Origins , from
James Logan's
The Clans of the Scottish Highlands, 1845 (right) and a clansman wearing two different Macpherson tartans The
Scottish Gaelic surname for Macpherson is ''Mac a' Phearsain
which means son of the
parson''. The
Celtic church allowed priests to marry and the progenitor of the chiefs of Clan Macpherson is believed to have been a man named Muireach or Murdo Cattenach who was the priest of
Kingussie in
Badenoch. This Black Chanter is kept at the Clan Macpherson Museum in
Newtonmore.
16th century and Glenlivet Prior to the
Battle of Glenlivet in 1594 which was fought between Protestant forces under the Earl of Argyll and Catholic forces under the Earl of Huntly, Argyll had laid siege to
Ruthven Castle which was well defended by the Clan Macpherson who were
vassals of Huntly's and so Argyll had to give up the siege.
17th century and civil war In 1618 Andrew Macpherson, eighth chief of Clan Macpherson acquired the abbey-castle grange in
Strathisla. Chief
Euan Macpherson of Cluny was a notable leader in the
Jacobite rising of 1745 and fought at the
Clifton Moor Skirmish. After the Jacobite defeat at the
Battle of Culloden, Cluny was able to escape capture by government troops for nine years even though a reward of £1000 was offered for his capture. ==Castles and other buildings==