Malcolm Begg, or "Little Malcolm" of Drymen, who in 1225 was the Thane of Lennox. Malcolm received his name due to his stature. He was the Earl of Lennox's Seneschal. It was from this time, and the lands if Drymen, that the Clan Chiefs of Drummond are known as "An Drumanach Mor" - "The Great man of Drymen." It was Malcolm's son, Sir Malcolm, that took the name Drummond.

Origin of the Drummons

The Drummonds do not appear on record before 1271.

"The early Drummonds were evidently closely related to the ancient Celtic earls of Menteith, whose Arms of three ways bar they bore differenced only by colour, and in whose family burial place at least one Drummond - of age by 1248 - was buried beneath a fine stone carved with his effigy in Celtic armour.

"Their first undoubted ancestor to be so far traced for certain was 'Maelcolum Beg' or 'Little Malcolm', who was obviously of West Highland birth and appears in still extant charters as seneschal of Lennox from about 1225.

"His two sons are recorded as 'of Drummond' and his grandson seems to be the first one to have made Drummond into a surname."

• Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk and David Hicks, The Highland Clans (1967).

family

July 2014: note conflict in sources

From http://www.thepeerage.com/p464.htm#i4638

Malcolm Beg Drummond, 6th Thane of Lennox was born after 1169.1 He was the son of Sir Malcolm Drummond, 5th Thane of Lennox.1

He married Ada of Lennox, daughter of Maldouen, 3rd Earl of Lennox and Elizabeth Stewart.1 He died in 1259.1

Children of Malcolm Beg Drummond, 6th Thane of Lennox and Ada of Lennox

1. John Drummond1.
2. Sir Malcolm Drummond, 7th Thane of Lennox+1 b. a 1209, d. 1278

From http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY%20UNTITLED.htm#...

1.         MALCOLM Beg (-after [1250]).  "…Malcolmo Beg…" witnessed the charter dated 3 Mar 1238 under which "Maldoney comes de Levenax" donated property to Paisley monastery[414].  "…Malcolmo Beg, Johanne filio suo…" witnessed the undated charter under which "Maldouney comes de Levenax" granted property to "domino David de Grame"[415].  m ---. 

The name of Malcolm’s wife is not known.  Malcolm & his wife had [two] children: 

• a)         [MALCOLM de Drummond (-after 1301).  "…Malcolmo de Drummond…" witnessed the charter dated 14 Feb 1273 under which "Malcolmus comes de Levenax" confirmed the lands of the church of Kilpatrick[416].  m ---.  The name of Malcolm’s wife is not known.  Malcolm & his wife had [two] children.
• b)         JOHN de Drummond (-after Oct 1304).  "…Malcolmo Beg, Johanne filio suo…" witnessed the undated charter under which "Maldouney comes de Levenax" granted property to "domino David de Grame"[417].  m ELENA, daughter of --- (-after 11 Oct 1304).  Land in restored Northumberland was restored to "John de Drummond and Elena his wife’s dower there" by charter dated 11 Oct 1304[418].  John & his wife had two children.

Sources 

1. The Genealogy of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Drummond (Google eBook) William Drummond Strathallan (1st viscount), William Drummond Priv. print., 1889.  Page 260
2. Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (Google eBook) Bernard Burke. Harrison, 1865 - Nobility - 1323 pages. Page 877 "Perth and Melfort."

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Links

• http://www.celtic-casimir.com/webtree/19/39230.htm
• http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/dtog/drummon2.html Electric Scotland: Drummond]