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The McMillans of Brockloch were almost certainly descendants of Caine, great-grandson of Gilchrist "Maolan" the clan's namefather, who is documented in Galloway in 1273 as Cane Mcgillolane in Devorgilla Balliol's charter for Sweetheart Abbey. Cainn (the version of his name appearing in the MS1467 genealogy of the M'millans) is a phonetic form of Cathan, and indicates the early M'millans' membership of the original Clann Ghille-Chathain; i.e. Clan Chattan [see Graeme M. Mackenzie, "For Ever Unfortunate - The Original Clan Chattan" in Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Vol. LXI (1998-2000), pages 332-370].
The patronymic "Mac'illollan" (a phonetic form of MacGhille-Fhaolain - "Devotee of Saint Fillan") is the first record in Galloway of the surname McLellan - the later bearers of which were cousins of the McMillans who in the 15th and 16th centuries become one of the leading clans in the region [see Graeme M. Mackenzie, "Origins of the MacLellans" in The Scottish Genealogist, Vol. XLIX (March 2002), pages 9-18 - reprinted in D. R. Torrance, "The McClellans in Galloway", 2nd edition published 2003 by Scottish Genealogy Society]. Members of Clann Channain (descendants of Caine) were later to be found in the areas of Galloway where the McMillans and McLellans had their lands (principally the Glenkens) calling themselves McCan or McKane and (A)Cannan, while nearby were to be found other members of Clann an Mhaoil (descendants of Maolan) bearing the surname Amulligan/Milliken, from Ap Maoligain ("son of the little tonsured one").
Click here to see map showing that part of Galloway inhabited by the McMillans and their cousins
The first appearance in Galloway of the surname "M'millan" came in about 1313 when one Gylebricht McMalene (Gilbert McMillan) was deprived by Robert the Bruce of his lands in the Glenkens for supporting the Balliols. He could have been a son of Caine, or perhaps more likely a grandson - maybe a son of the Maolmuire mac Caine who appears in the MS1467 genealogy, and who is documented in 1263 in Dumbarton bearing the surname MacMolan. Caine's son Donald, who appears in a list of the great barons of Scotland in 1290 as Douenald le fit Can (Donald fitz Cane - "fitz" being the Norman-French for "son of"), was one of the two or three most important native Balliol supporters in Galloway, and his capture at the Battle of the River Dee in 1308 was so important that he's mentioned by name - as Donald McCan - in Barbour's epic history of The Bruce. Other sons and grandsons of Caine also appear on the record in Galloway, some bearing more early versions of the surname McLellan; but no more McMillans are recorded until Thomam McMolyn who's described in 1377 as an adherant of Archibald Douglas lord of Galloway.
The McMillans' adherance to the Douglas cause in their fatal rebellion of 1455 is traditionally supposed to have led to great loss of land and power for the clan in Galloway - in contrast to their cousins the McLellans who sided with the king and consequently emerged as among the great beneficiaries of the downfall of the Black Douglases. When the McMillans do reappear on the record later in the 15th century they're mostly confined to the wilder and less fertile upper reaches of Glenken, while the McLellans have the richer lowlands around Kirkcudbright. The McMillans' seat at this time would appear to have been Earlston Castle, which one John Makmulane in Glenken was assesed for tax on in 1490. He is probably the same man as Johanne Makmulane of Arindavacht (Arndarroch) who had his horse stolen in around 1507 by John Gordon of Lochinvar. From this time on the McMillans in the Glenkens are recorded as followers and relatives by marriage of the Gordons and the Griersons who became the leading landowners in the upper Glenkens in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The McMillans of Arndarroch - a place not far from Earlston Castle - seem to have been the leading branch of the clan in Galloway in the 16th century; and the famous antiquarian and heraldic historian Alexander Nesbit, writing in the 18th century, says that he saw charters their ancestors had as "Barons of Ken". Nisbet provides the first record of the arms borne by the chiefs of the Galloway McMillans - those shown above - and although he doesn't assign them to any particular family they appear to be the same arms as those depicted on Brockloch McMillan's gravestone of 1725 in the Carsphairn burial ground. Andrew McMillan in Arndarroch appears on the record in 1565 as a witness, and in 1582 he obtains royal letters of legitimation for his son William. In 1586 a Fergus McMillan in Arndarroch appears, but the first record of the family having a charter for their lands is in 1592 when Joannem M'Millane is infeudated in the three merk lands of Arndaroch at the same time as Donaldum Makmillane receives a charter for the half merk of Auchingorroch (presumed mistranscription of Knochingorroch).
Donald McMillan of Knockengorroch was the son of John McMillan in Brockloch who first appears in 1584 as the widower of Geillis Grierson, and his marriage connection with the Griersons of Lag shows that his family were already an important one within the Galloway clan - and probably in fact a branch of the Arndarroch family. This first recorded McMillan holding the lands of Brockloch (though here merely it would appear as as a tenant) may have been the son of the John who in 1552/3 is installed in the lands of "le Recht Ile" as the son and heir of the deceased John McMillan. Though "Le Recht Ile" is not far from Brockloch, it's even closer to - indeed probably at one included or formed part of - the lands of the Holm of Daltallochan, which in 1588 were inherited from George McMillan by his son Fergus. The name Fergus, which appeared in the Arndarroch family in 1586, also appears in 1612 among the children of Donald McMillan of Knockengorroch, and it appears pretty certain that at this time all these McMillan families holding lands in the north of the Glenkens are closely related.
In 1612 a charter was drawn up by Sir William Grierson of Lag which granted the lands of Brockloch in liferent to Donald McMillan of Knockengorroch, and in fee to his eldest son John McMillan. Though there is apprently a note on that document saying that it was never executed, Donald McMillan does appear in 1613 as "of Brockloch" (rather than "in Brockloch, indicating he was the laird of these lands and not just a tenant in them), and John McMillan is similarly designated in 1633. Since the lands of Knockengorroch went to Donald's younger son James, it appears that Brockloch was the most important holding, and from this John can be traced the succeeding generations of the McMillans of Brockloch. Since however there were at least four, and more likely (as given on the accompanying trees) six John McMillans of Brockloch in succession between 1633 and the mid-1700s, their exact descent is still a matter of conjecture, and further research on them continues.
It's hoped that some firm conclusions will eventually be reached and published in due course in Volume Two of Graeme Mackenzie's new history of Clan MacMillan - for the progress of which watch the news pages of this website. Advance extracts of this ongoing work will be published fom time to time in the Clan MacMillan International Magazine - and the November 2003 edition contains a more detailed explanation of our knowledge to that date - along with the printed family tree which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. For magazine subscription details please click here.
Printed family tree of the McMillans of Brockloch
The male line of the McMillans of Brockloch died out in the 18th century when the heiress of the family, Marion McMillan, married David McMillan of the Holm of Dalquhairn, thus taking the chiefship of the Galloway branch of the clan into that family. It remained with them until the death of John Goldie McMillan in the mid-twentieth century, when he was succeeded as the laird of Holm by his daughter Susan McMillan Seed.
On-line genealogy of McMillans of Brockloch | On-line genealogy of McMillans of Holm of Dalquhairn