Clan Carruthers Society - USA

We try and research our information and offer as clear a picture as possible, so please note that not all Carruthers see our name as a border clan but as a border family. Our claim for clan status comes from our mention in the 1589 Act of the Scottish Parliament, where we are one of the 17 unruly border clan listed in the Act. It is also very important to note the Bruce, of which Carruthers are a sept, do not see themselves as a Clan but as a family. If Carruthers do form a clan, they cannot remain a sept of the family Bruce but rather will have their own legal identity. Currently, because Carruthers has no recognised Chief, it does not have clan status, which is a legal entity in Scottish law. However the process of attaining Clan status through the raising of a Chief and the rationale behind it, is discussed within the website itself. On a side issue, I am informed from the Lyon Court that their is no such entity as an Armigerous clan within the Lyon Court, there is either a clan or not. There is however, based on the evidence presented and the support of the Clan/family themselves Chiefs recognised in the Scottish legal system through the auspices of the Lord Lyon. Once a chief is in place the Clan has legal status. It is important to state that Lord Lyon does not recognise clans, however this information is taken from the The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs http://www.clanchiefs.org.uk/the-search-for-clan-chiefs/ and shows clearly the importance of the Lyon's involvement; 'Where such a family is able to prove that it has existed historically as an independent family group, then the Lord Lyon may be prepared to recognise them as a distinct clan or name. If a person is able to prove descent from an individual who was historically accepted as the head of the main family within this group, then such a descendant might be confirmed in the Arms and recognised by the Lord Lyon as Representer of the name concerned. The situation may, however, be that a family group has no clear historical evidence of its existence as a group in the distant past. In such a case it may be possible for a group to move towards being treated as a clan or name by various stages. Since the clan and heraldic systems are so closely linked, the first stage would be for there to be a number of individuals using the same surname to record their own Arms. Once there was a significant number of armigers within the group it would be possible for a derbhfine of the group to convene and make a proposal to the Lord Lyon for the appointment of one of the group as Commander. Regulations have been laid down as to the procedure to be followed in the conduct of such a derbhfine.If the Lord Lyon is so minded a Commander will be appointed. Once that has happened a 10 year period must then elapse before any question of a chief can be considered.After the 10 year period a further derbhfine could, if the group desire, be held. This derbhfine could then make a proposal to the Lord Lyon for the appointment of a chief. Again regulations exist for the way in which such a derbhfine should proceed. A clan society: Clan Carruthers Society-International has been set up in May 2017, with a view to taking Clan Status forward. I hope this helps clarify the information on this site.