The Formation of Scotland and the Birth of the McCreary Name
843 - 1600 CE
The period from 843-1600 CE saw the transformation of Scotland from the Kingdom of Alba into a unified nation with a distinct identity. In 843 CE, Kenneth MacAlpin united the Gaelic Scots and the Picts, creating the Kingdom of Alba (Scotland). Over the following centuries, this kingdom expanded and consolidated, absorbing Norse territories and defining its borders.
The MacRory (Mac Ruairidh) surname emerged during the period when surnames became hereditary (c. 1100-1400 CE). The name means "son of Ruairidh" (Rory) in Scottish Gaelic. MacRory families established themselves in western Scotland, particularly in Ayrshire, Galloway, and Dumfriesshire— the transitional zone between the Gaelic Highlands and the Scots-speaking Lowlands.
The Wars of Scottish Independence (1296-1357) under William Wallace and Robert the Bruce strengthened Scottish national identity and resistance to English control. This period reinforced the fierce independence that would later characterize Scotch-Irish families in Ulster and America.
The Protestant Reformation reached Scotland in 1560 under John Knox, establishing Presbyterianism as the dominant religion. This religious transformation profoundly influenced western Scottish families like the McCrearys, shaping their values, education, and later migration patterns. Presbyterian beliefs in education, self-governance, and individual conscience would become central to McCreary family identity.