These instructions and conditions
are here to ensure an equal and helpful service to all clan members,
so please follow them and use the link provided below rather than
sending genealogical enquiries to the Chief or directly to the
Genealogist.
Please also remember that the more you can help us, by taking the time to
give us full details in your initial enquiry,
the more we may be able to help you; though success cannot be guaranteed
in any case.
Project MAOL is run by professional genealogist Graeme Mackenzie, whose grandmother was a Macmillan, and the clan pays him part-time, through the Clan Centre in Scotland, to help clanspeople trace their M'millan or Septname ancestors. The amount of Graeme's time that the clan can afford to pay for is however very limited - so also therefore is the free help and advice that he can offer clanspeople who are not members of Clan MacMillan International or of one of the Clan MacMillan branches and societies around the world that contribute to the support of the Clan Centre. You can get the best service from Graeme (including free searches of the Clan Centre's Family History Archive, free forwarding of any information found, and substantially reduced rates on professional genealogical research by him into records elsewhere) by joining Clan MacMillan International - and in the process you'll be getting to know other clanspeople who share your heritage and enthusiasm for family history. See CMI membership. Graeme will try however to help non-members as well, as and when time permits.
Project MAOL needs input from clanspeople, so particularly full submissions of family histories to the Clan Centre by non-CMI members may be reciprocated by free copies of any related information held in the Family History Archive; and in any case, no genealogical enquiry will be considered - including those from CMI members - unless it contains enough basic information about the M'millan or septname ancestor in question to make a search worthwhile (for which see below How to Make an Enquiry).
Where an enquirer does not have enough specific data to make a search of the Clan Centre archive worthwhile, or where a search finds no relevant information, Graeme will always try to assist the enquirer with advice about how to obtain the necessary information elsewhere; but once again his time is limited and priority will be given to paid-up members of a Clan MacMillan branch or society, and especially to members of CMI.
The following charges will normally apply to non-CMI members for searching the Family History Archive, and then for forwarding any relevant data found in it:
SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION:
For members of a Clan MacMillan branch/society supporting the Centre
through the "Conclave Challenge": UK £10 or US $20.
For non-members of a Clan MacMillan branch or society supporting the
Centre: UK £15 or US $30.
FOWARDING INFORMATION:
For members of a branch/society supporting the Centre: UK £1 or US
$2 per generation found, plus copying & postage costs.
For non-members of a branch/society supporting the Centre: UK £3 or
US $6 per generation, plus copying & postage costs.
Payments for charges should be made out to "Clan MacMillan Centre" and sent to the address given below.
Firstly, have you checked the
Project MAOL Search Index for
your ancestor(s), and have you considered in doing so - and at all stages
of your research - the question of dates outlined in the
Project MAOL Guidelines, and of
Spellings.
If you do find an entry in the Project MAOL Search Index and wish to apply
to us for any further information we may have please be sure to send us
all of the information in the Search Index relating to whoever you're
enquiring about so we can be sure we have the right person.
Naturally no search charge applies if you've found your ancestor in the
Search Index, but the charges to non-CMI members for the forwarding of
data from the Project MAOL Master File or paper files will normally apply.
Secondly, if your ancestor is not found in the PM
Search Index please make sure you provide the following details - without
which we cannot guarantee to respond in any way to your enquiry, still
less to do a search for you:
Minimum: Name and at least one date - of birth, marriage or death
- along with a place where the person lived at some time.
Plus any or all of: Name of spouse; names of children (preferably
in order of birth); occupations; other places of residence; known
siblings; traditions about family origins etc.
Thirdly, please remember to supply your own details: i.e. Name, postal address (even when corresponding by email); any membership of a Clan MacMillan society or branch (if applicable).
Click here to email your enquiry to us, or send it by snailmail to Clan MacMillan Centre, Finlaystone, Langbank, PA14 6TJ, Scotland.
Please be patient when looking for a reply since there are thousands of M'millans in the world, many of whom are contacting us with enquiries; and remember that paid-up members get priority.
M'millan Genealogy Homepage | Project MAOL Introduction