Crest: A lady, from the waist upwards, richly habited in gules, her arms extended, the right hand supporting a tower and the left holding a branch of laurel, all Proper.
The 'de Erth' family took their name from the lands of Airth which lie close to the barony of Plean in Stirlingshire.[2] This family probably erected the first Plean Castle.[2] The de Erth family ended in an heiress, and lands that were acquired by her husband near Tranent near East Lothian were probably named after the heiress's family.[2] The name first appears in about 1235 in East Lothian in a deed by Alanus de Swinton in which a mention is made of the name 'de Elfinstun'.[2] It is likely that de Swinton's son, John, who owned the lands, went on to become John de Elfinstun.[2]
There is a family tradition however, that claims that the family are descended from Flemish knights (or one knight) called Helphenstein.[2] Another theory suggests that the name is derived from Old EnglishAlpins tun ("the farmstead of Alpin").[2]
One of the eleventh Lord's younger brothers was George Keith Elphinstone who was a distinguished naval officer.[2] He served on ships that protected the British shipping off the east coast of America.[2] He was created Baron Keith which was promoted to the rank of Viscount in 1814. The Viscount's nephew was William George Elphinstone who was a colonel at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.[2] He was later promoted to commander-in-chief of the Bengal army in 1837 and led the disastrous Afghan campaign of 1841.[2]
Clan Chief
The present Chief of Clan Elphinstone is Alexander Lord Elphinstone who succeeded his father in 1994 at the age of 14.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxWay, George and Squire, Romily. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 130 - 131.
