Clan Muir

The Scottish surname Muir supposedly originated as denoting someone who lived beside a moor. The name is derived from the Scots form of the Middle English more, meaning "moor" or "fen".{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

The first Mor/de Mor/de la Mor/Mure/Muir with solid documentation to Ayr, Scotland, is David de More. "The most ancient of the name on record are the Mores of Polkelly, near Kilmarnock; one of whom, David de More, appears as witness to a charter of Alexander II", between 1214 and 1249.{{cite book |title=A Genealogical & Heraldric History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, John Burke, Esq., 1834}}{{cite book |title=History of the County of Ayr, with a genealogical account of the families of Ayrshire, James Paterson, 1847}}{{cite web |url=https://www.poms.ac.uk/record/person/9357/ |title=David Mor, in People of Medieval Scotland, 1093-1371 |access-date=15 October 2023}}

After David, the next most distant person found is Sir Gilchrist Mure/Muir (ca. 1200 - ca. 1280), in association with his part in the Battle of Largs, on 2 October 1263. Given the naming tradition, and locality (Ayr), it appears at least three descendants of his (Adam, Gilchrist, and Reginald/Ronald, all listed as "counte de Are/Ayr") appear in the Ragman Rolls, thirty-three years later. There were also three others with the surname listed, namely, Reynaud More de Cragg, del counte de Lanark, Symon de la More, de Thaugarfton, del counte de Lanark, and Douenal le fiz Michel More de Leuenghes, del counte de Dunbreton.

In 1291, a Thomas de la More was listed as executor of the Will of Dervorguilla de Balliol, mother of John Balliol, King of Scots.{{cite web |url=https://electricscotland.com/webclans/m/muir2.html |title=Muir |access-date=15 October 2023}}

Further, an Adam de la More, along with William de la More, were recorded as jurors on the lands of Lady Elena la Zuche, in Coyningham (Cunningham), in 1295. It seems likely that Adam was also one-in-the-same as holding lands in Ralston, Renfrewshire, in 1315 and 1321, and as the knight-possibly the same as the Adam who witnessed the charters of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, between 1328 and 1329.{{cite web |url=https://www.houseofnames.com/muir-family-crest |title=Muir History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms |date=January 2000 |access-date=15 October 2023}}

Polkelly seems to have been the "ancient" property held in Scotland by the Mures.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

The Mures were prominent figures throughout the history of Scotland, from Sir Gilchrist Mure, who married the daughter and sole heir of Sir Walter Comyn with the blessing of King Alexander III, for his part in the Battle of Largs.Miller, A. H. (1885). The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire. Reprinted by The Grimsay Press, 2004. {{ISBN|1-84530-019-X}} p. 128. This secured the family seat at Rowallan Castle. Another version states that Gilchrist Mure was dispossessed of the house and living at Rowallan by the strong hand of Sir Walter Cuming, and was compelled to keep close in his castle of Polkelly until Alexander III raised sufficient forces to subdue Cuming and his adherents. The family had held Rowallan, in this version, from unknown antiquity. This version, however, is unlikely, since Sir Walter Comyn is believed to have died at least five years before the Battle of Largs.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875), Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson, Kilmarnock. pp. 144–145.

File:Rowallan castle ayrshire.jpg in 1876.Dobie, James. (1876) Cuninghame Topographized by Timothy Pont. Pub. John Tweed, Glasgow. Facing p. 364.}}]]

The conjoined arms of the first Mure of Rowallan were visible on the oldest part of the castle up until the 18th century.

