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The
Clan Menzies Name
The
name Menzies is of Norman origin, coming from Mesnieres in Normandy
to England where it was transformed into Manners, the surname
of the Dukes of Rutland, although other early spellings in Scotland
include Meyers, Mingies and Mengues.
As Normanisation
progressed into Scotland under the descendants of Malcolm Canmore
and Queen Margaret, a family apparently settled in Lothian and
from there moved into the Highlands. The name occurs in charters
of the 12th and 13th centuries and in 1 249 Sir Robert de Meyeris
became Lord Chamberlain of Scotland to Alexander II. His son
Alexander held Weem, Aberfeldy and Fortingall in Atholl. He
supported Bruce at Bannockburn and was rewarded further territories,
in Glendochart and Durisdeer in Nithsdale, thus by the King's
death the Menzies possessions extended west from Aberfeldy almost
as far as Loch Lomond.
David Menzies
was appointed Governor of Orkney and Shetland under the King
of Norway in 1423. Sir Robert Menzies, another descendant of
the first Robert, the chamberlain, had his properties erected
into a barony of Menzies by King James IV. In 1688 when the
Stuarts were driven from the throne the chief of the clan favoured
the new government, but in 1715 the Menzies were "out"
for James Edward and although during the '45 Clan Menzies took
no part some of them were raised by Menzies of Shian.
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