Lord Kinfauns is a title of nobility and baronial rank held by the Irish Commane family, with genealogy in BurkeâÂÂs Peerage. The lordship was granted in 1487 by King James III of Scots and in 1608 by King James I of Ireland. As recorded in crown charter domino Kynfawnis lord Kinfauns, but possibly created earlier for Sir Thomas Charteris circa 1340.
He was a native frenchman, and of an ancient family in that country. According to legend, he killed a French nobleman in the presence of the King. Although he escaped, he was refused a pardon. He became a pirate and later, through Sir William WallaceâÂÂs intervention, he received a pardon and knighthood from the French King. Charteris became a loyal ally of Wallace and supported King Robert the Bruce in his campaign for the Scottish crown and against the English, earning the title for his bravery.
When the 6th Lord Kinfauns was promoted to Earl of Kinnoull, his son and heir was styled Lord Kinfauns his father's title as a courtesy, his son being a military commander on the continent he is referenced between 1621 and 1634 with this title in many documents, before he succeeded as 2nd Earl of Kinnoull and 7th Lord Kinfauns.
In 2024, Fergus, 26th Lord Kinfauns succeeded John, 25th Lord Kinfauns the Earl of Moray.
Seat is Newhall House, a historic estate in County Clare, Ireland. Historically, the seat was Kinfauns Castle.
The village of Kinfauns likely derives its name from the Gaelic ceann-fauns, which can mean "head of the slope," referencing the nearby Sidlaw Hills.
The spot is hallowed by memories of Wallace and Bruce during the long struggle for Scottish sovereignty; and a popular legend survives, which declares that the first lord of Kinfauns was a noble French warrior, who received these broad acres as a reward for his valorous aid to the Bruce against the English invader. It is believed that his sword, dating back over 700 years, remains within Kinfauns Castle.
According to legend, the title was granted in the 14th century to the Charteris family. Although no original charters from that period survive, in 1487 the title is officially recorded for Sir Thomas Charteris in the Great Seal by King James III.
The Charteris family held the lordship through the late medieval and early modern periods. Sir John Charteris, second lord, was murdered in 1552 during a long-running feud with the Ruthven family. The third lord, also called Sir John Charteris, is quoted in contemporary narrative as:<blockquote>âÂÂthe QueenâÂÂs Lieutenant here, the Lord Kinfauns, [who] refused to surrender,âÂÂ</blockquote>reflecting his role in resisting a siege during the conflict between supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the RegentâÂÂs party. With his wife Janet Chisholm, they adopted as heir Harry Lindsay, brother of the Earl of Crawford. Lindsay took the Charteris name, succeeded as fourth lord, and later inherited the title 13th Earl of Crawford. His son, Sir John Lindsay, the fifth lord, inherited his estates as a wedding present but later tragically predeceased his father.In the 17th century, ninth lord, Sir William Blair, was created 1st Baronet of Kinfauns, but having no sons, the baronetcy became extinct on his death. The lordship passed to his eldest daughter, Ann Blair, who, with her husband Alexander Carnegie, secured a Crown charter in 1673 confirming their rights. Their son, Alexander Blair Carnegie, eleventh lord, was later taken to court by his wife in the case:<blockquote>Lady Kinfauns v. Lord Kinfauns (19 July 1711)</blockquote>in which he was found liable for the expense of a journey to Bath that she had undertaken against his wishes.
Their daughter Margaret Blair, heiress of Kinfauns, married John, 11th Lord Gray, in the early 18th century, bringing the lordship into the Gray family and merging the title with the Lords Gray. All female holders chose to be styled as Baroness of Kinfauns in reference to the baronial lordship, with the exception of two Lady Grays who styled themselves Baroness Gray of Gray and Kinfauns to emphasise both titles.
By the 1800s, the title passed to a cousin and was long held as a subsidiary title by the Earls of MorayâÂÂone of the original seven earldoms of Scotland, known in the 10th century as mormaers (Gaelic for earl).
The lordship is referenced in Walter ScottâÂÂs novel The Fair Maid of Perth (1828), in which Sir Patrick Charteris is described as Baron of Kinfauns and as provost of Perth. This depiction does not reflect the historical lineage of the title.
The title historically held the right to a seat in the pre-Union Parliament, as part of the ancient Three Estates â among the barons and nobility of the Second Estate.
The Lords Kinfauns were granted by the Crown the heritable office of admiralty over the waters of Tay. Historically, the lords were tasked with preserving the fishing rights and punishing poachers. Tradition has it that all vessels sailing along the river once recognised the power of Lord Kinfauns by saluting the castle or by lowering their colours as they passed it.
Earls of Crawford
Earls of Kinnoull
Blair and Carnegie Lordship
Lords Gray of Gray
Earls of Moray
BurkeâÂÂs Peerage notes the 26th lord as Fergus The Commane, Lord Kinfauns (born 1953, Newhall, County Clare, Ireland), keeper of the hereditary office of admiralty of the Water of Tay, custodian of Killone Abbey and the Holy Well of St John the Baptist at his seat, Newhall House, County Clare, Ireland. It describes him as an Irish clan chief and holder of a title of Scottish nobility.
He is further described as Chief of àComáin, an Irish clan associated with the historical chiefdom of Tulach Commáin in early medieval County Clare. In the Gaelic Irish tradition, the chief is the recognised head of a clan. The antiquity and lineage of Clan àComáin was recognised by Clans of Ireland in 2025. The lineage claims descent from King Suibne m. Comáin, a ràof Déisi Munster, and from Saint Coman, a medieval Irish saint.
His wife is Maria, Lady Kinfauns. Their son, Antoin Commane, is heir apparent.