Many thanks to Archie McKerracher, author of Normandy Roots, which is now a defunct website, and The Gathering of the Clans, which is also now a defunct website.
The Cummins surname finds its roots in the lands of Normandy (Home of the Northmen), France. Our earliest ancestors were followers of Rollo the Viking, who signed a treaty with King Charles the Simple in 911 A.D. The treaty gave the Norseman a permenant home on French soil, and they soon began to intermarry with the local girls and even adopted the French language. Rollo's descendants became Dukes of Normandy, and his Viking Leaders became Knights who controlled their own local fiefs from wooden castles on earthen mounds. Soon the trans-planted Norsemen had absorbed the local culture so thoroughly that their sons had to be taught Norse as a second language.
The Normans became Christians and built many abbies and monastaries. They established a feudal society and became renowned throughout Europe for their military prowess. They wore conical helmets with distinctive noseguards, mail shirts, battle axes and the now infamous Kite Shields. They were proficient horsemen and had an extremely effective calvary in France.
In 1066 William the Conquerer, Rollo's Grandson, brought an army of 8,000 to England in Viking longships intent on conquering the island. After victory at the Battle of Hastings, William proclaimed himself King of England and rewarded his noble followers with grants of English land.
The Normans were a humorous lot, and many respectable English names were actually derived from Norse nicknames. Today's Duke of Westminster, Grosvenor, can be traced to a young Norman knight nick-named "Le Gros Venoir", which means "The Fat Hunter". Similar nicknames rendered "The Moustasched One: Al Grenon" to "Algernon" and "The Big One: Le Grand" eventually became "Grant".
The Norman noble Robert de Comines became the Earl of North Umberland. Robert took his name from his former fief, Comines, located near the Belgian border. His fellow Normans soon punned his territorial title into "Cummin", an aromatic herb. In fact, the Coat of Arms bears three sheaves of wheat, which were originally bundles of this herb.
The name Comyn became an integral part of early Scottish nobility. Willelmus Comyn was the Chancellor to King David the First. He was a churchman, and was assiassinated with poison over disputes with his fellow clergymen. William de Comyn married the granddaughter of King Donald III in 1144 and thus his descendant became one of the competitors for the Scottish throne in 1291. His nephew, Richard de Comyn, married a grand-daughter of King Duncan I. Through "carefull alliances and beneficial marriages the Comyn held three earldoms by the 13th century; Monteith, Mentieth and Atholl and Buchan." By the 13th century the Comyn clan was the most powerful clan in Scotland, claiming nearly one quarter of all the earls.
In 1306 Robert the Bruce, another claimant to the throne, invited John "The Red" Comyn to the church of the Grey Friars in Dumfries to discuss an alliance between them against the English Crown. John Comyn either refused to cooperate or threatened to expose Robert de Bruce's intentions for Robert stabbed "The Red" Comyn, killing him. The Bruce was later excommunicated for the act. A feud commenced, and Bruce and his allies defeated and scattered my ancestors.
John Comyn's son was later killed at Bannockburn, fighting for the English Crown. The family lands of the Badenoch Comyns were forfeited and distributed to allies of Bruce.
Regarding Clan Tartans
There is an excellent description of this over at wikipedia, which I will reprint a portion of below
It is generally regarded that "clan tartans" date no earlier than the beginning of the 19th century. It is maintained by many that clan tartans were not in use at the time of the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The method of identifying friend from foe was not through tartans but by the colour of ribbon worn upon the bonnet. David Morier's well-known painting of the Highland charge at the Battle of Culloden shows the clansman wearing various tartans. The setts painted all differ from one another and very few of the those painted show any resemblance to today's clan tartans. Contemporary portraits show that although tartan is of an early date, the pattern worn depended not on the wearer's clan, but upon his or her location, or personal taste. The idea of groups of men wearing the same tartan is thought to originate from the military units in the 18th century. Evidence suggests that in 1725 the Independent Highland Companies may have worn a uniform tartan.
The naming and registration of official clan tartans began on April 8, 1815, when the Highland Society of London (founded 1778) resolved that all the clan chiefs each "be respectfully solicited to furnish the Society with as Much of the Tartan of his Lordship's Clan as will serve to Show the Pattern and to Authenticate the Same by Attaching Thereunto a Card bearing the Impression of his Lordship's Arms." Many had no idea of what their tartan might be, but were keen to comply and to provide authentic signed and sealed samples.
Today tartan and "clan tartan" is an important part of a Scottish clan. Almost all Scottish clans have several tartans attributed to their name. Several clans have "official" tartans. Although it is possible for anyone to create a tartan and name it any name they wish, the only person with the authority to make a clan's tartan "official" is the chief. In some cases, following such recognition from the clan chief, the clan tartan is recorded and registered by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Once approved by the Lord Lyon, after recommendation by the Advisory Committee on Tartan, the clan tartan is then recorded in the Lyon Court Books. In at least one instance a clan tartan appears in the heraldry of a clan chief and is considered by the Lord Lyon as the "proper" tartan of the clan.
Images courtesy of Tartans of Scotland
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