!SOURCE: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, PEERAGE OF SCOTLAND, 1764,
p. 568.
The progenitors of the house of MacKay were settled, and had
considerable possession in the northern counties of Scotland, as early as
the reign of king Alexander II. who succeeded to the crown, anno 1214.
A learned author, who wrote the history of the earls of Sutherland, in a
very elegant manner, says, that before they had the sirname of MacKay,
there were called the clan Wic-Worgan.
Other authors are of the opinion, that one Alexander, son of Ochonacker,
came from Ireland to Scotland, about the end of the 12th century, settled
in the northern parts, and was progenitor of the clan MacKay.
The traditional account of the family is, that Alexander, a younger son
of John, first of the family of Forbes, was the immediate ancestor of
this noble family. This seems probable, as in many authentic writs they
are designed MacKay alias Forbes, and sometimes there are Forbeses
alias MacKay.