Those of Clan Gayre of Gayre and Nigg trace their history back to the Celtic Cornwall area of England, in the 12th century. Cornwall, including Tintagel and other localities, are now legendary in tales of King Arthur and his knights.
In the 15th century, one branch of Clan Gayre went to Yorkshire and settled there. In the 16th century they went further north to Scotland. Eventually they settled in Easter Ross, where they became landowners. Their population multiplied rapidly.