Clan Campbell Society General Information

CLAN CAMPBELL

The origins of the Clan Campbell can be traced back over a 1000 years. It is the largest Scottish family in the world. It is estimated that 20 million persons either have the name Campbell or their ancestors had placed themselves under protection of the Campbells and accepted the Duke of Argyll as their Chief. Our Chief is His Grace, Sir Torquhil Ian Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll (S), 6th Duke of Argyll (UK). The Duke and Duchess of Argyll along with their two sons and daughter live in Inveraray Castle in Argyll, Scotland. Inveraray Castle has been the hereditary home of the Campbell Chiefs since the 15th century. The Duke of Argyll personally encourages and participates in the world-wide activities of the Clan Campbell societies.

ORGANIZATION

Founding: In 1927 Clan Campbell Chief Mac Cailein Mòr, His Grace Niall Diarmid Campbell, 10th Duke of Argyll encouraged the establishment of a Clan Campbell organization in the United States resulting in the Clan Campbell Association of America. On August 01, 1929 the Clan Campbell Association of America received its first member and was formally organized on December 15, 1929. The National President was the remarkable Mrs. Mary Latham Norton of San Francisco, CA. Because both organizations shared an identical mission, a continuous membership base, and a direct transfer of historical custody, the Clan Campbell Society (North America) officially recognizes the Clan Campbell Association of America as the founding organization of the Clan Campbell Society (North America). The rich personal legacy of Mrs. Norton, who remained in close contact with members until her health declined in the 1970s, served as the living bridge between these two eras, as many charter members of the modern Society had been mentored directly by her. By inheriting the charter, the national footprint, and the foundational spirit of the original Association, the modern Society carries the 10th Duke's 1927 mandate to the present day.

Mrs. Norton also served as the National Chair of the fund-raising effort for the Campbell Memorial Belfry Tower that was being built in Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland, by Chief of Clan Campbell Niall Campbell, 10th Duke of Argyll. She was appointed to that post by the 10th Duke of Argyll in 1927. While the Belfry topped out in April 1931, the project was still in debt as late as June 1937. Given the economic conditions of the Great Depression, the Clan Campbell Association of America did an amazing job raising approximately one quarter of the funds to help pay for the £21,750 (approx. $2,293,355 USD 2023) project. 

In 1972, a group of Campbells attending the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina, USA laid the plans for of a clan society. The Clan Campbell Society (USA) was the outgrowth of that meeting. When it was discovered that others in New York were working along the same lines, discussions were held to combine organizations and efforts. With the approval of then Clan Chief Mac Cailein Mòr, Ian Campbell, 12th Duke of Argyll, the two groups merged into one. Official Bylaws were adopted in 1974. In 1975 the still active Clan Campbell Association of America, San Francisco, CA was discovered and contacted about joining forces. The CCAA merged with the CCS(USA) forming a single coast-to-coast Clan Campbell Society. In 1992 the Society became the Clan Campbell Society (North America) to acknowledge an increasing number of Canadian members. 

Since these beginnings, the Society has grown rapidly and become one of the largest and most active of the many Scottish clan societies in Canada and the United States. The Clan Campbell Society (North America) is the world's largest Clan Campbell organization and one of the oldest Scottish Clan Societies in North America.

PURPOSE

The Clan Campbell Society (North America) is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our mission is to explore, document, and preserve the history and heritage of the Scottish Highlands and the Clan Campbell diaspora. We aim to educate the general public, support scientific research into population genetics, and maintain historical archives to ensure the preservation of Scottish cultural traditions for this and future generations.

GENEALOGICAL ARCHIVE & LIBRARY

 The Society has established a Genealogical Archive and Library to gather and preserve historical, literary and genealogical materials pertaining to Clan Campbell. The Archives contain genealogical records on over two hundred thousand Campbells or related ancestry. This is continually growing as Society members and others submit their research and queries to the Genealogist. The Library is a reference resource of hundreds of books, papers and articles containing information about Campbells and related families. The Library is continually being expanded through the purchase of new books and through the contributions of members. A catalog describing the holdings of the Library is available to the public. The Librarian is the Genealogist of the Society.

GENEALOGY PROGRAM

The genealogy program is a very important service provided by the Society and has been a major endeavor since 1929. Material from the documents contained in the Society Archives and Library is available through the Society Genealogist. In the event that the Genealogist does not have access to information on your particular ancestry, the Genealogist is experienced in offering advice and will attempt to provide you with assistance which will enable you to locate additional information. 

Our program operates on a structured, threefold methodology: (1) gathering and processing data, (2) researching the data, and (3) analyzing and reporting findings. Because the ultimate success of our work depends entirely on the cooperation of the historical community, each and every Campbell descendant and sept researcher is encouraged to contribute to this growing public repository.

