Hamish MacKenzie is the only son of Letitia and Colum MacKenzie.
Personal History[]
Born to Letitia and Colum MacKenzie, Hamish grew up the heir apparent to the chieftainship of the MacKenzies of Leoch. While he was legally Colum's son, Hamish was actually the biological son of Dougal MacKenzie, as Colum was unable to father a child.
Events of the Novels[]
Outlander[]
When Claire Beauchamp first arrives at Castle Leoch, Hamish chastises her for starting to eat before the grace was said, and she politely requests that he say it for her.
Months later, Hamish enters the barn while Claire and Jamie Fraser are dozing in the loft after making love. Jamie intercepts the boy, who had been going toward Donas, an ill-tempered stallion that Hamish is in no way prepared to handle. Jamie talks it through with him and discovers that some of the older lads at the castle had laughed at Hamish after he tried to make his pony jump the fence, and failed utterly, whence the boy was determined to ride "a proper horse." Jamie guides him to Cobhar instead, and promises to let Hamish ride her. The boy has more on his mind, however, and asks Jamie about being married, and what goes on between a husband and wife.
An Echo in the Bone[]
During the Battles of Saratoga, Hamish is reunited with his cousin Jamie Fraser in the militia camp. He explains how he had made the forced oath to the King on his twelfth birthday after the failed Jacobite Rising, and emigrated to Nova Scotia with what was left of the MacKenzies of Leoch.
Personality[]
As a child, Hamish is determined and curious. As an adult, he is hardened by his experiences but still good-humored.
Physical Appearance[]
As a child, Hamish is described as having red hair with the same broad, flat cheekbones and deep-set eyes as all the other MacKenzie males. Claire even reflects that he might be a smaller version of his uncle Dougal, though Hamish has his mother's cornflower blue eyes. As an adult, his hair is described as ginger colored rather than rufous, receding sharply from the temples. He has cheerful, snub features and is solidly built, but not terribly tall.
Relationships[]
Name[]
- Hamish is the Anglicized form of a Sheumais, the vocative case of SEUMAS[2], the Scottish form of JAMES[3], the English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus which was derived from Ιακωβος (Iakobos), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov (Jacob). Thus, the names James and Jacob derive from the same source. Possible meanings of the name Jacob include "holder of the heel", "supplanter", or "may God protect".[4][5]
- MacKenzie is the anglicized form of MacCoinnich, a Gaelic patronymic name meaning "son of Coinneach". The personal name Coinneach means "handsome" or "comely".[6][7]
Trivia[]
- In the Outlander television series episode "The Hail Mary", Colum specifies that guardianship of Hamish will pass to Jamie Fraser instead of Dougal MacKenzie – Hamish's biological father and current war chief of the clan.
TV Series[]
Scottish actor Roderick Gilkison portrays Hamish in the STARZ Outlander television series.
Appearances[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Age as of the end of Written in My Own Heart's Blood.
- ↑ Behind the Name: Hamish. Accessed 12 May 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name:Seumas. Accessed 12 May 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name: James. Accessed 19 April 2015.
- ↑ Behind the Name: Jacob. Accessed 19 April 2015.
- ↑ Behind the Name: Coinneach. Accessed 19 April 2015.
- ↑ Ancestry: MacKenzie. Accessed 19 April 2015.