Clan Labhran is from the Central Highlands of Scotland. Over time, the surnames of this Clan have been rendered into English as MacLaren, McLaurin, MacLauren, McLeran, McClaren, McLearen, etc. Additionally, the name has become Lawrence, Law, Lawson, Low, Laurie, Lowry, and many other variants of these surnames. Some Pattersons (or MacPatricks or variants) are said to be descendants of a Patrick MacLaren. Some MacRuaris (MacRory, McRory, McCrory, Rory, etc.) joined the Clan after their Clan self destructed. While most MacIntyres or Wrights are not MacLarens, there were a number in Balquhidder of old who were MacLarens. The MacLaren surname project attempts to determine the relationships between the various groupings of MacLarens (of all the surnames of the Clan). All male MacLarens bearing these surnames, or any male bearing any surname who believe they descent on a straight-line paternal descent from a male bearing one of the MacLaren surnames, are encouraged to join this project. We are looking for members from around the world -- Scotland, England, Ireland and Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and others. Please note that the Project Administrator recommends at least the 37-marker Y-DNA test and strongly recommends the 67-marker Y-DNA test. Please also note that the Project Administrator is a volunteer and does not receive any pay for his efforts in getting MacLarens to test. With the introduction of mtDNA and Autosomal DNA (Family Finder) tests, women can test as well as men. mtDNA traces the maternal line and Family Finder traces all ancestral lines. However, Family Finder has a time horizon of about five generation. The Project primary focus is to explore the deep ancestry of the clan and utilizes only the Y-DNA test for that purpose. The Clan Genealogist for the Clan MacLaren Society of North America and the Genealogist for the Clan MacLaren Society (based in Scotland) uses DNA results as one more tool in helping all MacLarens (and the other surnames of the Clan) in their genealogical pursuits. You can see the DNA Project results at http://www.familytreedna.com/public/MacLaren/. You can visit the Clan MacLaren Society of North America website at http://www.ClanMacLarenNA.org