Spelling of Mackintosh

Now before I go any further, I should explain what I've learned about the spelling of the surname Mackintosh. There have been several spellings of this name since it was first given to our first Chief. Most have just been mis-spellings because of the lack of spelling. In gaelic it is Mac-an-Toisch. Toisch being the gaelic word for Thane and Mac is gaelic for son, so, son of Thane.

For the most part, the name has always been spelled as Mackintosh. In Mackintosh histories, and other documents in the early 1700's, you see basically two spellings, Mackintosh and an abreviated form, M'Intosh. I would say, in the late 1700's the spelling McIntosh appears, and later in the 1800's the spelling MacIntosh appears.

I've seen the same individual in the The Mackintosh Muniments 1442-1820 as Mackintosh and as M'Intosh. So it appears to me that the spelling doesn't really matter. And it is not as many would assume as time has went by the name has gotten shorter, from Mackintosh to McIntosh.

So whatever the spelling of Mackintosh, M'Intosh, McIntosh, MacIntosh, or MccIntosh (very rare), we are all Mackintoshes.

Robert Mackintosh, tacksman of Termit

Robert Mackintosh is the son of Lachlan Mackintosh of Strone and Jean Cuthbert. No birth date for Robert has ever been found, but he is believed to have been born between 1690 and 1705. Robert was a tacksman for the Chief of the Clan Mackintosh. It is believed that he was also a personal servent or secretary for the Chief as well.

Robert married Anne Macqueen, daughter of Dougald Macqueen of Polochaig and Elizabeth Mackintosh, daughter of Chief Lachlan Mackintosh of Moy. They had the following children: Lachlan, baptized 10 Dec 1733, Merchant in London; Anne, baptized 29 March 1736, married Alexander Mackintosh of Essich; Christian, baptized 5 May 1738, married William Mackintosh of Tullrich and Elrig; William, baptism unknown, but born about 1735, and it is believed they had one more child, James. Lachlan, Anne, and Christian were all baptized in the Croy and Dalcross parish.

Robert and Anne's death and burial date is unknown.