The name Carnegie derives from the barony of this name in the parish of Carmyllie, Angus. The Carnegies of Southesk, the first family, were previously designated by the Gaelic township name of Balinhard, also in Angus, and are descended from John de Balinhard whose forebears held these lands. The name first appears in records about 1230 in connection with the Abbeys and Balmerino. John, the 1st of Carnegie died in 1370 and was succeeded by John Carnegie of that Ilk. The direct line of this family died out in the mid 16th century and the lands of Kinnaird were acquired by the Carnegies of Kinnaird, Brechin who hence restored the title Carnegie of that Ilk. From this family, John of Kinnaird was killed at Flodden in 1513 and his son Robert was captured at the Battle of Pinkie, knighted on his release and made an Ambassador to France. His son Sir John was loyal to Mary Queen of Scots till her death. He was succeeded by his brother, John whose son David, 8th of Kinnaird was created 1st Earl of Southesk in 1633. The Earldom of Northesk was given to John his brother who descended from Lord Lour, younger brother of the 1st Earl of Southesk, becoming Earls of Ethie. (The North and South Esk rivers cross the county of Angus). The 5th Earl was forfeited after his support of the house of Stuart in the 1715 Rising. He is commemmorated in the song in "The Piper o' Dundee". The 5th Earl had no issue thus the title passed to a cousin Sir James Carnegie of Pitarro. He reinacted the title lost after 1715 and became the 9th Earl of Southesk. The heir by his marriage to Princess Maud inherited the title of Duke of Fife and is second cousin to the Queen. The most famous bearer of the name was Andrew Carnegie, the son of a weaver whose family emigrated to Pennsylvannia. Starting work in a cotton mill at 13 he rose to become one of the leading railroad magnates and the foremost ironmaster in the United States. In his published work "The Gospel of Work" he wrote "The man who dies rich dies disgraced" and hence he spent the remainder of his life distributing his wealth and creating the Carnegie free libraries in Scotland. The present head of the Carnegies, the 11th Earl of Southesk, still lives at the clan seat in Angus; Kinnaird Castle, Brechin.  (ElectricScotland.com)                                                                                                           

In 2001, the family celebrated 600 years at Kinnaird Castle, with a family gathering hosted by the Earl and Countess of Southesk.  An appearance by the Clan Chief, His Grace the Duke of Fife was especially noteworthy.  Members attend from around the world.