^{Clan MacTavish does not consider that ALL persons bearing Thomas patronymic names are of MacTavish blood. The name of Thomas or Tom was also widely used throughout Scotland, and in England and Wales. We do consider that those persons descended from the root of the MacTavishes in Argyllshire, and who bear any variation of a Thomas (Taviss) surname are indeed of our clan.}

^{Why are surnames like Thomas, Tomson, Thomson and Thompson}

^{Claimed by Clan MacTavish as our own?}

^{We do not consider names like Thomas and Thom(p)son as septs of the Clan, but rather include those of the various surname spellings as full members. Such names ARE THE CLAN. This is because the names like Thom(p)son are a direct Anglicizations of the Gaelic MacTamhais (Anglicized to MacTavish), meaning the Son of Thomas, or Tom’s son.}

^{Those who style themselves as Thom(p)sons (Tawesons, Thomeys, Tavishes, MacTawes, or even Thomas, etc…) are not just apart of Clan MacTavish, not a sept, not merely akin to Clan MacTavish, they are the clan. This is because many changed their surname from the Gaelic to a more English version. The surname of Thomson (in particular) has been regarded as being the Scottish version, while Thompson, has been considered moreso English. This is, or was, probably very true, but within only within the countries of Scotland and England respectively. The limitations on name distribution and spelling outside those countries is often, however, never spoken of or written about.  It will be addressed forthwith.}

^{Many MacTavish families began to use the surname of Thomson long ago, attested to in the manuscript given below, while only a few within Scotland at an early time, ever used the Thompson spelling. The use of an anglicized name such as Thomson, Thompson or Tawesson, has left many with an understanding that these families were not MacTavish by descent. This is a false understanding, as evidenced in not to few MacTavish-Thompson genealogies. The intrusive letter –p- for those who took the Anglicized patronymics became more evident within those generations of MacTavish-Thomsons who left Scotland, for lives in Ireland, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and even Jamaica. We find even within the Campbeltown, Argyllshire, Sheriff’s records, that a certain Alexander MacTavish was also known by the name of Thomson. Families in Skipness who were MacTavish, used the Thomson name interchangeably, as noted in the parish records. Particularly in Ireland and North America, Thomsons of MacTavish blood found that the use of the name THOMPSON (with intrusive –p–) was far more prevalent, and merely by chance did the spelling of the name begin to change. The instructive –p– was, therefore, a latter addition for many MacTavish-Thompsons. This was never, in all likelihood, intended, but occurred as a matter of happenstance. Someone in authority, a judge, magistrate, priest or minister (those who were the Keepers of the Art of Writing) recorded the name as Thompson, vice Thomson, and it stuck. It appears to be just that simple.}

^{How long have Thom(p)sons been known to be the Sons of Taviss ? A very, very long time indeed, as attested to by the History of the Craignish Campbells. Excerpts of that history follow.}

^{THE MANUSCRIPT HISTORY of CRAIGNISH}

^{BY ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, ADVOCATE}

^{--Compiled c. 1720--}

^{Edited by HERBERT CAMPBELL}

^{- As found in -}

^{Miscellany of the Scottish History Society, Fourth Volume, 1926}

^{Page 199: Callen moal math or the good bald Coline who married a niece of King Alexander's the first of Scotland surnamed the fierce or Acer, by whom he had one Son calld also Gillespick ; he had also two bastard sons very famous in their time for strength 1 & valour viz. Iver nicknamed Crom of whom descended the Mac Ivers once numerous in Glasrie & Craignish, and Tavis corr of whom descended Page 200: the Clan Tavish of Dunardarie & others.}

^{Page 207 …. Dugall of whom I have nothing memorable save that 1220 he married the Daughter of Dugal MacSwine of Skipnish whose predicessors were proprietors of Knapdail and Kelislate, and built that large house Castle Swine. He himself was in possession of a great part of this Estate. I read in the Genealogie of the Family of Argyll now before me that a Predicessor of this mans, one called Swine Ruae or red-hair'd Swine had a Daughter who was concubine to Colin Maol Math formerly mentioned on whom he begot Tavis Cor and Iver Crom.3 The same Genealogie adds that upon Colines refuseing to marry her, or rather}

^{Page 208}

^{having turn'd her off, MacLachlan married her, upon which Swine Rue gave him what lands the Mac Lachlans did possess in Glasry.}

^{P 255: APPENDIX A : But first of all I shall begin with that Illustrious family itself. About the self and poynt at the period in which our people descended from them. Gillespick o Dhuine (Nephew by the father To the Great o Dhuine Paull in Sporran knight of Lochow or Treasurer or pursebearer to King Duncan) came from France, wher by his Victories and attchievements in the French Wars he gott the Sur name of Campbell or Beauchamp in Stead of o Dhuine and the annoriall Coat viz. a Gyronee of 8 now born as the paternall Coat by the wholl Name of Camp-bell.}

^{This Gillespige married at his return his owne Cussin german,}

^{[The year] 1070 - Evah, Daughter and sole heiress to the said Paull, knight of son and heir.}

