Origins of the Houston Clan

The Scottish Clan Houston is an armigerous clan, which means it does not currently have a recognized chief. The clan’s origins are territorial, derived from an old barony in Lanarkshire. The name Houston, or Huston, was associated with the lands in Renfrewshire by the middle of the fourteenth century.

The clan’s history includes notable figures and events. Sir Finlay de Hustone, a member of the clan, is recorded on the Ragman Roll swearing fealty to King Edward I of England in 1296. During the Anglo-Scottish Wars, Sir Peter Huston fought in the Battle of Flodden in 1513 and was killed. Sir Patrick Huston of Huston, son of Sir Peter, was a companion of James V of Scotland and Keeper of the Quarter Seal. Another Sir Patrick, the grandson of the previous, was knighted by Mary, Queen of Scots and accompanied her during her visit to Lord Darnley in Glasgow.

In the seventeenth century, the nineteenth chief of the clan was granted a Baronetcy of Nova Scotia by Charles II in 1668. The family had connections to Queen Mary and her husband, King William of Orange. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the fifth Baronet of Houston, who was a prosperous merchant, had significant interests in the United States. His son eventually settled in Virginia and acquired extensive colonial estates. The family relinquished their Scottish titles in favor of their American wealth.

General Sam Houston, born in the United States, was a prominent member of the Houston family. He played a significant role in the independence of Texas from Mexico and served as the first president of the Republic of Texas.