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    M’Combie is a Gaelic version of MacThomas, and arms were matriculated for it in 1883, 1890 and 1950, again as members of the Mackintosh-MacDuff group – or, a lion rampant and a chief gules – with M’Combie of Easterskene bearing the principal arms, which are quite distinct from those of Thoms, and which therefore demonstrate their independence.

  The last armigerous name of the group is Thomas. Arms as a subordinate quartering were matriculated for it in 1818, and for it as a principal surname in 1939 and 1970, with two cadet versions of the last in 1972. The 1818 and 1970 coats share a Cornish chough motif, but have no features relating to Thomson, Toms or Mackintosh, though the 1939 coat does have a chief typical of Thomson coats.

 

    The Thomsons have been armigerous for over 300 years, very much longer than MacThomas and, unlike the latter, are not of Mackintosh stock. It would not be proper therefore tor MacThomas to be treated as their chief. The M’Combies however, do appear to be of Mackintosh descent, and bear arms accordingly, but on the armorial evidence, It would be more appropriate to regard them as a sept of Mackintosh than of MacThomas, particularly as they have borne arms longer than the latter. The Thomases also have no connection with MacThomas, and some of them too matriculated arms earlier, which leaves only Thoms and Thom.

   From his arms, it is quite clear that Thoms of Aberlemno represented the principal line of the Thoms group, but upon becoming MacThomas of Finegand, he matriculated arms which put his previous status in doubt. His new arms comprised four quarterings. The first three were from the arms of Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and the last was for Thoms of Aberlemno, but all were within a bordure compony, which is a cadet brisure, usually a bastard one. Thus the status of representer of Thoms of Aberlemno was exchanged for that of MacThomas of Finegand, which, while is has been recognized as that of a chief, does not establish that he is chief of the name of Thoms; he cannot be its chief and bear arms as one of its cadets, possibly a bastard one at that. From their arms, the Thomases would seem to be a sept of Mackintosh, like the M’Combies, but distinct from them.

   The chiefship of Thomson, M’Combie and Thomas is denied MacThomas because the arms associated with these names are quite distinct from his, and his chiefship of Thoms is questionable. Apparently however, he is the chief of the MacThomases, but down to 1973, the only matriculations for the name had been for two generations of Finegand, making them, seemingly, chief’s without a clan. This paradox is heightened by the case of Thomson – a clan without a chief – and by the synonymity of the names MacThomas and Thomson.

   Another name derived from Thomas but not included in the Clan MacThomas Society’s advertisement was MacTavish. The only  arms matriculated for the name down to 1973 were two coats, one of which was a differenced version of the other, showing them to be cadets of Campbell. The point of interest was that the basic gyronny coat of Campbell of Lochow was simply quartered with typical Thomas arms. It is said that MacTavishes regard themselves as a clan rather than as a sept of Campbell. If this is so, perhaps they should make common cause with the Thomsons, a name adopted by many MacTavishes on emigrating from the