Organized for strictly educational and historical purposes as it seeks reclassification as a 501(c)(3) public charity, the Clan Campbell Society (North America) Genealogy Program serves as a vital central clearinghouse for historical and genealogical data concerning the Campbell surname and its recognized septs.

DNA Program

The Campbell DNA Project was launched in October 2002 as a companion tool to augment genealogical research and to provide clues for further research. DNA testing has proven to be an extremely powerful tool when combined with your genealogy research. As of 2025, the Campbell program is one of the largest Y-DNA surname research projects in the world. 

JOURNAL

The Society publishes the quarterly JOURNAL of the CLAN CAMPBELL SOCIETY (North America) which is the heart of communication between members. In addition to official notices of Society business, articles feature the activities of members, announcements of coming events and reports of recent events.

Every issue has several historical and genealogical feature articles. A very popular feature is the "Kith and Kin" section. In this section, those conducting genealogical research may submit queries about their ancestry (see Journal for typical format) to the Genealogist for inclusion in the Journal. Material for "Kith & Kin" should be sent to the address for the Genealogist, listed in the front of the Journal.

The JOURNAL is published quarterly and is the one of the seven main benefits of membership in the Society, being distributed without additional charge to all members of the Society.

ACTIVITIES

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society is a major event. It is usually held at a different location in North America each year, frequently in conjunction with one of the Scottish Highland Games. It lasts three days and features the Society's official business meetings and a formal Society Banquet. The Society is represented at most Scottish Highland Games and Fairs in all parts of Canada and the United States. Regular educational opportunities are held throughout the year at many of these events. Provincial and State representatives ('commissioners') are listed in the back of the Journal and can be contacted for local activity information.

MERCHANDISE

The Society supplies Clan Campbell educational material and merchandise, that would otherwise not be available at attractive prices. The three volume A History of Clan Campbell, Clan Campbell music CDs, Clan Campbell DVDs, children's products, and more Campbell-related items for sale are listed inside the back cover of each issue of the quarterly Journal and are available by visiting our web site STORE.

MEMBERSHIP

You can become a member of the Clan Campbell Society if your name is Campbell, if you are the descendant of a Campbell, if you are a descendant of a member of a recognized Sept of the Clan Campbell, or (for those with other names) if you acknowledge Mac Cailein Mòr as your Clan Chief.

Membership is available to any person, regardless of ancestral lineage, interested in learning about the culture and history of Scotland and the Clan Campbell.

As this indicates, you can 'belong' to only one Clan, but can belong to more than one Clan Society, the Clan Societies being a part of their clans, but not being clans themselves. You are born into (or may adopt) a clan. The clan societies are a means for those interested to become more active in nurturing - and learning about - their heritage in their clan.

The Society welcomes new members of all backgrounds and is open to all who have a constructive interest in nurturing worldwide kinship through their Campbell heritage, whether by birth or adoption.

DUES

Membership - United States: $35.00/yr USD, Outside the U.S. and Canada: $45.00/yr USD. Life memberships are also available. 

You will be billed annually provided that you up-date your membership information (in your website membership account) of any address change, billing information updates, address changes, etc. If you do not receive your Membership Card within six weeks of applying, contact the Membership Chair whose address is below. Checks should be made payable to the Clan Campbell Society and, for renewing members, should include the CCS(NA) ID number from the top of your Journal label. Please note that in the US, if you move without informing Membership directly (who print the Journal mailing labels) in good time, your Journal will not be forwarded since it is of a class of mail not forwarded by the US Postal Service. This is not the case in Canada.

Dues Paid for annual memberships cover a full year and 4 issues of the Journal.

INVITATION

For membership information please contact:

Membership
Clan Campbell Society (NA)
membership@ccsna.org

OR: JOIN NOW

NAMES AND SEPTS OF CLAN CAMPBELL

See Also: OTHER ASSOCIATED NAMES

Most clan 'Sept Lists' were devised not by the Clan Chiefs or historians but by tartan manufacturers. Such Lists are therefore not necessarily either fully accurate historically or complete. However the Lists have been in existence for a number of generations and our Chief has therefore decided that, even where they might be appropriate, names will not be added or deleted. The absence of a name from the List does not therefore mean that a name is not of Clan Campbell. Equally, the presence of a name on the List is in no way intended to mislead those whose family is in fact connected to quite a different kindred. That some names also appear on the 'Sept Lists' of other clans is only to be expected since some having the same 'Mac' name may be of entirely different origins from each other. Only your personal genealogical research (or decision to adopt Clan Campbell as your own) can confirm your connection to Clan Campbell.

"Mac" is the Galic word for son. It is often abbreviated "Mc". The two spellings are interchangeable. Many minor variations exist in the spelling of these sept names; these variations are usually not important.

Source: Diarmid A. Campbell, Esq., OBM, BA Cantab., MLA UCB, FSAScot
Editor Emeritus, The Journal of the Clan Campbell Society (North American)

Updated: C. Randell Seale, OBM, CNPM