Coming home to your heritage and your roots and discovering your ancestry may be an important part of your holiday in Scotland.
Killin nestles in the midst of an area that is associated with several important Clan names. In the 14th century the MacNabs owned lands at the west end of Loch Tay and rented other lands from the Laird of Menzies. The Menzies were a powerful and peaceful clan so the Clan MacNab led a fairly quiet existence. There were skirmishes with the Clan MacNeish on Loch Earn and then began the gradual encroachment of the Campbells of Glen Orchy, later to become known as the Campbells of Breadalbane. Other clans associated with the area are MacDonald, Stewart, McLaren and McGregor - Rob Roy McGregor being the most famous - or infamous! - member of the latter.
The area was the homeland from which hundreds of people emigrated in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The majority went to Canada and North America whilst others settled eventually in Australia and New Zealand.
The archives held in Stirling include information relating to Killin and the surrounding area.
Family historians should remember that much of the area is still known as Perthshire and these archives are held in the A. K. Bell Library in Perth.
Killin Heritage Society has a small archive of very localised material, currently not openly accessible to the public, but enquiries relating to specific interests may be made to Gillean Ford.