Clan Home

Gaelic Name: Holm

Motto: A Home! A Home! A Home!

Region: Borders, Berwickshire

Overview

Clan Home dominated the eastern Borders from their mighty castles, controlling the strategic approaches to Scotland and earning fame as one of the great Border families. Their name derives from "holm," meaning flat land by a river, referring to their territorial holdings along the Tweed valley. The Homes wielded enormous power as Wardens of the Eastern March, responsible for defending Scotland's most vulnerable frontier. Their rallying cry "A Home! A Home! A Home!" became legendary on both sides of the border. The clan produced great warriors and politicians who played crucial roles in Anglo-Scottish relations. Their combination of military prowess and political acumen made them essential to Scotland's defense and diplomacy throughout the turbulent Border years.

History of Clan Home

Origins & Founding

The ancient lineage of Clan Home, pronounced and often spelled Hume, stretches back to the noble Anglo-Celtic roots of medieval Scotland and Northumbria, tracing its male-line descent from Cospatric I, Earl of Northumbria, who died after 1073.Cospatric's ancestry intertwined royal Scottish and English bloodlines, descending paternally from Malcolm II, King of Scotland (r. 1005–1034), through his daughter Bethoc's marriage to Crinan, Lay Abbot of Dunkeld. Their son Maldred wed Aldgatha, daughter of Uchtred, Prince of Northumberland and granddaughter of King Ethelred of England, producing Cospatrick, who fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The clan's territorial name emerged in the early 13th century when William of Home, son of Sir Patrick of Greenlaw (second son of Cospatrick III, Earl of Lothian), acquired the lands of Home in Berwickshire through marriage to his second cousin Ada, daughter of Patrick I, Earl of Dunbar. William adopted the surname 'Home' from these lands, becoming the first 'Dominus de Home'—thus founding the clan. The etymology derives from Old English hôm, meaning a place on a hilly outcrop or height, reflecting the topography of their Berwickshire estates.

Earliest records appear in charters: Patrick's witnessing of Melrose Abbey documents in 1166 and 1228, and William's designation as Lord of Greenlaw (d. 1266). By the 14th century, Sir Thomas Home of that Ilk married Nichola, heiress of the Pepdies of Dunglass, securing Dunglass Castle and introducing the clan's quartered arms with three green papingoes (parrots) on silver—one of Scotland's earliest heraldic quarterings.

Key Historical Events

Clan Home wielded immense power in the Scottish Borders, producing eight Wardens of the Eastern March—more than any other family—and dominating Berwickshire politics from the late 15th century until the 18th. In 1402, Sir Alexander Home was captured at the Battle of Homildon Hill, later dying at Verneuil in France (1424) fighting with the Earl of Douglas. His grandson, Sir Alexander Home, became Lord Home in 1473 and Warden c.1475.

The clan backed Prince James' 1488 rebellion against James III, with Alexander Home commanding at Sauchieburn, where the king fell; he was rewarded as 2nd Lord Home and Great Chamberlain. Attainder followed for supporting Perkin Warbeck in 1497, but restoration came via George Home, 4th Lord, who led Borders spearmen against England, dying eve of Pinkie Cleugh (1547). His son, 5th Lord Alexander, recaptured Home lands in 1549 and backed the 1560 Reformation Parliament.

At Flodden (1513), Lord Home achieved early success before heavy losses, including Wedderburn Homes. The direct line ended with the 2nd Earl's death; Sir James Home of Cowdenknowes became 3rd Earl in 1638. Civil wars saw divisions: Wedderburn Homes fell at Dunbar (1650). Homes supported Mary Queen of Scots variably and split in Jacobite risings. Cromwell razed Hume Castle in the 1650s; the Union of the Crowns (1603) ended their March wardenship.

Famous Figures

Chiefly lines boast luminaries. Alexander Home, 2nd Lord (d. post-1506), orchestrated Sauchieburn's victory. George Home, 4th Lord and 1st Earl (d.1547), was a Borders stalwart. Alexander, 5th Lord (d.1570s), championed Reformation.

