How is it possible that the McNokairds of Argyll became known by the surname Sinclair? For it is certain that the McNokairds of Argyll and their descendants became Sinclairs in the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries.

The transformation of the name McNokaird to Sinclair was not as strange and convoluted as may first appear. Instead, the transition can be easily shown, its various stages occurring through the three languages that have been used in Scotland over the centuries: Gaelic, Scots and English. The name change took place on both a phonetic level and a literal, or meaning, level. The same transformation occurred with the Gaelic Mac an fhucadair, which meant son of the fuller of cloth. The phonetic Scots spelling became MacNucator, while the Scots meaning was `wauker.' The English version of this name became Walker. Thus, many of the Walkers in Scotland descend from the clan Mac an fhucadair.

According to George F. Black's Surnames of Scotland: Their Meaning, Origin and History, McNokaird roots are in the Gaelic Mac na cearda, which means son of the smith. Specifically, a cerd worked in brass. Anciently, the ceard was a craftman par excellence. Black states that these craftsmen created many of the fine old Highland plaid brooches of brass, which are exhibited at Edinburgh's Scottish National Museum of Antiquities. However, "the term was degraded and applied to the poorest class of intinerant artificers, patchers of pots and pans, and equated with Scots tinker." Black then quotes part of Robert Burns' poem The Jolly Beggar, which I include more fully:

So, at the time Robert Burns wrote the poem (1780s-1790s), we know that the term caird was still associated with tinkler. One can imagine that this nickname derived from the actual tinkling sound made by the pots and pans as they were being re-shaped, pounded, molded and patched. `Tinkler' replaced ceard and came to be negatively associated with wandering, gypsy-like pot-patchers. The word has further been refined to the English `tinker.'

Tinkler was found only once in the Argyll parish records as a surname: Duncan Tinkler, son of Duncan Tinkler and Cristin NcTaylor [sic], was christened on 6 September 1668 in Inveraray and Glenaray. No further reference to this family was found. A handful of other Tinklers were found in Renfrew and Stirling. Therefore, it seems that ``tinkler'' became a slang term, while Sinclair became the surname for those descendants of the early mac na ceards or McNokairds.

Black makes specific reference to McNokairds in early records, a few of which I include here: Gillecreist M'Conoquhy Duy VcNocarde in record in Arygll, 1574; again in 1580 as Gillcreist Makonchy Duff V'Nokerd, native servant to Campbell of Glenurquhy; Patrick Dow M'Nokerd in Auchinchalden and Angus M'Nokerd in Braklead, 1638; Archibald M'Nokaird was merchant burgess of Inveraray, 1695; and Dond. McNougard in Gerrich, ISLAY, 1741.

The lists of rebels and fencible men as seen in Duncan C. MacTavish's The Commons of Argyll include McNokairds. The List of Rebels in 1685 includes the following: John McNokerd in Stonalbanach (Kilmichell parish, Glassarie); Martin Mcinkerd in Lagandaroch (Kilmartin parish); Gilbert Mcnokerd in Barbreckmore (Craignes parish); Malcom McNokaird in Durren (Dallaich parish); Martin Mcinkerd in Bovuy (Kilchrenan and Inchaell parishes); John, Duncan, Malcom McNokerd in Killean (Glenaray parish).

The 1692 List of Fencible Men lists numerous McNokairds. Included in Kilmore and Kilbride "excepting Lochnell's and Dunstaffnage's lands" are Ard. SINKALLAR and Jon SINKALLAR, as well as Ard. MCNACAIRD and Hugh MCNAKAIRD.

The McNokairds lived in northern Argyll and into present-day Perth as well, whose western borders adjoin Argyll. An article printed in The Kist made reference to Sinclairs, known as McNokairds, who lived at Coulfochan at the foot of Shira Glen in Argyll. "Their land stretched from the south end of the Dhuloch to Portinstonich, where the salmon for the table at Inveraray Castle was netted. The house of the Sinclairs has long since disappeared but was probably sited near the present-day lodge house at the Boshang Gate, entrance to the Castle avenue. This family were not really Sinclairs at all, but McNokairds."

Parish registers in Inveraray & Glenaray are some of the earliest extant for Argyll. Available documentation does not show Sinclairs living in Coulfochan, but instead reveal that McNokairds did, indeed, live in Coulfochan: Donald McNokaird and Ann McNokaird of Cualfochan [sic] christened their son Duncan on 25 April 1860, while Duncan McNokerd and Mary McInturner lived in Cuilfochan [sic] in 1704. Other residences for McNokairds noted in parish registers include Brenthoill/Bromhoil, Auchinbreck, Bralockan, Killian, Penmore, Bracherban and Stronshiray (spelling questionnable on all).

Analysis of families in Argyll reveal two in particular that appear to be the closest thing to `proof' of the name change. The first family is that of Malcolm McNokaird and Ann Crawford, who were "of Stronshiray" in Inveraray & Glenaray parishes. Their first three children (daughters) were: Jonet, christened 17 Apr 1705; Margaret, christened 4 May 1707; and Mary, christened 30 May 1708.

Then Malcolm SINCLAIR and Ann Crawford, "of Stronshiray" had the following two sons christened under the name Sinclair, not McNokaird: Donald Sinclair, christened 7 March 1721; and Patrick Sinclair, christened 25 August 1723.

The coincidence of same names and same locale, with the only variation being the surnames of McNokaird and Sinclair, cannot be quickly dismissed. Indeed, it suggests a definite time period when Malcolm's surname underwent its transformation. (The gaps in birth years of children is explained away by many years when christening records weren't kept and various other losses.)

The second suggestion or `proof' was also found in parish registers and is illustrated in the following: Archibald Sinclair, son of Neil Sinclair, married Janet Reid, sister of John Reid, on 14 November 1720. When Archibald Sinclair and Janet Reid christened their daughter Mary on 13 November 1721, the witnesses were recorded as John Reid and Neil McNokaird. It appears that the father Neil was known interchangeably as both Sinclair and McNokaird.

McNokairds were found extensively in the parish records for Perth as well, under the spelling McIncaird. (A few McNokairds were also found in Stirling and Moray Shires.) The same name change took place in Perth as well, although the use of the McNokaird name continued here later than it did in Argyll. It was in Perth parish records that definitive proof of the name change was discovered.

Donald MCNAKEARD "alias Sinclar" married Kathren Anderson on 8 December 1739 in Kenmore parish, Perth. Six years later, John SINCLAIR, born to Donald SINCLAIR "alias McIncaird" and Katrine Anderson, was christened 7 January 1746 in Kemore. The distinction that Donald was known by both names, first McNakeard [sic] and later by Sinclair, leaves no doubt that the name change did take place.

The use of the surname McNokaird died out by about 1750. The parish registers and other records show the rising use of Sinclair in its place. The increase of Sinclair appearances in Argyll records is due to this change-over more than sudden populations of Sinclairs appearing in Argyll. The name transformation also explains the close relationship between the "Sinclairs" of Argyll and the Campbells at a time when the Campbells and members of the traditional Clan Sinclair were engaged in a dispute over the title and lands of Caithness. This dispute culminated in the bloody battle at Altimarlach, near Wick, between these two clans.

It is certain that some of the Sinclairs in Argyll (possibly those listed as `strangers' in the Cowal penninsula) came in response to advertisments and demand for labor, and were members of the traditional clan Sinclair whose origins can be found in Caithness, the Orkneys, and Lothian. However, most of the Sinclairs in Argyll are descendants of the craftsmen par excellence who were members of the Clan Mac na cearda.