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Andersons in Aberdeenshire and North Buchan Parishes.
ANDERSON,
as a family name in Scotland,is of considerable antiquity and is one of the most common, ranking as it does ninth in the order of frequency amongst Scottish names. In its origin the name may be regarded as purely Scottish, as although it is found in other countries, it has in Scotland special reference to Saint Andrew, the national patron saint. This is borne by the fact that most of the Anderson families entitled to carry arms bear as the chief charge on their shield a St. Andrews cross, generally in the form of an engrailed saltire. The christian name Andrew, from which the surname is derived, was in former days regarded with much popular favour, a circumstance that may be attributed either to the name being deemed one of good omen, or to the veneration of the people for the saint. It is thus apparent how the name Andrew, in that period when surnames were unknown, was largely adopted, and how, as the necessity for surnames arose, “Andrews sons” or Andersons are found at an early period widely distributed throughout the country.
There are two main divisions of the family in Scotland - those of Lowland Scottish descent and those of Celtic origin. It is difficult to draw any particular distinguishing line, but the
former of the divisions would naturally be limited to those branches whose ancestors were connected with the lowlands of Scotland and the counties along the east coast, probably as far north as Aberdeenshire. The
other division of the family, it is said, had its origin in the old Clan Anrias or Andres, of which is an offshoot. Very little is known of the history of this clan. It was in its day very powerful, and its
territory was situated in the north-east of the County of Ross, having the Dornach Firth on the north and the territory of the Clan MacKenzie on the south. According to the old pedigrees, the MacKenzies were
connected to the Clan Anrias. They were also, it is said, vassals of this territory and power. The clan appears to have been submerged, and lost sight of, in the later Clan Ross, by which the name has long been
known, although as late as 1587 and 1594 it was styled Clan Anrias in Acts of Parliament.
The period of separation of the Andersons as an offshoot of Clan Anriads is not known, and in the view of the lapse of time it would seem impossible to establish definitely any such
origin, at the same time there seems no reason to doubt it, as not only has it been a long cherished tradition, but it also has the weight of the leading authorities on Celtic Scotland. The Andersons of Candacraig
have always been regarded as the chief of the sept sprung from the Clan Anrias, and the tradition of their Celtic descent has long been maintained by them. It is also claimed by them, and for the sept as a whole,
that they are of the aboriginal race of Scotland. Whatever may be the actual facts, it is interesting to record what the family claims and traditions are, and it is in keeping with these traditions that there should
be an Anderson Tartan. There are other Highland families whose surname bear the name Andrew in common with the Andersons - the MacAndrew, (regarded as a sept of the Clan Chatton.), the MacGillanders and the
Gillanders families, but whether their connection with the Andersons is only nominal it is difficult to say. Of all these septs, however, the Andersons predominate.
As it has been stated, the Andersons are found widely distributed throughout Scotland at an early period, and there was probably no county in which the family is not represented, Before
1600 there were many outstanding branches of the name, but after the beginning of the seventeenth century a few Anderson families became prominent as landowners in different parts of the country. In Aberdeenshire,
where the Andersons have been largely represented, the principal branch was that already mentioned, the Andersons of Candacraig in Strathdon. It is said they held the estate of Candacraig for ten
generations, and did not part with it until 1865, when it was acquired by Sir Charles of Newe.
Other families of prominence in the county were the Andersons of Milton of Noth, Ardoyne, Bourtie, Comelegy, Dunbennan, Finshaugh or Finzeauch in Monymusk, Tillirie in Fintray and
Tillymorgan.
Representatives of the Andersons of Candacraig, who as mentioned are the chief of the sept sprung from the Clan Anrias, are said to be widely scattered over the northern counties,
but are most numerous in that their reputed chieftain. But not all Aberdeenshire families of the name are of Celtic descent. In the Burgh of Inverurie and adjoining districts, Andersons are found about the
middle of the fifteenth century, and the old records seem to point to their belonging to the Lowland division of the family. The records mention the Anderson’s in Inverurie first under the name of Andrew, and show
the gradual transition of that name to Anderson, thus implying Scottish, as distinct from Gaelic, origin.
