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Dunbar

Celtic: Summit Fort
Badge: Horse's head bridled and reined
Latin Motto: In promptu ( In readiness)

The Clan Dunbar descends from Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria.  William the Conqueror deprived Gospatric of the title in 1072, and he fled back to Scotland. King Malcolm III of Scotland granted him Gospatric lands in Dunbar, thus creating him Earl of Dunbar.

Patrick, the 8th Earl of Dunbar was also called the Earl of March and was one of the competitors for the Crown of Scotland.  However, he withdrew his claim and swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.  Patrick's son also swore fealty to King Edward II of England. However, he later signed the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 for Scottish Independence. During the Wars of Scottish Independence Dunbar Castle was successfully defended against the English in 1338. The Dunbars fought against the English at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 with the Earl of Douglas.

In the 15th century through marriage the Earldom of Moray became part of the Clan and the Earldom of Dunbar was forfeited in 1435 by King James I of Scotland who saw it as a threat. John, The Earl of Moray married Marjorie, the daughter of King Robert II of Scotland, and they had two sons. The Dunbars prospered in Moray despite a feud with the Clan Innes. Many cadet branches of the Dunbars were founded.

In 1598 the Clan Dunbar lands were raided by the Clan Cameron. They burnt a handful of homes and took away three score and ten horses, among numerous other personal possessions.
Sir Jean Ivor Dunbar was the 13th Baronet of Mochrum and the Chief of the Name and Arms of Dunbar.  After his death in 1993 the title passed to his son, Sir James Michael Dunbar, 14th Baronet of Mochrum and 39th Hereditary Chief of the Name and Arms of Dunbar. He is a retired Colonel of the United States Air Force.

The tartan was first recorded in Sobieski brothers' Vestiarium Scoticum 1842.