Origin of the Name
From a Lothian lands of Keth Gaelic Names

Motto
Dexter, Quae amissa salva (What has been misplaced is safe) Sinister, Veritas vincit (Truth conquers) On compartment, Thay say: quhat it say: thay haif sayed: let thame say

Slogan
The Keith

Pipe Music

Crests

Tartans

Plant Badge
White Rose

Arms

Chief
Michael Canning William John Keith, Thirteenth Earl of Kintore

Clan Seat
Keith Hall estate inside Aberdeenshire

Branches

Septs of Clan Keith
Austin Cate(s) Dickson Dix(s)on Dick Falconer Faulkner Harvey Hackston Haxton Hervey Hurrie Hurry Keath Keech Keeth Keyth, Kite Lumgair MacKeith Marshall Urie Urry

History
A Keiths derive their title from either a barony of Keith in East Lothian, said to have been granted by Malcolm II, king of Scotland, to a member of a home for services against the Danes. a professional of swell marishal of Scotland, subsequently hereditary in a Keith personal, can use at times been conferred at the equivalent period; for it was confirmed, together sustaining possession of the lands of Keith, to Sir Robert Keith by a charter of King Robert the Bruce, and appears to use at times been held equally annexed to the land per tenure of grand serjeanty. Sir Robert Keith commanded a Scottish horse at Bannockburn, and was flushed at a Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346. At a close of a 14th century Sir William Keith, by exchange of lands by using Lord Lindsay, found the crag of Dunnottar in Kincardineshire, where he built a castle of Dunnottar, which became a fastness of his descendent. He died astir 1407. Inside 1430 a later Sir William Keith was created Lord Keith, & two or three years subsequently earl marishal, & these titles remained in the personal till 1716. William, for earl marishal (died 1581), was one of a defender of Mary Queen of Scots during her minority, and was the member of her privy council in her go to to Scotland. When refraining from either extreme partiality, he was an disciple of a Reformation; he retired into personal life at Dunnottar Castle astir 1567, thereby gaining the moniker "William of the Tower." He was reputed to exist as a man of means within Scotland. His firstborn girl Anne married a regent Murray.

His grandson George, Fifth earl marishal (c. 1553-1623), was one of a virtually all polite men of his instance. He was educated at King's College, Aberdeen, where he became a proficient classical scholar, afterwards studying divinity under Theodore Beza at Geneva. He was the firmly Protestant, & took an active section in the affairs of the kirk. His high character & abilities procured him a appointment of favorite ambassador to Denmark to arrange the marriage of James VI with the Princess Anne. He was after listed in the total of crucial commissions; however he favorite literature to public affairs, & astir 1620 he retired to Dunnottar, where he died inside 1623. He is mainly remembered when a founder around 1593 of the Marischal College in the university of Aberdeen, which he richly endowed. From either an uncle he inherited a title of Lord Altrie astir 1590.

William, Seventh earl marishal (c. 1617-1661), took a large section around the Civil War, existence at 1st the leader of the covenanting person in nor'-east Scotl&, and the virtually all right opponent of the Marquess of Huntly. He cooperated using Montrose around Aberdeenshire & neighboring counties against a Gordons. By having Montrose he signed a Bond of Cumbernauld in August 1640, but took there is no active steps against a popular person till 1648, when he joined a Duke of Hamilton within his invasion of England, throw off a rout at Preston. Around 1650 Charles II was entertained by a marishal at Dunnottar; & witharound 1651 the Scottish regalia were left for safe keeping in his castle. Taken captive in the equivalent month, he was committed to the Tower & was excluded from either Cromwell's Act of Grace. He was processed a privy council member at the Restoration & died around 1661.

Sir John Keith (died 1714), brother of a Seventh earl marishal, was, at a Restoration, given the hereditary professional of knight marishal of Scotl&, and around 1677 was created Earl of Kintore, & Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith-Hall, a reward for his part around preserving a regalia of Scotland, which were secretly conveyed from either Dunnottar to a second hiding-place, while the castle was besieged by Cromwell's troops, & which Sir John, hazardously to himself, swore he got carried overseas & delivered to Charles II, so preventing farther research. From either him come descended a earls of Kintore.

George, 10th earl marishal (c. 1693-1778), served under Marlborough, & comparable his brother Francis, Marshal Keith, was the eager Jacobite, participate in the rising of 1715, after which he escaped to the continent. In the below month he was attainted, his estates & titles existence forfeited to the Crown. He lived for numbers of years within Spain, where he caring himself sustaining Jacobite intrigues, however he took there is no section in the rebellion of 1745, proceeding about that month to Prussia, where he became, such as his brother, intimate by owning Frederick the Great. Frederick listed him within many diplomatic posts, & he is said to stand conveyed worthful facts to the Earl of Chatham, as a reward for which he received a pardon from either George II, and returned to Scotland within 1759. His heir male, within whom, however for a civil death of 1716, his titles would keep around devolved, was apparently his cousin-german Alexander Keith of Ravelston, to whom a attainted earl got sold the castle & lands of Dunnottar in 1766. From either Alexander Keith was descended, through a female line, Sir Patrick Keith Murray of Ochtertyre, world health organization sold the estates of Dunnottar & Ravelston. When the civil death of 1716 a right of the Keiths of Ravelston to become recognized when the representatives of the earls marishal was disputed by Robert Keith (1681-1757), bishop of Fife, a member of a second indirect branch of the personal. the bishop was a writer of occasionally reputation, his principal operate, A History of the Affairs of the Church & State of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1734), existence of considerable value for the reigns of James V, James VI, and Mary Queen of Scots. He as well published the Catalogue of the Bishops of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1755) & more less crucial historical & theological works.

Robert Keith (died 1774), descended from either the immature boy of the & earl marishal, was British minister inside Vienna in 1748, and afterward held more significant diplomatic appointments, existence known to his many friends, among whom were a leading men of letters of his period, when "Ambassador Keith." His boy, Sir Robert Murray Keith (1730-1795), get on Lord George Sackville's staff at the battle of Minden. He became colonel of a regiment (the 87th foot) called Keith's Highlanders, world health organization won distinction inside the continental wars, however were disbanded in 1763; he was then listed in the diplomatic service, where he achieved considerable profits by his honesty, bravery, & noesis of languages. Around 1781 he became lieutenant-general; in 1789, he was made the privy council member.

From either a Keith personal through the female line was descended George Keith Elphinstone, Baron Keith of Stonehaven, Marishal and subsequently Viscount Keith, whose titles became out at a dying of his girl Margaret, Baroness Keith, inside 1867.

Understand Calendar of Documents on to Scotland, edited by J. Bain (Iv vols., Edinburgh, 1881-1888); Peter Buchan, An Account of the Ancient & Noble Personal of Keith (Edinburgh, 1828); Memoirs & Correspondence of Sir Robert Murray Keith, edited by Mrs. Gillespie Smyth (London, 1849); John Spalding, Memorialls of the Trubles around Scotland, 1624-1645 (Two vols., Spalding Club Publ. Xxi, Twenty-three, Aberdeen, 1850-1851); Sir Robert Douglas, A Baronage of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1813); G.E.C., Complete Peerage, vol. 4 (London, 1892).