Clan MacIver
Clan MacIver
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Clan MacIver

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Clan MacIver

Clan MacIver or Clan MacIvor, also known as Clan Iver, is a Scottish clan recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. The clan, however, does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because of this the clan can be considered an armigerous clan. The clan name of MacIver is of Gaelic origin, derived from an Old Norse personal name. Various forms of the surname MacIver, like MacGiver, are considered sept names (followers or members) of several historically large Scottish clans, such as clans Campbell and Mackenzie. There exists a Clan Iver society in Fife, Scotland.

The surname MacIver is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic MacÌomhair "meaning son of Ìomhar". The Gaelic personal name Ìomhar is derived from the Old Norse Ivarr. An early man bearing the surname MacIver was Malcolm McIuyr, whose appears on a list of men in the Sheriffdom of Argyll/Lorne in 1292.

According to Alastair Campbell of Airds, it is very unlikely that there is a common origin for one Clan MacIver. Campbell of Airds maintains that the Victorian Principal P. C. Campbell confused matters with his Account of the Clan Iver. Principal Campbell, at the time publication of his Account, was petitioning the Lord Lyon King of Arms to recognise him as "Chief of Clan Iver". Campbell was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid for chiefship. According to Campbell of Airds, the modern Clan MacIver is also a dubious a concept because it encompasses all MacIvers regardless of their origin, and that the "modern game of clan-constructing is again being played".

Campbell claimed that the MacIvers originated in Glenlyon, and settled in Argyll in 1222. The Victorian illustrator R. R. McIan considered the MacIvers to have descended from Duncan, Lord of Lochow, making them descend from the same stock as the Campbells. According to legend, a stronghold of the MacIvers was the ancient fort of Dun Mor (Dunmore), located near Lochgilphead.

According to Ane Accompt of the Genealogie of the Campbells, the eponymous Iver was one of two illegitimate sons of Colin Maol Math (the other illegitimate son being Tavish Coir, from whom the MacTavishes claim descent). According to Ane Accompt, Iver's mother was to have been a daughter of Suibhne, who was the founder of Castle Sween, and is thought to be a member of the kindred of Anrothan who held lands in Cowal, Glassary and Knapdale (Suibhne is claimed as the eponymous ancestor of the MacSweens).

The leading family of the MacIver Campbells were the MacIvers of Lergachonzie and Stronshira. A branch of the MacIvers were Captains of the Castle of Inveraray, where the standing stone in the grounds of the castle was said to have been the boundary between the lands of the MacIvers and the MacVicars. Other branches of MacIver Campbells include the MacIver Campbells of Ballochyle in Cowal, the Campbells of Kirnan in Glassary, the Campbells of Pennymore on Loch Fyne, south of Inveraray, and the Campbells of Ardlarach near Ardfern, Craignish.

Principal Campbell himself belonged to the Campbells of Quoycrook in Caithness. They were claimed to have descended from MacIvers of Lergachonzie. Campbell also claimed that the related families to this branch were the Campbells of Duchernan, the Campbells of Thurso and Lochend, and the Iverachs of Wideford in Orkney. Campbell of Airds notes that both the arms of the Iverachs and the Campbells of Duchernan display the gyronny prevalent in Campbell heraldry.

In June, 1564, at Dunoon, in an agreement between Iver MacIver of Lergachonzie, and Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, the earl renounced all calps from those of the name MacIver, in return for a sum of money, though the Earl reserved the calp of Iver MacIver and his successors. According to Campbell of Airds, it would seem that dating from this agreement many MacIvers began using the name Campbell or MacIver-Campbell.

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