!SOURCE: William Matheson, "The MacLeods of Lewis," TRANSACTIONS OF
THE GAELIC SOCIETY OF INVERNESS, Vol. LI (1978-1980), Inverness,
Scotland, 1981, pp. 320-337 (328-329).
Norman (?). According to the Morrison MSS, he flourished at the
beginning of the sixteenth century, and was brother to the chief of the
MacLeods of Lewis. As his sons were grown men in 1506, it would seem
that the chief in question was Roderick (VII), an account of whom
follows. Norman and members of his family are said to have occupied
the lands of Hacklete in Bernera, Earshader on the mainland opposite,
Pabbay and Baile na Cille. It is also said that his wife belonged to Skye
and that he had the following sons:
(a) Norman (Tormod Og) in Baile na Cille,
(b) Torquil
(c) William
(d) Allan
(e) and Ranald.
Two generations later Hacklete had as tenant a MacLeod known as
Tormod mac Dhonnchaidh an t-Sròim (Norman son of Duncan of Strome),
who may have been a descendant, but material is lacking for a connected
genealogy. However, there are many families sitll in Lewis, formerly
distinguished as Clann Thormoid, who claim descent from Norman
MacLeod. There is reason to believe that John MacLeod of Colbecks,
planter in Jamaica, was a descendant, despite his own account of his
ancestry, when matriculating arms as chief of the Lewis MacLeods in
1762. He was a son of Donald, son of John MacLeod (Iain mac Thorcaill),
tacksman of Hacklete. Donald had a brother Murcoch (Murchadh mac Iain
mhic Thorcaill), born in 1690, and the MacLeods now in Lewis whose
ancestry can be trace back to this family are descendants of Murdoch''s
son Malcolm, tacksman of Scaliscro, Little Loch Roag. There are other
families, particularly in the Carloway area, who are of Clann Thormoid,
though not descended from John MacLeod (Iain mac Thorcaill), tacksman
of Hacklete.
This branch of the MacLeods, for reasons unknown, seem to have been
constantly at variance with the rest of the clan in Lewis. There is
evidence that, like the Morison of Ness, they sided with the invading
army of the Earl of Huntly in 1506, and this patter of behaviour was
apprently repeated a century laterwhen the role of invaders was
assumed by the MacKenzies. They had their reward in being allowed to
retain their status as tacksmen under thenew dispensation, the only
MacLeods to do so except the MacLeods of Garrabost, who seem to have
been closely related.
!SOURCE: Alick Morrison, THE MACLEODS: THE GENEALOGY OF A CLAN,
Section IV, Revised Edition, "The MacLeods of Lewis", Edinburgh,
Associated Clan MacLeod Societies, 1990, p. 4.
He figures in the Morrison MSS [Morrison MSS vol. 1.] He held lands in
Hacklete, Earshader, Pabbay and Baille na Cille. His wife came from
Skye and they had issue.
Later generations are confused, but many Macleod families in Lewis
claim descent from the Clann Thormoid. John Macleod of Colbecks who
sought to matriculate arms as chief of the Macleods of Lewis in 1762
belonged to this family; he was a son of Donald, son of John, son of
Torquil, tacksman of Hacklete. [Matheson, TGSI (LI) p. 329, nn. 65-70.]
Another branch descends from Malcolm, son of Murdo, tacksman of
Scaliscro. [Ibid.] For some unclear reason Norman''s family was always
at odds with the chiefly line. Like the Morrisons, they supported the Earl
of Huntley''s invading army in 1506. They sided with MacKenzie a century
later, which perhaps explains their survival in such numbers.
!SOURCE: Ibid., p. 15.
Clann Thormoid was the former description of many still extant
families in Lewis who claimed descent from Old Norman MacLeod (also
known as Tormod Mor) [Matheson, TGSI (XLVIII) p. 417 & p. 432 n. 76.] of
the island of Pabbay in Loch Roag. It is claimed that Old Norman rceived
a tack of this island from his brother, the chief of Lewis, who has
sometimes been identified with Old Rory/Roderick MacLeod, X of Lewis.
However, the traditions concerning Old Norman''s family have led the Rev.
William Matheson to identify the chief, with great probability, as
Roderick Macleod, VII of Lewis.
Although much information exists relevant to the genealogy of the
Clann Thormoid, an authentic pedigree linking Old Norman to his
present-day descendants does not seem to have been preserved. This is
unfortunate since it leaves uncertain the relative seniority of the
various families within this group, and there is a strong tradition that,
given the extinction of the legitimate descendants of Old Rory of Lewis,
the Clann Thormoid represents the chiefly line of the MacLeods of Lewis.
This claim has to face the opposition fo the MacLeod Chiefs of Raasay,
the present representative of which, Torquil Roderick Macleod, was
recently recognised by Lord Lyon as Chief and Baronial Head of the House
of Macleod of the Lewes.
Before dealing with some of the families descended from the Clann
Thormoid it seems appropriate to give an account of the immediate
family of Old Norman himself.
I. Old Norman
Old Norman, also known as Tormod Mor, was the brother of the Chief of
Lewis, probably Roderick, VII of Lewis, [Matheson, TGSI (LI) pp.
328-329.] who died c. 1497. According to tradition the Chief "allowed
the whole rental of the parish ofUig for the support of his brother
Norman and his family". [Thomas, PSAS (XIV) p. 388.] Norman resided on
the island of Pabbay in Loch Roag, and other members of his family are
associated with Baile na Cille (on the shore of Camas Uig), the lands of
Hacklete in teh island of Great Bernera (in Loch Roag) and Barshader on
the opposite mainland. [Matheson, TGSI (LI) p. 329; Thomas, PSAS (XIV)
p. 388.] Old Norman''s wife is said to have been a MacDonald from Skye
[MGC (IV), 1st Edition, p. 19; Thomas, PSAS (XIV) p. 396.] and is
traditionally blamed for inciting her sons to massacre the sons of Dugald
MacAulay, who owned the farms of Berry (or Reef), Valtos and Kneep, in
revenge for an unjury done to their father. Old Norman had at least six
sons [Thomas, PSAS (IXV) pp. 395-396 & p. 396 n. 1.], but tradtion has
preserved the names of only five of them.
Tradition would have us believe that Old Norman was spared by John
Roy MacAulay and thus outlived his sons. If so, the succession would
have passed to the family of his eldest son, Norman Og.