In the valuable compilation known as the Aberdeenshire Poll Book, containing a “ List of Pollable Persons within the shire of Aberdeen.” In 1696, the names of practically the whole
inhabitants of the county ( except for children under the age of sixteen years.) are mentioned, and it is computed that there are no less than 768 males and heads of families then bearing the name Anderson in the
county.Representatives of the family are found in almost every parish, the chief exceptions being the Deeside parishes of Glentanner, Glenmuick, Glengairn, Crathie and Glendrochat (Braemar). While there were no
Andersons in these Upper Deeside parishes, curiously enough the name is found under form of MacAndrew, a number of families of that surname then residing there, as also a few families of the name Gillanders. The
Poll Book shows that in 1696 the nderson predominated chiefly on Donside, in the central parishes of Aberdeenshire, and in the Strathbogie and Buchan areas.
In the north of Buchan parishes with which the Andersons of Phingask were connected, not a few branches were found, in the 1696 Poll Book in the parishes of Fraserburgh, Rathen, Tyrie,
Pitsligo, Aberdour Strichen, Lonmay and Crimond. In Fraserburgh where representatives of the family are found at the beginning of the seventeenth century, there were in 1696 seven males bearing the name, four of
whom were farmers on the lands of Techmuirie in the detached portion proper of the parish of Rathen. In the eighteenth century the principal branches of the family in the Fraserburgh parish were the Andersons of
Phingask and the Andersons of Cairn of Pitblae, a branch which had its origin in the parish of Rathen. A later branch settled as farmers in Lochpots, Fraserburgh.
There were Andersons in the parish of Rathen in the beginning of the seventeenth century. In the Poll Book there were only two males referred to in 1696, Alexander Anderson of
Corthiebrae and Alexander Anderson of Overtoun. Traditions connect the Corthiebrae with another branch of long residence in the parish of Strichen the “ Limey Andersons ” . In 1703 the Rev. James Anderson was
ordained as minister of the parish. He appears to have belonged to the Garioch district. He had two sons, Thomas, who was minister at Aberdour in 1734, and James, who was appointed colleague and successor to his
father in Rathen in 1738. The Principal of the later branches of Rathen were the Andersons of Upper Newton and their descendants in Redhouse of Rathen, representatives of whom settled in the towns of Fraserburgh and
Peterhead.
There are no records showing an early settlement of the family in the parish of Tyrie, but the Poll Book mentions the names of nine Andersons resident there in 1696, seven males and two
females. It is believed that some of the branches of the family in Tyrie had their own origin in the parish of Pitsligo, and that some descendants found their way to Strichen and surrounding areas. The principal
families in Tyrie were the Andersons in Whitewell and the Andersons “Tackmen” of the Mill of Boyndlie. There was a close relationship between these two branches, and several other families in the neighborhood were
connected to them, such as the Killywharn Andersons in Aberdour and their descendants the Phingask Andersons. The “LIMEY ANDERSONS”, and the Andersons of Burnshangie ( both Strichen branches ) were also related
to them, but the actual connection of the several branches have not yet been established.
Andersons are found in the parish of Pitsligo very soon after the beginning of the seventeenth century, In 1696 there were three heads of families of the name, and also three females who
had been married in the parish. In the eighteenth century the Andersons in Barnyards of Pitsligo and their descendants were the chief branch, Dr. William Anderson, who was a medical practitioner in the district
fornearly fifty years, being its most prominent representative.
The Poll Book records the names of four Andersons in the parish of Aberdour in the year of 1696. The principal family latterly was the Killywharn branch from which the Andersons of
Phingask are descendants. As already stated the Killywharn branch was connected with the Andersons in the Mill of Boyndlie, Tyrie.
It is a remarkable fact that, in a parish where after 1700 the family of Anderson came to be largely represented, there should be in 1696 only one of the name, and he seemingly a youth.
In the parish of Strichen were this circumstances occurs, the Poll Book shows that in 1696 the only representative was John Anderson, who was engaged as a herd, at a fee of 5 merks per annum, to Arthur Ramsey,
tenant of Oldmill of Strichen. It seems strange that it should be so, as the Strichen Parish Registers mention three Andersons prior to 1696. It is clear, however that after 1700 there must have been an immigration
of Andersons into the parish, as in the course of the eighteenth century the Andersons abounded more largely in Strichen than any other parish in the vicinity. The Principal Strichen branches of the family
were the Andersons of Burnshangie ( of whom Sir Alexander Anderson, Lord Provest of Aberdeen, 1859 to 1865, was the most prominent member.), the “Limey Andersons”, the Andrsons of Backhill ( who were originally
connected to Aberdour.), and the Andersons of Meadowhill.
There are no indications when the Andersons first settled in the parish of Lonmay, but in 1696 three males were mentioned in the Poll Book and one female who was married. The principal
branch of the family in Lonmay was that long settled in Cairness. In the parish of Crimond, Andersons had settled early in the seventeenth century.
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