The Dewar family hold one of the most remarkable positions in Scottish clan history — they were the hereditary keepers (Dewars) of the relics of Saint Fillan, the eighth-century Irish-Scottish missionary saint whose cult was central to the culture of the southern Highlands and Perthshire. The Quigrich (Queigrich) — Saint Fillan's crozier (pastoral staff) — was the Dewars' principal charge, used for oath-taking and blessing cattle from the medieval period. The name Dewar derives from the Gaelic deoradh (pilgrim, exile, relic-keeper).
History and Origins
In Gaelic Scotland, the hereditary keepers of saints' relics — the deòradh (singular) or deòraidh (plural) — occupied a recognised social role that combined sacred guardianship with practical authority. The keeper of a saint's relic was responsible for maintaining it, presenting it at significant events, and — in some cases — using it for oath-taking or healing. This system of hereditary custodianship was widespread in Gaelic Ireland and Scotland, and the Dewar family of Perthshire are among the best-documented examples.
The Quigrich and Robert the Bruce
Saint Fillan's relics played a dramatic role in Scottish history at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314), when Robert the Bruce reportedly prayed before them the night before the battle. Whether or not the Quigrich was physically present at Bannockburn (as tradition holds), Robert Bruce's devotion to Saint Fillan is historically documented, and the patronage he extended to Killin and Strathfillan — the saint's territory — included grants to the Dewar family as relic-keepers. The Bruce's victory at Bannockburn was attributed in part to Saint Fillan's intercession.
The Quigrich's North American Journey
In one of the most remarkable stories in the history of Scottish relics, the Quigrich was carried to North America by a Dewar who emigrated to Ontario. In 1876, it was returned to Scotland and is now in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh — where it remains one of the most historically significant objects in the national collection.
The Diaspora
Dewar families emigrated to Canada (Ontario and Nova Scotia) and the United States through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The remarkable story of the Quigrich's journey to Ontario and back illustrates the connection between the Dewar diaspora and their ancient custodial heritage.
In contemporary Scottish life, Donald Dewar (1937–2000) was the first First Minister of Scotland following devolution in 1999 — the founding father of the Scottish Parliament. His surname connects him to the long Dewar tradition of central Scotland.
How to Research Dewar Ancestry
Dewar research should focus on Perthshire and Stirlingshire, particularly the Killin and Strathfillan areas. Old Parish Records (OPRs) for Perthshire are available through the National Records of Scotland. The National Museum of Scotland holds the Quigrich. For Canadian emigrants, Library and Archives Canada holds Ontario and Nova Scotia records. Perth and Kinross Archives hold local estate and parochial records.
Notable Clan Members
- Donald Dewar (1937–2000) — First First Minister of Scotland (1999–2000). Known as the Father of the Nation for his role in establishing the Scottish Parliament. Born in Glasgow.
- James Dewar (1842–1923) — Scottish chemist and physicist. Inventor of the Dewar flask (the vacuum flask / thermos). Pioneer of low-temperature physics, first to liquefy hydrogen.
- The Quigrich — Saint Fillan's crozier, kept by the Dewar family for centuries. Now in the National Museum of Scotland. Carried to Ontario by a Dewar emigrant in the 19th century.
- Peter Dewar (fl. 1318) — Recorded keeper of the Quigrich under a royal charter of Robert the Bruce — the earliest documented Dewar custodian in the surviving record.
Related Clans and Families
Often allied, neighbouring, or linked by marriage: