Select Grant Miscellany
- The Grant Name
- Grant Castle
- Grants in Devon in The 18th Century
- A Grant from The Highlands to South Carolina
- Grant's Glenfiddich Whisky
The Grant Name
The pronunciation of Grant was not as it is today (i.e. like the word "dance" is pronounced). Rather it was closest to today's "ground," but with a "t" instead of a "d". Norman French words like "dance" were twisted by Gaels and pronounced more like "downse." Everyone seems to agree that the earliest Grants in the 13th century pronounced their names in the Gaelic fashion.
Grant tradition suggests that the Grant name has come from sliabh grianais -
the moor above Aviemore - which was held, also by tradition, to be the
first land in Scotland occupied by the Grant progenitors. This
tradition has been questioned. How is it possible that grianais could mutate into
Grant? Then, it is argued, Stratherrick was the first Scottish
land to be held by the Grant family.
In his Place Names: Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Alexander MacBain had this to say:
Thus tradition tells us that the name Grant should mean "gravelly" or "gritty." However, the name Grant, in early documents, is very often spelled Graunt or Grawnt. This ties in with the Old Celtic (Pictish) of the grianais above. Thus the connection with grianais is not a matter of pronunciation, but one of meaning.
Grant Castle
Grant Castle was the center of all clan activity, as it was the primary residence of the Chief of Grant. Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus gave an interesting account of the castle in her Memoirs of a Highland Lady:
Generally about fifty people sat down to dinner in the great hall, in the shooting season, of all ranks. There was not exactly a "below the salt" division so marked at the table, but the company at the lower end was of a very different description from those at the top, and treated accordingly with whisky punch instead of wine.
Neither was there a distinct "yellow drawing room" party, though a large portion of the guests seldom obtruded themselves on the more refined section of the company unless on a dancing evening, when all again united in the cleared hall.
Sir James Grant was hospitable in the feudal style. His house was open to all; to each and all he bade a hearty welcome, and he was glad to see his table filled, and scrupulous to pay fit attention to every individual present; the Chief condescending to the Clan, above the best of whom he considered himself extremely.
It was rough royalty too, plenty, but rude plenty. A footman in the gorgeous gren and scarlet livery behind every chair, but they were mere gillies, lads quite untutored, sons of small tenants brought for the occasion, the autumn garthering, and fitted with the suit best filled."
Grants in Devon in The 18th Century
| Year
of Birth |
Grant |
Place |
Event |
| 1693 |
Nicholas |
Diptford |
Marriage to Elizabeth Shute, 1728 |
| 1704 |
John |
Diptford |
Marriage to Agnes Harvey, 1732 |
| 1729 |
Elizabeth |
Diptford |
Birth |
| 1730 |
Nicholas |
Diptford |
Marriage to Sarah Turtley, 1756 |
| 1733 |
Mary |
Diptford |
Birth |
| 1734 |
Henry |
Diptford |
Birth |
| 1736 |
John |
Diptford |
Birth |
| 1738 |
Andrew |
Diptford |
Birth |
| 1740 |
Henry |
Diptford |
Birth |
| 1743 |
Agnes |
Diptford |
Marriage to William Horswell,
1768 |
| 1750 |
Peter |
Ugborough |
Marriage to Mary Andrews, 1771 |
| 1751 |
Sarah |
Eemington |
Birth |
| 1766 |
Henry |
Churston Ferrers |
Birth |
| 1768 |
Arthur |
Churston Ferrers |
Birth |
| 1771 |
Ann |
Churston Ferrers |
Marriage to John Hannaford, 1797 |
| 1775 |
John |
Ugborough |
Birth |
| 1779 |
Hannah |
Ugborough |
Birth |
| 1783 |
Elizabeth |
Ugborough |
Birth |
| 1785 |
Mary |
Ugborough |
Birth |
A Grant from the
Highlands To South Carolina
Ludovick
Grant was was sometimes called thw "Highland King." He was
appointed a colonel and then a sheriff of Inverness in 1694 He
had almost the status of royalty.
However,
this family position was all lost after the Grants had backed the
Jacobites in 1715. His grandson Ludovic, the 2nd Baron of Dalvey,
was captured after the Jacobites had lost at Preston. After his
capture his lands were confiscated and his title revoked. He was
then banished to "the American plantations" and was sent from Liverpool
in May 1716 on the Susannah
to the colonies.
He made
a name for himself in South Carolina. By 1725 he was an
established trader in the Cherokee Nation where he had married a full
blooded Cherokee of the Longhaired clan. Being of "good" family
and well educated, he became the agent and correspondent for the
Governors of South Carolina. He was one of the few traders who
were honest and well respected with whites and with the Cherokees.
Ludovic
Grant lived onto 1768 and died in Tellico, Tennessee.
Grant's Glenfiddich Whisky
It was recorded that three Grant brothers fought in the 1745 Jacobite rebellion and only one, Alexander Grant, survived the defeat at Culloden. But he had to flee to Banffshire where he was hidden from the English by a clan chief.
Alexander's great grandson, William Grant, was born in Dufftown in
1839. When he was seven he began herding the family cattle in the
hills. He then worked as an apprentice shoemaker and a limeworks
employee. He did, however, receive a good education.
Consequently, in 1866 he became a bookkeeper at a local distillery
where he gained an appreciation for the production of whisky.
He saved and saved to set himself up as a distiller. In
1886 he quit his job, purchased the necessary land, materials and
machines, and built the Glenfiddich distillery with the help of his
nine children. On Christmas Day in 1887, his distillery began
operation, pioneering the single malt Scotch whisky.
By 1914, William Grant & Sons had established distribution
networks in 30 countries and now the company exports to 180
countries. William Grant himself died in 1923. His family
is today ranked the 3rd richest in Scotland.
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