Clan Sinclair

Clan Sinclair
Clann na Ceàrda or Clan na Ceàrdaich[1]
Crest: A cock rampant
Motto	Commit thy work to God[2]
Slogan	Girnigoe! Girnigoe![3]
Profile
Region	Highlands
District	Caithness
Plant badge	Whin[2]
Pipe music	"The Sinclair's March" (a.k.a. The Red Ribbon)
Chief
The Rt. Hon. Malcolm Ian Sinclair
The 20th Earl of Caithness[2]
Historic seat	Castle Sinclair Girnigoe[4]
Septs of Clan Sinclair Budge,[5] Caird, Clouston, Clyne,[5] Groat,[5] Laird, Linklater, Lyall,[5] Mason, Purdie, Snoddy, Peace, Wares.[5]
Clan branches Earls of Caithness (chiefs) Lords Sinclair Sinclair of Roslin Sinclair of Thurso Sinclair of Keiss Sinclair of Stemster and Dunbeath[6] Sinclair of Murkle[6] Sinclair of Assery[6] Sinclair of Lybster[6] Sinclair of Scotscalder[6] Sinclair of Geise[6] Sinclair of Greenland and Rattar[6] Sinclair of Freswick[6] Sinclair of Mey[6] Sinclair of Ulbster[6] Sinclair of Durran[6] Sinclair of Olrig[6] Sinclair of Dunbeath and Latheron[6] Sinclair Sutherland of Brabster[6] Sinclair of Barrock[6] Sinclair of Stirkoke[6] Sinclair of Dun[6] Sinclair of Southdun[6] Sinclair of Brabsterdorran[6] Sinclair of Forss[6] Sinclair of Achingale and Newton[6] Sinclairs of Lybster, Reay[6] Sinclairs of Hoy and Oldfield[6] See also: Sinclair of Herdmanston Sinclair baronets
Allied clans Clan Sutherland (18th century)
Rival clans Clan Sutherland (16th century) Murray of Aberscross Clan Gunn Clan Campbell

Clan Sinclair (Scottish Gaelic: Clann na Ceàrda [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ nə ˈkʲaːrˠt̪ə]) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness.

The Sinclairs are believed to have come from Normandy to England during the Norman conquest of England, before arriving in Scotland in the 11th century. The Sinclairs supported the Scottish Crown during the Scottish–Norwegian War and the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The chiefs were originally Barons of Roslin, Midlothian and William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and Baron of Roslin founded the famous Rosslyn Chapel in the 15th century. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster"), who inherited the title of Lord Sinclair,^{[note 1]} instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness, in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair.

In the 16th century the Sinclairs fought against England during the Anglo-Scottish Wars and also feuded with their neighbors the Clan Sutherland. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Sinclairs supported the Jacobite cause, but during the Jacobite rising of 1745, while the clan largely had Jacobite sympathies, their chief, the Earl of Caithness, supported the British-Hanoverian Government.

The current chief is Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness.

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