Origins of the Cathcart Name

Cathcart is a locational name, referring to Cathcart in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Scots pronounced it with the accent on the second syllable. The name is thought to be from the Celtic words 'caer' meaning fort, and the river 'Cart', a tributary of the River Clyde - so the name Cathcart is derived from the Celtic name for a "Fort by the River Cart".

Early History of Cathcart Clan

The earliest appearance of the name Cathcart is found in a register from the year 1178, when Rainaldus de Kethcart was a subscribing witness to a grant by Alan, the son of Walter Dapifer Regis (Walter Fitz-Alan), of the patronage of the church to the monastery of Paisley.

About 1150, David I, King of Scotland, granted Walter Fitz-Alan, a comrade-in-arms from his youth in England, the lands of Renfrewshire and part Ayrshire. King David also appointed Walter Fitz-Alan hereditary High Steward of Scotland. As such, Walter became the progenitor of the Royal house of Stewart. The Fitz-Alan's, were originally from Bretony and were Normans who had settled in Shropshire on the Welsh border.

When Walter moved north from Shropshire, he was accompanied by five "lesser" Knights, all of either Norman-Breton extraction. Among these Knights, all of either Norman-Breton extraction. Among these Knights were Robert de Wallensis, great grandfather of Sir William Wallace, Robert de Brus, great grandfather of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, Raindalus de Kethcart, great grandfather of Sir Alan Cathcart, and the great grandfather of John Ballios, King of Scots.