George Home of Spot became Earl of Dunbar under James VI & I. The Ninewells Homes produced philosopher David Hume (1711–1776), Enlightenment giant. Sir James Home of Cowdenknowes ascended as 3rd Earl. Modern pinnacle: Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, 14th Earl (1903–1995), UK Prime Minister (1963–1964), chief until 1995; succeeded by son David, 15th Earl and current chief.

Alexander Home, 3rd Lord: Battle leader, attainted 1497.
David Hume: Philosopher from cadet branch.
Lord Home of the Hirsel: PM, resided near Coldstream.

Stories & Legends

Border reivers' lore envelops Clan Home as 'peacemakers' amid raids, suppressing lawlessness as Eastern March Wardens. Legends tie to royal descent: from Malcolm II via Cospatrick at Hastings, blending Celtic myth with history—clans as kingly or demigod heirs. The papingoes quartering sparks tales of exotic heiresses and early heraldry magic.

Flodden's pyrrhic glory endures: Lord Home's charge felled English but cost thousands, birthing elegies for Wedderburn slain. Supernatural whispers haunt Dunglass Collegiate Church, built post-Pepdie marriage, with ghostly parrots echoing ancient pacts. Cromwell's sacking of Hume Castle fuels curses on invaders, its ruins brooding over misty Borders. Mary Queen of Scots' era splits families into intrigue-laden loyalties, romanticised in ballads of divided brothers.

Clan Lands & Castles

Core territories span Scottish Borders, especially Berwickshire's eastern March: Home (now Hume), Dunglass, Greenlaw, Cowdenknowes, Spot, Ninewells, Wedderburn.Hume Castle, 13th-century seat near Coldstream, was chief stronghold until Cromwell's destruction; ruins persist. Dunglass Castle, gained via 14th-century marriage, hosted the extant Collegiate Church.

Hirsel House: Post-Cromwell seat near Coldstream.
Cowdenknowes Castle: Home of 3rd Earl's forebears.
Wedderburn Castle: Cadet branch seat, Flodden-linked.
Dunglass: Reformation-era power base.

These strongholds guarded the Anglo-Scottish gridiron, sites of endless skirmishes.

Tartans, Symbols & Traditions

Clan Home's **war cry** is "A Home! A Home! A Home!", echoing Border defiance; Gaelic name Holm.[user query] **Crest badge**: A lion's head erased Proper, crowned Or, holding a key in dexter paw. **Clan badge plant**: Unknown officially, but Borders ties suggest holly or thistle.

Home tartan features ancient-modern variants: green base with navy, black, white stripes—bold Borders weave, originating from William the Lion descendants. Arms quarter Pepdie papingoes: three green parrots on silver, symbolising Dunglass legacy. Traditions include March warden duties, suppressing reivers, and horsemanship—George Home's fatal fall at Pinkie typifies.

Alliances & Rivalries

Homes allied with Dunbars via Ada marriage, quartering Pepdie arms. Douglas ties: Alexander at Verneuil. They opposed Douglases post-1450s, backing James III's foes. Rivalries pitted them against English raiders, leading Pinkie and Flodden.

Feuds scarred Borders: Blackadder and Wedderburn septs entangled local quarrels, yet Homes rose above as peacemakers. Mary Queen of Scots divided kin; Jacobites split further. Marriages forged bonds—e.g., to Frazier, Dunbar. Post-Union, influence waned but chiefly line endured.

Modern Clan

Today, Clan Home thrives via **Clan Home Association** (clan-home.org), preserving heritage with gatherings, research. Chief David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl, leads from Hirsel, Coldstream. Diaspora spans globe: North America, Australia, from Clearances and Empire.

Societies host Highland Games, Borders events; Hume Castle visits revive history. Philosopher David Hume's legacy draws scholars; PM Lord Home inspires politics buffs. Septs—Hume, Blackadder, Wedderburn—unite descendants exploring ancestry via DNA, tours. Built heritage like Dunglass Church endures, drawing tourists to Berwickshire's rolling hills. The clan embodies resilient Borders spirit, from medieval wardens to global legacy.