Elizabeth Mure,{{Cite web|url=http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/Default.aspx?Id=195|title=Home|website=www.futuremuseum.co.uk}} daughter of Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan and Janet Mure, married Robert Stewart, later King Robert II of Scotland, and bore him nine children before 22 November 1347, when their marriage was legitimized by papal dispensation.{{cite book |editor-last1=Cokayne |editor-first1=G. E. |title=The Complete Peerage |date=1910–98 |publisher=St. Catherine Press |location=London |pages=1:310–11 |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/556879-the-complete-peerage-of-england-scotland-ireland-great-britain-and-the-united-kingdom-extant-extinct-or-dormant-vol-1?viewer=1&offset=0#page=351&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=atholl |access-date=1 December 2021}} Elizabeth died sometime before 1355.{{cite book |editor-last1=Burke |editor-first1=Bernard |title=A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baonetage |date=1885 |location=London |page=cxiv |edition=47th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ve8_AQAAMAAJ&dq=elizabeth+mure+of+rowallan+1353+1355&pg=PA12 |access-date=1 December 2021}} The marriage of Robert and Elizabeth's daughter, Jean, to John Lyon, created the title Thane of Glamis. Descendants from that line are traceable to King Charles III.{{cite web |url=https://www.ayrshirescotland.com/clans/mure.html#:~:text=From%201543%2C%20Mungo%20Muir%20fought,of%20Mary%20Queen%20of%20Scots |title=Clan Mure: AS Home |access-date=15 October 2023}}

Sir Gilchrist Muir built two chapels, one at the Well named for Saint Laurence and the other at Banked named for Saint Michael. The vestiges of these were still visible in 1876. He also built the chapel of Kilmarnock, commonly called Mures Isle (or aisle).Dobie, James (1876), Cuninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont. Pub. John Tweed. Glasgow. p. 399.

A number of Mure heirs participated in a range of battles for Scotland, including Sir Robert Mure, who may have been among the slain at the Battle of Sark, in October 1448. His namesake was called the Rud of Rowallane, being large in stature, very strong and prone to pugilism; these characteristics neatly define the meaning of this archaic Scots word. He wasted his inheritance and during his lifetime a protracted feud took place with the house of Ardoch (Craufurdland) which resulted in much bloodshed. The 'Rud' resigned his lands in favour of his grandson John, who married Margaret Boyd a mistress of James IV.Adamson, Archibald R. (1875), Rambles Round Kilmarnock. Pub. T. Stevenson, Kilmarnock. p. 146.

Sir Mungo Mure, credited with significant improvements to Rowallan, was killed in the Battle of Pinkie, in September 1547.{{cite web |url=https://www.ayrshirescotland.com |title=Ayrshire Scotland |access-date=15 October 2023}}

Sir William Mure, (1594-1657), was also Laird of Rowallan, and was known for his contributions as a writer, politician, and a military leader, being wounded at the battle of Marston Moor, in 1644. Among his descendants were Dr. John Moore, and his sons, including Lt. Gen. Sir John Moore, Admiral Sir Graham Moore, and Dr. James Carrick Moore.

Sir William Mure was the sixteenth and last Mure of Rowallan. He served in Germany under Gustavus Adolphus. One of his granddaughters married Sir James Campbell of Lawers, third son of the Earl of Loudoun, who thus became Laird of Rowallan. His son, Major-General James Mure Campbell of Rowallan (1726–86), became the fifth Earl of Loudoun in 1782. His only daughter's great-grandson, Charles Rawdon-Hastings, 11th Earl of Loudoun succeeded in 1874 and held the lands of Rowallan as Laird.

Sir Adam Mure's three younger brothers gave rise to numerous branches of the Mure family who settled in Caldwell, Aucheneil, Thornton, Glanderstoun, Treescraig, Auchendrane, Cloncaird, Craighead Park, Middleston, Spittleside and Brownhill.

File:Muir of Muir coat of arms.svg.

ARMS Quarterly, 1st & 4th, Argent, on a fess Azure three stars of the First (Muir); 2nd & 3rd, Azure, three garbs Or (Cumming)

CREST A savage head couped Proper

MOTTO {{lang|la|Durum patientia frango}}

SUPPORTERS Two blackamoors Proper.{{Cite book |last=Way |first=George |url=http://archive.org/details/collinsscottishc0000wayg |title=Collins Scottish clan & family encyclopedia |date=1994 |publisher=Glasgow : HarperCollinsPublishers |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-00-470547-7}}