Roderick MacLachlan, Esq.,
Secretary,
Clan MacLachlan Society,
18 South Craig,
Bowness-on-Windermere,
CUMBRIA, LA23 2JH

Dear Sir,

Clan MacLachlan/Septs and Depdents. (sic)

I have your letter of 10th July and note what you write.  I enclose a photocopy of the section for Clan MacEwen that appeared in the "Highland Clans" by Sir Iain Moncreiffe, and I am also enclosing a copy of p. 329/330 of `The Clans Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands' by Frank Adam, revised by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney.  It will be seen from Iain Moncreiffe's work that the Clan MacEwen was an independent clan of considerable importance but became a scattered Clan.  It would appear that quite a number of those who had been members of Clan MacEwen became associated with, or dependent upon, Clan MacLachlan but by no means did all members of the Clan MacEwen become so dependent or connected.  Other members of Clan MacEwen became dependent, or connected with, a number of other Clans.  I suppose it would not be impossible at some future date for the MacEwens to re-organise themselves into a distinct Clan on their own and by appropriate means select a Chief.  All this, however, is something that will take time and will be very much in the future.  I see no harm in you listing the MacEwens as a dependent group with the clear understanding that until individual families are traced no individual family can say with any certainty to which particular family his MacEwen was connected with.

I am also enclosing an interesting article on surnames by Professor Gordon Donaldson which may also be of interest.

Yours faithfully,

(Malcolm Innes Edingight)