Let me share with you the fascinating history of your family, the Lumsdens, and their Scottish lineage. The story begins with the manor of Lumsdene, which is mentioned in 1098 when Edgar, King of Scots, refounded Coldingham Priory and endowed it with the villages of Coldingham, Lumsdene, Renton, and Swinewood. The land was first possessed by Gillem and Cren de Lummisden, who attested a charter granted to the Priory of Coldingham between 1166 and 1182. Your ancestor, Adam de Lumisden, likely the son of Gilbert, is believed to be the progenitor of the Lumsdens of that Ilk. Adam and his son, Roger de Lumesden, paid homage to Edward I of England in 1296, and their names appear on the Ragman Roll with variations of spelling.

From Adam, the first recognized chief of the Lumsden name, your ancestor Gilbert descended. He married the heiress of Blanerne and adopted her crest, featuring a white-tailed eagle, or ‘earne’, devouring a salmon. In the mid-fifteenth century, Thomas and Gilbert de Lumsden held the stronghold of Fast Castle near Coldingham. However, the primary seat of the southern Lumsdens was Blanerne Castle, also known as Lumsden Castle, built in the sixteenth century. Several later Lumsden families trace their lineage back to Gilbert Lumsden of Blanerne.

Throughout Scottish history, numerous notable Lumsdens have made their mark. Sir James Lumsden of Innergellie served under King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the Thirty Years’ War. Andrew Lumsden, a Jacobite, descended from the Barons of Cushie. As a lawyer, he became the secretary to Prince Charles Edward Stuart during the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and later joined him in exile.

Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden of Belhelvie, a cadet of Cushnie, founded the esteemed Lumsden’s Guides, who served on the North-West Frontier of India. He introduced the term ‘khaki’, an Urdu word meaning ‘dust-colored’, and was the first to use uniforms of that color, which were subsequently adopted by the British army. Harry Leith Lumsden of Auchindoir established the village of Lumsden in Aberdeenshire in 1825. Dame Louisa Innes Lumsden, a promoter of women’s education, is credited as the founder of University Hall and St. Leonard’s School in St. Andrews.

In 1972, the House of Lumsden Association was formed, dedicated to preserving the family heritage. The efforts of the late Baron of Cushnie and the Association reached a pinnacle in 1985 when the claim of the present hereditary chief was established in the Court of the Lord Lyon. This moment solidified the rightful position of your family’s hereditary chief, upholding the legacy and traditions of the Lumsden lineage.

Through centuries of history, your family, the Lumsdens, has woven a captivating tapestry of Scottish lineage, beginning with the manor of Lumsdene in 1098 and the first recognized chief, Adam de Lumisden. From this ancient lineage emerged notable figures like Sir James Lumsden, who served under King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and Andrew Lumsden, who played a pivotal role in the Jacobite uprising of 1745. Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden, founder of Lumsden’s Guides, left an enduring mark on military history with the introduction of the term ‘khaki’. Moreover, the family’s legacy extends beyond military exploits, with contributions to education and women’s empowerment, exemplified by Dame Louisa Innes Lumsden. Embracing its rich heritage, the House of Lumsden Association preserves family traditions, culminating in the establishment of the rightful hereditary chief recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon in 1985. As the custodian of this cherished legacy, the Lumsdens stand united, upholding their proud Scottish heritage for generations to come.