At a time when the family is constantly under attack and is much derided, and also at a time when the State seeks to involve itself more and more in the way people run their lives, it is both relevant as well as timely to recognise the enormous contributions that 655 separate families have made towards shaping, defending and promoting Scotland during the last millennium.

So many of the values that previous generations have held dear to them, including patriotism, loyalty, continuity, consideration, civility, independence and public service, to name but a few, are now widely challenged, yet those were among the very qualities giving rise to Scotland's successes over the centuries. Indeed, the breadth and scope of the services rendered by so many and in so many fields is truly inspiring, whilst recognising that any Scottish clan or extended family includes within it those who are wealthy and landed as well as those who are humble and impoverished. Yet the sum total of all these individual contributions is awesome and humbling. In this volume are the histories of 655 Scottish families, embracing some 20,000 living persons as well as 1,000 prominent individuals whose biographies are included in the A-Z Section of prominent individuals, all of whom do together depict a wonderful and representative cross-section of Scottish life.

Hitherto, Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, representing the titled nobility, has been published separately from the largely mis-named Burke's Landed Gentry, representing the untitled nobility. Other reference books such as Who's Who and Debrett's People of Today have listed the various `movers and shakers` of their day. However, this 19th edition of Burke's Landed Gentry - including titled and untitled members of the modern establishment - to give it its full title, is an amalgamation of all these elements. It will be published in seven regional volumes, not only in a handsome leather bound edition, but also, more importantly, on the Internet.

Volume I covers Scotland and this will be followed shortly by volumes covering Wales and Ireland and four volumes covering England, all on the same basis. In choosing Scotland to start off this series, we were conscious that Scotland has the great advantage of being a separate nation with its own separate legal, armorial and land tenure systems as well as its own legislature and Parliament. Of particular relevance is her own statutory legalisation relating to armorial matters, as well as the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms, which administers it. Most of the thorny decisions which might otherwise have fallen to the editor, have therefore been made by the Lords Lyon of the day. The current population of Scotland is around 5 million and the innate interest in, and awareness of, matters genealogical by its citizens, makes it a perfect place to start.

Wherever possible, we have included illustrations of the coats of arms used by the heads of families and some of their members as well as those in the A-Z Section. It should be remembered, however, that in Scotland there is no such thing as a `family` coat of arms, because an individual may have his/her own coat of arms. This can either be a new and unique grant of arms to the individual, or it can be a matriculation of a differenced version of the arms borne by the head of the family concerned. If anyone is in any doubt about armorial matters, they should contact The Court of the Lord Lyon, HM New Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YT.

In a work such as this, there has been a dedicated core of people who have translated the idea into reality and made it all possible. First and foremost I pay tribute to Dr. Gordon Prestoungrange, whose acquisition of the feudal barony of Prestoungrange, inspired him with the idea of reviving this illustrious series. His background and successes are in the fields of publishing and information technology, and his interest, enterprise and funding have not only translated his idea into reality but has also projected it into the third millennium. For Burke`s Landed Gentry is not only being published as a traditional leather bound volume, but it is also being published on the Internet, with generations shown in different colours so as to make it all the more readily understandable. This will be the first reference book of its kind to appear on the Internet, which will also permit searching under many different parameters.

There are many other people who have made a large contribution towards the publication of this volume and whom I wish to thank. There is Harold Brooks-Baker of Burke`s Peerage whose foresight and enthusiasm was crucial to the success of this project and who also helped on the publicity side. There is the Project Manager, Anne Christie, who calmly and ably has juggled and coordinated the many different strings. There is also the information technology side, headed by Mike Cross, and supported by Robert Batten of NRB Computech Ltd and Steve Sinclair of Thomas Technology Ltd, together with the wise and patient assistance of James Gibbons. The marketing side was ably handled by Timmie Duncan and Alastair Macintyre of Electric Scotland; and the Administration and Research was tactfully and efficiently handled by Gill Donald and her team. But last and not least is my editorial team, small but efficient, with Roger Powell, Deputy Editor, assisted by Eugene Mainwaring and Anton Thompson together with researchers Keith Fairclough and Hazel Weir. All of us, in the ridiculously short space of six months, have researched and edited some 2,000 pages of close type, bringing innumerable entries up to date, re-arranging the succession, and writing new articles, all of which is no mean achievement.

