Mowat Clan

Mowat (Mouat) Clan Crest: The battlement of a castle Or, issuant therefrom a demi warrior armed and accoutred Proper, holding in his dexter hand a sword Proper hilted and pommelled Or, and in his sinister a flag staff thereon hoisted a banner Vert fringed and charged with an antique crown Or.

Mowat (Mouat) Clan Motto: Monte Alto (On a high mountain).

Mowat Clan History: The first recorded member of this family in Scotland is Robert de Montealto, who came from Wales, where the family had first settled having accompanied William the Conqueror from France in 1066. Robert de Montealto is believed to have been of Norman origin, and to  have come to Scotland at the invitation of David I, acquiring lands at Ferne in Angus during the reign of William the Lion. A Bernard de Mowat accompanied Alexander III's daughter Princess Margaret to Norway in the 13th century, but on the return journey the ship was wrecked and all of the passengers were drowned.

William de Montealto was a signatory of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, and was killed at the siege of Norham Castle seven years later.

Traditionally, there had been a long-standing feud between the Mowats of Abergeldie and the Camerons of Brux. To put an end to further hostilities it was agreed that the two sides should meet in combat at the hill of Dumgandrum near Brux. The plan was to fight with twelve horsemen on each side but, in the event, the Mowats arrived with two men on each horse and Cameron of Brux, his two sons, and most of their men were slaughtered. Cameron of Brux left only one daughter, her suitor, a son of Lord Forbes, later killed Mowat of Abergeldie in single combat at Glenbucket.

Sir Oliver Mowat (1820-1903), born in Kingston, Ontario, was the son of John Mowat from Canisbay, Caithness. He was Premier of Ontario from 1872 to 1903.

Surname distribution in Scotland: The Mowat or Mowatt name is most commonly found in Orkney, Caithness, Shetland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire (includes all of Kincardineshire and part of Banffshire), Moray (includes large parts of historic Banffshire), Dundee City, Angus (Forfarshire) and the Western Isles.

Places of Interest: Hatton Castle near Turriff in Aberdeenshire. These lands were acquired by the Mowatts in the 13th century, and held by them until 1723, when they were sold to the Duff Family. In the 15th century, the Mowatts built Balquholly Castle here, but when the Duffs acquired the estate, they built Hatton Castle on the original site. 

Clan Mowat membership certificates.