaine/Lumsden reflects the relaxed attitude to spelling before the 19th century. The majority of the clan families adopted the den suffix. In compiling his excellent family history Beware in Tyme, the author and Senarchie of the Family, Archie Lumsden, adopted Lumsden as a generic name for all Lumsdaines, Lumsdons etc. with the stated aim of rationalising and simplifying references. Our chief, Patrick Gillem Sandys Lumsdaine, adopted the generic spelling upon being granted the hereditary arms.