There are many others too who have contributed much to this project. In particular there is Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight, Orkney Herald Extraordinary, who recently retired as Lord Lyon King of Arms, whose enthusiasm and advice was invaluable. There is also Elizabeth Roads, Carrick Pursuivant of Arms and Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records and her staff, for all their help over many months and for providing access to The Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland 1672 - 2001. She is also the author of one of our introductory articles Heraldry and Landed Families in Scotland. My thanks are also due to the new Lord Lyon King of Arms, Robin Blair, to Peter Drummond-Murray of Mastrick, Slains Pursuivant and a member of our Editorial Board and to Major Nicholas Maclean-Bristol of Breacachadh Castle who thoroughly revised no less than twelve Maclean pedigrees. I also thank the authors of our three introductory articles, which I commend to you, and finally I pay tribute to my neglected family and friends for their forebearance and encouragement over many months.

Of the 655 families, 28 are new entries, 336 relate to Scottish Peerages and Baronetcies and the remaining 291 were drawn from the three volumes of the 18th edition of Burke's Landed Gentry 1965-72. Many families still own and live on their ancestral acres, although many too have sold and as many again have bought. However, the Scottish system of Representation keeps alive many old families who are still flourishing, even though their acres may have been sold long ago. It is always difficult to lay down established criteria for inclusion in such a work, especially at a time of great social change. It is not an exact science, but factors taken into consideration included:-

* Whether the family is Scottish, however defined? To this end Roddy Martine's introductory article has been helpful - The Scots - Who are they? How do they see themselves?

* Whether there are any Scottish territorial designations relating to the titles of Peers or Baronets or individuals (whether owners or representers).

* Whether there is any official recognition by the Lord Lyon King of Arms in the name and style and designation of an individual, or as the holder of a feudal barony.

* Whether, when and how often arms have been granted or matriculated at the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms.

* The overall status of the family, which is difficult to define, but factors such as education (schools and universities); membership of the professions; officers in the Armed Forces; Ministers of Religion; success in commerce, or industry, or civil administration, or academia, or medicine, or politics, or the arts; cross-references to other families in the series; and landowners; all of which assist in determining suitability.

* The size and legal status of Scottish landholdings - current or historical, whether a feudal barony or superiority and whether the `caput` is still owned (all as referred to in David Sellar's introductory article Farewell to Feudalism). It used to be held that 300 acres was the minimum warranting inclusion, but this needed to be viewed realistically in the light of location and current conditions.

In a work of this magnitude, it is inevitable that mistakes and omissions will have occurred and for these I can only apologise. However, because it is also being published on the Internet, it means that we shall be regularly amending, updating and adding to our data base in the years ahead, and therefore it will be possible for informants to submit suggestions and requests for amendment. As other volumes are published, so will our database expand.

However, whilst it is a great tribute to the editorial and research teams to have been able to first identify the current address of so many entrants after a gap of 30 or more years and subsequently to have been able to update so many of their details and family successions so accurately, this would not have been possible without the help and co-operation of thousands of entrants, whom I thank most warmly.

A work of this kind necessarily draws on much information contained in other reference works and I would like to record my appreciation to the editors of Burke`s Peerage & Baronetage (1999 edition - Charles Mosley), (1970 edition Peter Townend), Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage (Charles Kidd and David Williamson) and Debrett's People of Today (Alison Coles). I also acknowledge the help received from the Scottish Tartans Society (Duncan Paisley of Westerlea) and from the invaluable resource The Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland 1672 - 2001 at the Court of the Lord Lyon. My only regret is to find how surprisingly few families have taken the time and trouble to bring their family pedigrees up to date and to matriculate arms at the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Hopefully, the publication of this work may prompt and facilitate them to do so.

PETER BEAUCLERK DEWAR
Editor, March 2001