^{[The year] 1100 - Collin Moall math had 2 Botord l sones, famous in ther day for mighty warriours, viz. Taviss Corr and Ivcr Crom of whom descended 2 numerous Clans the McTavishes or Tomsons, and the McIvers, *  both which are now much decayed ; yet many of them extant to this day. He married a Niece of K. Alexander the first, by whom he had 3 sones viz. Duncan the Eldest who [The year] 1140 Inheired the Lordship of Lochow, Donnald-Don or brown haired died without issue the 2d, and Dugall of Craignish the 3d.}

^{End excerpt}

^{* NOTE 1 : emphasis given by the author.}

  ^{NOTE 2 : Colin Moall Math, died in the year 1110, at Dunstaffnage, as noted in the Highland Papers, while acting as a rear guard for the King of Scots (Alexander the 1st). Thusly, Taviss and Ivor were both born prior to or within nine months of Colin’s death. Theories abound of the years of their birth, each having one brother older than the other. No complete answer for their birth is available in any documents now extant. One can only summize that both sons were born 1105 to 1110. The years of their deaths are elusive as well. Colin MacDuine first married Evah or Evie, daughter of Paul an Sporran who died, she gave birth to Gillespie (Gillespuig) from who Clan Campbell springs. Colin then married (possibly Margaret) a daughter of Sween the Red of Knapdale, and by her had two sons Iver and Taviss. Upon the death of Colin in 1110, Sween married his daughter to the Chief of Clan MacLachlan, and her minor sons would logically have been raised within that house.}

^{Re: Argylshire, A Contribution to Argylshire History Being a Monograph Sketch of the SWEYNES OF SKIPNESS and the MACTAVISHES OF DUN-ARDRIGH, KNAPDALE AND ELSEWHERE, their Ancestors and Descendants by George D. Mathews, D.D., L.L.D.}

^{Since Handfasting was a legitimate union in Scotland until the law was changed in 1940, Taviss and Iver cannot possibly be considered illegitimate, or as often stated, natural sons. Children born under a handfasted union only gained illegitimacy from the stance of the Church of Rome, which did not understand that the Highlanders, both commoner and noble, accepted this practice. Handfasting consisted in species of a contract between two chiefs, or other heads of family, by which it was agreed that the heir of one should live with the daughter of the other as her husband for twelve months and a day. If in that time the lady became a mother, or proved to be with child, the union became a marriage good in law, even though no priest had performed the marriage ceremony; but if there was no issue of child, the contract was considered at an end, and each party was at liberty to marry or hand-fast with any other.}

^{The Mother of Taviss and Iver was the Lady de Swene, daughter of the Thane of Argyll and Knapdale, Suibhne Ruhad, or Dugal Suibhne of Skipness and Castle Sween. He held an ancient and loftier position than did Colin (Cailen) MacDuine. It would therefore be unthinkable (understanding the accepted practices of the time) for such as MacDuine to have had her as concubine, as stated above MSS, or cast off the mother of his children, considering the rank of his father-in-law, Suibhne. Such would have led to the death of Colin MacDuine.}

^{Re: Anton, AE (1958) Handfasting in Scotland, The Scottish Historical Review, XXXVII.124: 89-102] the careful examination of the origins of the myth of "Celtic trial marriage".}

^{----------------------}

Dr. George Calder, Glasgow University, published A GAELIC GRAMMAR a close examination of the Gaelic Language.

The selected pages show indeed that Thom(p)son is MacTavish.

You may find “A Gaelic Grammar” at” http://www.archive.org/details/gaelicgrammarcon00cald


A GAELIC GRAMMAR
CONTAINING
THE PARTS OF SPEECH
AND
THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF PHONOLOGY
AND ETYMOLOGY
WITH
A CHAPTER ON PROPER AND PLACE NAMES

BY

GEORGE CALDER. B.D., D. LITT.,

Lecturer in Celtic, University of Glasgow.


GLASGOW

Alex. MacLaren & Sons,
360-362 Argyle Street

1923
----------------------

p. 8
“….Many of the derivations which he suggests are surprising, but, as Dr. Calder does not express hesitation on the matter, we must assume from his certainty that the surprise is due to our ignorance rather than to any far-fetched subtlety." — " Glasgow Herald."

"The name Colquhoun, whose pronunciation puzzles English people, is, so far as its derivation goes, as much of a puzzle to Scotsmen. Who would imagine it is a corrupted Gaelic equivalent of Thomson? In his Gaelic Grammar published the other day. Dr. George Calder seems to have little difficulty in proving that the MacTavishes, Holmes, MacCosh's, and MacCombies and the M'Couns of Galloway, as well as the Colquhouns and Maclehoses, are really all ' sons of Thomas.' " — " Glasgow News."
----------------------

p. 19

3. In a few proper name, mac son, projects the final c which eclipses the following consonant, and the pretonic unstressed ma of mac is dropped, e.g.

MacDhomhnill Macdonald Ma Connel Conell
MacMhuirich Murdoch Ma Cuirich Currie
MacThomhais Thomson Ma Comhais Cosh ……

----------------------

p. 143
Tomas, Tomas, Tomhus ; Mac Thaimhs, Mac Thamhais MacTavish, Tawse ; Cause ; MacCosh, Cosh, Cash ; Mac-a- Chombaich, Mac Thomai(dh) MacCombie for which is substituted Colquhoun, i.e. G. Mac-Thomh-an, Comhan, McCoun (Galloway) ; Thompson, Holmes ; Mac gille Thomhas Maclehose; Cornish (Man).