Were the Wauchopes ever a true clan?
The word clan originally meant, in Gaelic, offspring or descendants, family or tribe. Originally a family unit, the clan became the basic political, economic, and social unit of the Scottish Highlands until the political oppression of 1745. (The Highlands is that portion of Scotland that lies north of a line roughly between Glasgow and Edinburgh.) Each clan has its own tartan that was worn in a kilt or scarf. They were fiercely loyal to the family group and are quick to avenge any wrongs done to their fellows, as well as defending the area they considered home territory. Most Scots-Norman families were not considered proper clans. The Wauchopes are not currently found listed as a true clan. However, they are armigerous, with the Chief of the Name having the right to bear a Coat of Arms. Similarly, the Wauchopes are not found listed as a sept of any other more powerful clan either. A sept is a family not having the name of the clan, but associated with the clan and entitled to wear its
