History of the Dalrymple Clan
The Dalrymple name originates from an area of mid Ayrshire in Scotland known as Kyle. How this area and the people acquired the name is far from clear but options include
derivations of the phrase dale of the crooked pool
a description of an historical event valley of the slaughter of kings
a geographical description of the valley.
The first known written record of the Dalrymple name dates from the 14th century, and is contained in part of a charter dating from 1371, during the reign of Robert II. This charter contains references to three generations of the Dalrymple family.
It was during the 16th century that the family is known to have started to acquire land. In 1540 William de Dalrymple married Agnes Kennedy, who was the grand daughter of Malcolm de Carrick de Stair. The result of this union meant that the Dalrymple family gained the lands that had belonged to the Stair of Montgomery. It is from this point in time that the family gained the description Dalrymple of Stair.
The 16th century was a time of political and religious upheaval in both Scotland and England. During this period the Dalrymple family were associated with the Protestant cause of Mary Queen of Scots.
It was during the 17th century that the family came to prominence, led by James Dalrymple of Stair who was born in 1619. At the age of 14 he went to Glasgow University and graduated with an MA at the age of 18. A year later he was commanding an army company, and two years later he managed to combine this role with being Professor of Philosophy at the University. He qualified as a lawyer in 1647. Politically he was involved in enabling Charles II to return to England and his restoration to the throne in 1660. In due course he was made a Lord of Session (and later President), as well as being made a knight by Charles II. Following a disagreement with the Duke of York (later to be James VII) he left Scotland for Leiden in the Netherlands, only to return later with William of Orange. In 1690 James Dalrymple was made Viscount Stair. His lasting legacy was his book Institutions of the Law of Scotland , which became the standard text for civil law in Scotland.
The second Viscount Stair, who was also a lawyer, was given the title of Earl of Stair in 1703 by Queen Anne. He had been previously appointed Lord Advocate. It was this Earl of Stair who was involved in the most infamous event in the Dalrymple family history, the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692.
The present Earl is Captain General of the Scottish royal bodyguard, the Royal Company of Archers, and Gold Stick-in-Waiting to HM Queen Elizabeth.