John Sharp Gravestone Kinfauns Perthshire Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of the John Sharp gravestone in the Churchyard cemetery in Kinfauns, Perthshire, Scotland. John died in 1723 and his gravestone includes a reed and shuttle for a weaver and a shuttle cock below. The Sharp surname, also recorded as Sharpe, and the diminutives Sharpin, Sharplin and Sharpling, is an English surname. It is a good example of a surname originating from a medieval nickname, with the derivation from the Olde English pre 7th Century word " scearp ", meaning sharp and used to describe a " sharp or smart " person. As a surname it is found recorded all over the British Isles.

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William McGillivray Gravestone Churchyard Kilmany North East Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of the William McGillivray gravestone in the Parish Church graveyard on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to Kilmany, Fife. The Clan MacGillivray was an important clan even before the Norsemen were driven out of the Outer Hebrides by king Somerled who was Lord of the Isles in the 12th century. In 1222 King Alexander II of Scotland subdued Argyll and the Clan Mhic Gillebrath became dispersed. Some of the clan remained on the Isle of Mull while others stayed in Morvern. There is a tradition that asserts that the chief of the clan placed himself under the protection of the chiefs of Clan Mackintosh, who were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation. Thereafter the Clan MacGillivray belonged to the Clan Chattan.


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John Smith Gravestone Churchyard Kilmany North East Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of the John Smith gravestone in the Parish Church graveyard on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to Kilmany, Fife. The Smith surname refers to a blacksmith, originally deriving from smið or smiþ, the Old English term meaning one who works in metal related to the word smitan. It is the most prevalent surname in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, the second most common surname in Canada, and the fifth most common surname in the Republic of Ireland.


All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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David Swankie Boat Gravestone St Vigeans Arbroath Angus Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of the David Swankie, Boat, gravestone on ancestry visit to the graveyard of the parish church at St Vigeans, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. Erected by Isabella Cargill in loving memory of her husband David Swankie who died on the 23rd of December aged 75 years. Swankie is a surname common among the fisher population of Arbroath and neighbourhood, often used as a nickname. Hence Swankie's doo, a jocular local name for a seagull.

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James Guthrie Tait Gravestone Cramond Edinburgh Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of the James Guthrie Tait gravestone in the graveyard cemetery on ancestry visit to Cramond, Edinburgh, Scotland. Tait is an Anglo Scottish surname. It is however probably of Norse Viking origin, deriving from the pre 7th century Old Norse word " teitr ", meaning glad or cheerful. In its home country it is recorded as the personal name " Teitr ", and appears in the Icelandic saga called " Landnamabok ". As Tait the name was first recorded in Scotland in 1329 when a debt due by the king was paid to Thomas Tayt.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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