The Scottish name Carmichael derives from the lands of Carmichael in upper Lanarkshire which were granted to the Douglases in 1321 by King Robert the Bruce. Between 1374 and 1384 William, Earl of Douglas, re-granted these lands to the Carmichaels and its feudal barony was confirmed in 1414. They were strong supporters of the Douglases during their struggles for ascendency, and were with them at Otterburn in 1388 when the Scots defeated Henry 'Hotspur', Earl of Northumberland.

	The Carmichaels were part of the Scottish Army sent to aid the French against English invasion, and at Beauge in 1421 Sir John Carmichael broke his spear while unseating the English commander Clarence. This event gained the Carmichaels their crest of a broken spear and the clan motto 'Tout Jour Prest', ancient French for 'Always Ready', shown above. Katherine, daughter of Sir John Carmichael of Meadowflat, became a mistress of King James V and bore him a son who became half-brother to the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots. In 1546 Peter Carmichael of Balmedie was one of the murderers of the infamous Cardinal Beaton, and for his crime was sent to the galleys where he shared pennance with John Knox, Father of Protestantism in Scotland. In 1647 Sir James Carmichael became Lord Carmichael and his son became Earl of Hyndford in 1701.
	The principal family became allied to the Anstruthers by the marriage of Lady Margaret, daughter of the second earl, to Sir John Anstruther whose descendants inherited the Carmichael lands on the death of the 6th Earl of Hyndford in 1817. This family then took the name Carmichael-Anstruther which they continued until the succession of the present chief who resumed the family name in 1980. Cadet families included those of Meadowflat in Lanarkshire and Balmedie in Fife. Many Carmichaels in Galloway became 'MacMichaels', and in Argyll some MacMichaels became 'Carmichaels', and it is this latter race only who are allied with the Appin Stewarts. Some were forcibly re-settled in Islay and Kintyre, but many dispersed to Ireland and the New World. Many Argyll families use Stewart of Appin or MacDougall tartan, but the Carmichael tartan of c. 1907 origin is considered more appropriate for general use.
	Today, Carmichaels in America are organized as Clan Carmichael USA. The links below lead to the web page of Clan Carmichael USA; Chief Richard Carmichaels personal web page; and Johns personal family history. Please click on them for more details.

Clan Carmichael USA	Chief Richard's Page	Johns Family History

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