See http://keithclan.com/catti.htm I came across this webpage today, prompted by a letter from Niven Sinclair. The story of the Keiths has some similarity to that of the supposed origins of the Lairds as set out in W T Laird's 1888 letter - which I posted on my website for ready reference at http://ourworld.cs.com/INSLaird/1888_Letter.htm My branch of Lairds also originates in Caithness. In Caithness you are in Gaelic either a "Cattach" or a "Gollach". Those from the north of the county are "Gollach" = "stranger" and is the term applied to those of Norse origin, which is our family story. The "Cattach" are the "Catti" from the south, driven out by the Norse settlers. Again there is some substance to William Laird's story, but it seems to have related to the Keith family. The "Ness" part is from the Norse "Nes" meaning point of land, which describes the shape of Caithness. Another piece of the jigsaw. Yours aye Iain http://ourworld.cs.com/INSLaird/