Clan Donald

Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald (Scottish Gaelic: Clann Dòmhnaill; Mac Dòmhnaill [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ ˈt̪õː.ɪʎ]), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, recognises under Scottish law the High Chief of Clan Donald. Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles until 1493 and two of those chiefs also held the title of Earl of Ross until 1476.

Clan Donald
Clann Dòmhnaill, Na Dòmhnallaich[1]
Crest: On a crest coronet Or, a hand in armor fessways couped at the elbow proper holding a cross crosslet fitchy Gules.
Motto	Per mare per terras ('by sea and by land')[2]
War cry	Fraoch eilean ('the heathery isle')
Profile
Region	Highland and Islands
District	Inner Hebrides Ross
Plant badge	Common heath[3]
Chief
Godfrey James Macdonald of that Ilk
The 8th Baron Macdonald, Chief of the Name and Arms of Macdonald, High Chief of Clan Donald and 34th hereditary Chief of Clan Donald.
Historic seat	Finlaggan Castle
Septs of Clan Donald Darroch, MacBeth, MacColl, MacCorran, MacEachan, MacEachern, MacGillanders, MacGorrie, MacMhuirich, MacMurdoch, MacQueen, MacRory, MacRuairi, MacRury, MacSween, MacSweeny, Queen, Rosrieson, Rory
Clan branches MacDonald of Islay (historic chiefs) Baron Macdonald (current chiefs) MacAlister (senior cadet branch of Clan Donald) Macdonald of Sleat (Clan Donald North) MacDonald of Dunnyveg (Clan Donald South) Macdonald of Clanranald (Clan Ranald) MacDonald of Keppoch (Clan Ranald of Lochaber) MacDonald of Largie (Clan Ranald Bane) MacDonell of Glengarry MacDonnell of Antrim (MacDonnells of the Glens) MacDonald of Ardnamurchan (Clan MacIain) Clan MacDonald of Glencoe MacDonald of Lochalsh
Allied clans Clan Cameron Clan MacMillan Clan Lamont Clan MacNeill Clan Matheson Clan Stewart (17th-18th centuries)
Rival clans Clan Campbell Clan Stewart (15th-16th centuries) Clan MacCallum Clan Fraser of Lovat Clan MacLean Clan Mackenzie
Kindreds MacMhuirich bardic family Beaton medical kindred Clann Ruaidhrí

There are also numerous branches to the Clan Donald and several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan MacAlister. There are also notable historic branches of Clan Donald without chiefs so-recognised, these are: the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, and the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan. The MacDonnells of Antrim are a cadet branch of the MacDonalds of Dunnyveg but do not belong to the Scottish associations and have a chief officially recognised in Ireland.