HISTORY OF THE CLAN MACKENZIE
The Clan Mackenzie is a clan with great history. The Mackenzies are of celtic origin. The Name Mackenzie is of gaelic origin and means "Son of Kenneth" . The gaelic name is Mac Coinneach (Son of the fair one).
Many of the clans have two origins, one in legend and another in history. Both begin about the same time for Clan Mackenzie. It is said that the Mackenzies were one of the clans that held lands in Ross and were believed to share a common ancestry with Clan Matheson and Clan Anrias, all three descending from the Celtic Gilleoin of the Aird who lived at the beginning of the twelfth century. He seems to have been a descendent from the ancient royal house of Lorn.
Traditionally, from the seventeenth century down to the later nineteenth, the origin of the great Clan Mackenzie was commonly supposed to be from a Colin Fitzgerald of the House of Geraldine, in Ireland This Colin is said to have been driven from Ireland in 1261 and to have found refuge at the Court of Alexander III of Scotland. In 1263 he help to defeat Haco, King of Norway, at the battle of Largs. And as a reward, King Alexander placed him as Governor in the stronghold of Eilean Donan castle and gave him a grant of the lands of Kintail.
Anyway, it is fact that a Colin of Kintail (maybe Colin Fitzgerald) existed and he was the first feudal Baron of Kintail by charter dated 9th January 1266. Collin married a daughter of Kenneth MacMatheson, the Matheson Chief, and had by her one son whom he named after his father-in-law, Kenneth.
Colin’s grandson, Coinneach Mac Coinneach (Kenneth son of Kenneth), became the 3rd Baron of Kintail and from him all the latter members of the family and clan took the name Mackenzie. His name MacCoinneach meaning “Son of the Fair one” was corrupted in English into Mackenzie.
Alasdair Mackenzie , the 7th Chief, was one of the most important confederates of the King against the Clan MacDonald, who provided the Lord of the Isles. The Lord of the Isles was one of the most powerful disputants of the King. At the battle of Blar-Na-Pairc in1477, the Mackenzies defeated the MacDonalds and dispossessed the Lord of the Isles. The land of the MacDonalds passed over to the Mackenzies. With Eilean Donan Castle as a base, the Mackenzies spread out through Ross-Shire to the Isle of Lewis and the outer Hebrids. In the following years the seat of the Chiefs was relocated to Kinellan near Strathpeffer, later on Brahan Castle was built. The Clan Mackenzie supported Mary, Queen of Scots and James VI against their gaelic neighbours and gained influence, power and land. In 1609 the Chief became Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, in 1623 his elder son became Earl of Seaforth. Another branch of the Mackenzies provided the Earls of Cromartie. At the end of the 17th century, Lord Seaforth was one of the most powerful Clan Chiefs beside the Dukes of Argyll, Atholl and Gordon.
The land of the Mackenzies was larger than the land of any other Clan in Scotland.
In the 18th century the loyalty to the Scottish King was one reason for the fall of the Clan Mackenzie. the Mackenzies raised about 3000 men to fight on the side of the Jacobites. They fought at the Battle of Glen Shiel in 1719 where the Chief was wounded. George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie, commanded the Mackenzies at the Battle of Falkirk in 1746.
On the 15th of April 1746, one day before the Battle of Culloden, George Mackenzie and his son were arrested by English troops at Dunrobin Castle and lost his title. Many Mackenzies were detained from taking part at the Battle of Culloden. It is still unknown how many Mackenzies fought at Culloden.
In 1861 the Earldom Cromartie was recreated. In 1962 Roderick Grant Francis Mackenzie became 4th Earl of Cromartie. He was recognized as Clan Chief by the Lord Lyon in 1979. He died in 1989. His son, John Ruaridh Grant Mackenzie became 5th Earl of Cromartie and is the hereditary Clan Chief ("Cabarfeidh") of the Clan Mackenzie.
More about the history of the Clan Mackenzie:
http://electricscotland.com/webclans/m/mackenz.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_MacKenzie 
Clan Chief - Cabarfeidh
Viscount Tarbat, Baron Castlehaven, Baron MacLeod of Castle Leod
Clan Badges:
Motto: LUCEO NON URO (I shine - not burn)
CUIDICH´N RIGH (help the King)
War Cry: Tulach Ard! (High Hill)
The slogan is derived from the mountain which was the Mackenzie rallying point or gathering place in Kintail.
Tartan:
The colours of the Mackenzie Tartan are green and blue with white and red lines.
green for fields and forest
blue for the sky and the sea
white for purity
red for blood and bold fighters
Modern Modern Dress
Ancient Ancient Dress
Muted Green (Hunting) Muted Brown (Hunting)
Old Colours
Septs of the Clan Mackenzie
There are several variations of the name Mackenzie. The most important and officially recognized variations are:
MacKenzie, McKenzie, Macenzie, McEnzie, Makenzie, MaKenzie, M'Kenzie, Kenny, Kenney, MacKenny, MacKenney, McKenny, McKenney, Mackinzie, McKinzie, MacKinney, McKinney.
Other, officially recognized Septs are:
Charles, Charleson, Clunes, Clunies, Cross, Iverach, Iverson, Ivory,
Kenneth, Kennethson, Kinnach, Kynoch, Macaweeney, MacBeolain,
MacBeath, MacBeth, MacConnach, MacCure, Maceur, MacIver,
MacIvor, MacKenna, MacKenney, MacKerlich, MacKinna, MacKinney,
MacKinnie, MacLeay, MacMurchie, MacMurchy, MacQueenie,
MacThearliach, MacVanish, MacVennie, MacVinish, MacVinnie,
MacWeeny, MacWhinnie, Makiver, Murchie, Murchison, Smart, Tuach.