Border Reiver Surnames, Clans & Family History

Between roughly 1250 and 1610, the borderlands separating Scotland and England weren't governed by either crown in any meaningful way. Instead, a patchwork of family alliances controlled the region through force, cunning, and sheer stubbornness. These were the Border Reivers — not romantic outlaws, but hardened raiding families who stole livestock, burned homesteads, kidnapped rivals, and fought blood feuds that lasted generations.

The surnames they carried still echo across the Borders today. If your family name is Armstrong, Elliot, Graham, Nixon, or Kerr, there's a fair chance your ancestors rode these valleys with a lance in hand and somebody else's cattle in tow.

The Major Reiver Surnames

Armstrong — Lords of Liddesdale

No family is more closely tied to Newcastleton than the Armstrongs. They were the dominant power in Liddesdale — the valley where this village stands — and at their peak they could muster 3,000 mounted fighters. That made them a serious military force, stronger than some minor kingdoms.

Their stronghold at Gilnockie Tower, a few miles south of here near Canonbie, still stands as a reminder of that power. Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie was hanged by King James V in 1530 after arriving at a meeting under promise of safe conduct. The betrayal became one of the great Border ballads, and locals haven't entirely forgiven the Scottish crown for it. Walk through Newcastleton today and you'll find Armstrong is still one of the most common surnames. The family never really left.

Elliot / Elliott — Rivals and Kin

The Elliots held territory around Hermitage Castle and the upper reaches of Liddesdale. They were fierce neighbours to the Armstrongs — sometimes deadly enemies, sometimes uneasy allies, often both within the same decade. The spelling varies (Elliot, Elliott, Eliott) and the different branches will argue about which is correct. That argument has been going on for about five hundred years.

Their motto, "Fortiter et Recte" — bravely and rightly — was aspirational at best, given the family's enthusiastic participation in cross-border cattle theft. But they were genuinely brave fighters, and several Elliots later distinguished themselves as soldiers and colonial administrators once raiding went out of fashion.

Scott — The Buccleuch Power

The Scotts of Buccleuch were perhaps the most politically successful Reiver family. While other clans raided and fought, the Buccleuch Scotts managed to accumulate vast estates and genuine political influence. Walter Scott of Buccleuch earned legendary status in 1596 by raiding Carlisle Castle itself to free a kinsman — a raid so audacious that Queen Elizabeth reportedly said she wished the man were in her service.

Newcastleton owes its very existence to the Scott family. The 3rd Duke of Buccleuch founded the village in 1793. The Buccleuch estates remain significant landowners in the region.

Graham / Graeme — Riders of the Debatable Land

The Grahams occupied one of the most dangerous positions on the border — the Debatable Land, a strip of territory between the Esk and Sark rivers that neither Scotland nor England claimed with any conviction. This suited the Grahams perfectly. They raided in both directions, answered to neither crown, and proved almost impossible to control.

After the Union of the Crowns in 1603, King James singled out the Grahams for especially harsh treatment. Hundreds were forcibly deported to Ireland and the Low Countries. Some returned. Some didn't. The family's scattered diaspora is one of the starkest reminders of how the Reiver world ended — not gradually, but violently.

Other Notable Surnames

The Borders produced dozens of raiding families beyond the four great names. Nixon and Robson were prominent in Tynedale and Redesdale on the English side. Charlton held territory around Bellingham. Kerr (or Carr) were powerful in Roxburghshire, famous for their left-handed swordsmen — the word "ker-handed" for left-handed may come from them. Douglas, one of Scotland's most powerful noble families, played the Reiver game at a higher political level than most.

Newcastleton: Still Armstrong Country

Newcastleton sits in the heart of what was Armstrong territory. The village didn't exist during the Reiving era — it was founded nearly two centuries after the last raids — but the land remembers. Local phone directories still show clusters of Armstrong, Elliot, and other Reiver names. The annual Copshaw Common Riding keeps Border traditions alive, and the village's identity remains deeply connected to its Reiver heritage.

The countryside around the village hasn't changed much since Reiver times. The same hills, valleys, and river crossings that raiders used are now walked by hikers and mountain bikers. The terrain explains the history — these hidden valleys and boggy moorlands made Liddesdale almost ungovernable. You can understand why, standing on any ridge above the village, looking across miles of empty green country with no road in sight.

Tracing Your Reiver Ancestry

If you carry a Border surname, you may well have Reiver blood. Several resources can help you trace the connection:

• Clan Armstrong Trust — Based near Langholm, they maintain genealogical records, host gatherings, and run a museum dedicated to Armstrong history. They welcome enquiries from anyone researching Armstrong connections.
• Border genealogy archives — The Hawick Heritage Hub and Scottish Borders Archive hold parish records, estate papers, and court documents stretching back centuries. Court records are especially useful, since Reivers appeared in them frequently.
• DNA projects — Several surname-specific DNA projects (Armstrong, Elliot, Graham) use genetic testing to connect modern descendants with historical family branches. These have revealed surprising links between families now scattered across Scotland, England, Ireland, North America, and Australia.
• ScotlandsPeople — Scotland's official genealogy service holds digitised records of births, marriages, deaths, and census data going back to the 1500s.

Places to Visit

Reiver history is written into the landscape. These sites bring the surnames and stories to life:

• Hermitage Castle — Thirty minutes from Newcastleton. A brooding, half-ruined fortress that guarded Liddesdale for centuries. It's one of the most atmospheric castles in Scotland, and closely tied to Elliot and Douglas history.
• Gilnockie Tower — The restored Armstrong stronghold near Canonbie. A small but powerful tower house that tells the story of Johnnie Armstrong and the clan's dominance of Liddesdale.
• Hawick Museum & Heritage Hub — Exhibits on Border Reiver culture, weaponry, and daily life. The Heritage Hub also holds genealogical archives for family researchers.
• Jedburgh Castle Jail & Museum — Covers Border law and disorder, including the March Wardens who tried (and usually failed) to control the Reivers.

For a deeper look at the trails and routes Reivers actually used, our Border Reiver history trail guide maps out the key sites you can visit from Newcastleton. And if you're exploring more of the region, our guide to hidden gems in the Scottish Borders covers lesser-known spots that most visitors miss.