Donald Munro of Foulis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Donald Munro (d. 1039) is the first traditional chief of the Clan Munro.[1]
There is no existing contemporary evidence for Donald's existence however he is documented in several later family manuscripts such as the Coul MS and Munro Tree 1734.[2]
According to early 18th century historian Alexander Nisbet, with no quoted source; The first of the name of the (Munro) family, was Donald, son of O'Caan Ro's, a nobleman upon the Water of Ro in Ireland, who came to Scotland with some forces to the assistance of Malcolm II against the Danes; the King for his good-service gave him the lands of East-Dingwall, which he called "Ferin-Donald". i.e "Donald's Lands": And he was called Donald a Bruno in respect of his father's residence on the Water of Ro in Ireland; and thereafter, by the change of the letter "B" to "M", his descendents were called Munros. They got also other lands in Scotland, which they called Foules, from a place in Ireland, of that name, called "Loch-Feul". [3]
Donald's father, O'Caan is said to have been the Prince of Fermanagh[4]
Arguments against Donald Munro's existence include the fact that surnames were not used during the early 11th century in Scotland.[2]
