That Ross name again!

I have written before about the possible, though remote link between our clan family name and the family name of the Earls of Ross, which is McIntagairt (and its variants). For the time being I have kept in my Clan Probate Index the 1667 Will of Farquhar McIntagairt in Inverness, Scotland, though have often thought that I should delete it. However, perhaps not just yet, for I have in my own family tree computer programme the ability to bring on to the screen a very useful 'reminder' list of relationships which includes, on today's date, 1st February, the death 762 years ago of Sir Farquhar MacIntsacairt, Earl of Ross.

Sir Farquhar died in Tain in 1251/2. Now I have to say immediately that he was not a blood relationship of mine, though his wife was. We do not know her name, though we do know that she was the eldest daughter of William de Bruce, 3rd Lord of Annandale. She and I have as common ancestors her parents, William de Bruce and Christina Stewart, daughter of Walter, High Steward of Scotland. They were among my many 23rd Great grandparents, which makes their daughter a distant great aunt. This in turn makes me a blood relative of the offspring of her and her husband, Farquhar MacIntsacairt.

It is of course possible that he was an ancestor of the Farquhar McIntagairt whose name I have for the time being kept on our Probate Index, though I admit that I have not proved this to be the case. So perhaps I will not dismiss the Ross family just yet. They and their name go in intriguing me!