Menzies Name Study

Profile managers: One Name Studies WikiTree [send private message] and Anthony Hare [send private message]

About the Project

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO Preserve your History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCPzj50Cwxg&authuser=0

The following brief descriptions might help avoid confusion and settle a few arguments.

Not every Scotsman has a clan The clan system was peculiar to the Highlands, although similar tactics were adopted by the grand Borders families. It is generally accepted that 'clan' refers to the Highlands and 'family' to the Lowlands, although this is not universally respected. The Bruces for example, refer to themselves as a House, although at least one overseas association uses the term Clan. There is no 'Clan Bruce', as their chief, the Earl of Elgin, constantly reminds them.

Clan-based surnames There is a popular misconception that anyone bearing a clan surname is descended from the appropriate clan chief.

The point of a clan was to hold territory and defend it from other clans. This obviously depended on having as many followers as possible and, in turn, being in a large and powerful clan was an advantage to the individual, particularly when the Highlands were at their most lawless.

There were other reasons to adopt a clan name other than just protection: for food and shelter, to demonstrate solidarity, to gain favour with the Chief or Laird, to be associated with a powerful neighbour, or just because there was little or no choice in the matter.

Not all members of a clan used the clan name. Clan Gregor was proscribed in 1603 and many MacGregors adopted other surnames and, after the proscription was lifted in 1774, many did not revert to MacGregor. The infamous Rob Roy MacGregor (cattle thief, blackmailer, murderer and spy for the English) spent most of his adult life known as Campbell. So there may be Ramsays, Stewarts, etc. who are in fact descended from MacGregors. Some clans' lands were fuedally held, e.g. the Gordons were granted lands by Robert Bruce, then gained more territory, becoming the Lords of Badenoch. They increased their clan by offering a 'bow' or 'meal' to anyone who would adopt the nae. This implies nothing about genetic heritage, and breaks the link between surname and ancestry. By Scottish Genealogy by Bruce Durie Edition 4 - 2017. The History Press, United Kingdom.

Scots: in which the z originally represented Middle English letter ? (yogh), representing a sound similar to the modern English y. The surname is still pronounced === 'mingiz' === in Scotland.

It has been Gaelicized as Méinn, from which come the English forms Mein and Mien. The patronymic forms McMenzies, McMon(n)ies, McMin(n), and McMyn represent adapations of the name to the predominant pattern of Highland surnames. Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press

The Gaelic form is Méinnearach, from the Norman name Mesnières from the town of Mesnières-en-Bray in Normandy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic

The Menzies Name Study project serves as a collaborative platform to collect information on the Menzies name. The hope is that other researchers like you will join the study to help make it a valuable reference point for other genealogists who are researching or have an interest in the Menzies name.

As a One Name Study, this project is not limited to persons who are related biologically. Individual studies can be used to branch out the research into specific methods and areas of interest, such as geographically (England Menzies), by time period (18th Century Menzies), or by topic (Menzies DNA, Menzies Occupations, Menzies Statistics). These studies may also include a number of family branches which have no immediate link with each other. Some researchers may even be motivated to go beyond the profile identification and research stage to compile fully sourced, single-family histories of some of the families they discover through this name study project.

Y-DNA Lineages.

Associated names

'Sept lists' are used by clan societies to recruit new members. Such lists date back to the 19th century, when clan societies and tartan manufacturers attempted to capitalise on the enthusiasm and interest for all things Scottish. Names on these lists are not definitive of you being of a shared genetic heritage.

If your surname is not 'Menzies', There are also various alternate spellings that MAY represent a shared genetic heritage. You should always check with our DNA Project Team leaders via email or text message to discuss this. Contact Christopher Menzie via the email on the postcard above.

How to Join

To join the Menzies Name Study, first start out by browsing our current research pages to see if there is a specific study ongoing that fits your interests. If so, feel free to add your name to the Membership list below, post an introduction comment on the specific team page, and then dive right in!

If a research page does not yet exist for your particular area of interest, please contact the Name Study Coordinator: Anthony Hare for assistance.

... ... ... is a member of the Menzies Name Study Project.

Use this sticker if you are a living person. Once you are ready to go, you can also show your project affiliation with the ONS Member Sticker:

This profile is part of the Menzies Name Study.

Please use this sticker if you wish to add your deceased family tree profiles to the One Name Study:

Resources

• List of Menzies on Wikitree

• G2G feed of questions tagged "Menzies".

• Orphaned Menzies profiles on WikiTree.

• Unsourced Menzies profiles on WikiTree.

• Unconnected Menzies profiles on WikiTree.

Research Pages

Here are some of the current research pages included in the study. I'll be working on them, and could use your help!

• The MENZIES DIASPORA Family Documents

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Menzies_Diaspora_Family_Documents&public=1 https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Menzies_Magazines&public=1

• The MENZIES FAMILIES worldwide research Project

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:MINGUS_Inc._%28Menzies_INternational_Genealogy_UnderStudy%29-1

• MENZIES ESTATES - Scotland

Garth and Glen Lyon https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Menzies_Estates&public=1

Weem https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Menzies_Estates_Weem&public=1

Bolfracks https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Menzies_Estate_-_Bolfracks&public=1

Auld Kirk O'Weem - Weem Village, Perthshire, Scotland https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:Auld_Kirk_O%27Weem&public=1

• The Surname

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:The_SURNAME&public=1

• When was the Menzies surname first used in Scotland ?

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:When_was_the_Menzies_surname_first_used_in_Scotland.&public=1

• The 'Menzies' families of Scotland

• The 'Menzies' families of Ireland

• The 'Menzies' families of the United States of America

• The 'Menzies' families of Australia

* The 'Menzie' family of Tasmania, Australia https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:The_%27Menzie%27_family_of_Tasmania%2C_Australia&public=1

• The 'Menzies' families of New Zealand

• The 'Menzies' families in South Africa

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Space:%27MENZIES%27_in_South_Africa&public=1

Membership

• Hare-1576
• Howard-18870
• Arland-35
• Arland-36
• Munz-172