Ogilvie-Grant family, Earls of Seafield

By the early 16th century the Grant family had considerable estates in Morayshire (Mulben, Freuchie) and Inverness-shire (Inverallan, Urquhart). The family subsequently consolidated its possessions from Freuchie (afterwards Castle Grant) throughout the Spey valley by purchase and exchange. The lordship of Strathspey was acquired from the bishop of Moray in the mid-16th century, Abernethy and Cromdale (Inverness-shire) were bought in the early 17th century, and in 1694 the Grant lands received the status of a regality. Sir James Grant (d. 1747) married Anne, heiress of Sir Humphrey Colquhoun, 5th Bt, of Luss (Dunbartonshire) and at Colquhoun's death in 1718 acquired his lands and baronetcy, on condition that they should never be held by the laird of Grant. On inheriting the Grant estates from his elder brother Alexander Grant in 1719, Sir James, whilst retaining the baronetcy, relinquished his Colquhoun inheritance to his second son James (d. 1786), who adopted the name Colquhoun. In 1763 Sir James Grant, 8th Bt, married Jean, only daughter of Alexander Duff of Hatton (Aberdeenshire) and his wife Anne, daughter of the 1st Earl Fife. The entailed Duff estates (Balquholly, Hatton and Knockleith) were inherited by Duff's brother and the unentailed estates sold by trustees in the late 18th century, though Lady Anne Duff retained Balquholly Lodge until her death in 1805.

Sir Walter Ogilvy of Deskford and Findlater (Banffshire) was made Baron Ogilvy of Deskford in 1610. His son James Ogilvy (d. 1652), created Earl of Findlater 1638, was succeeded by his son-in-law Sir Patrick Ogilvy (d. 1659) of Inchmartine (Perthshire), who, however, sold Inchmartine in 1650 to the Earl of Leven. Both Ogilvys were descended from Walter Ogilvy of Auchterhouse (Forfarshire) (see Ogilvy, Earls of Airlie). James Ogilvy (d. 1730), son of the 3rd Earl of Findlater, became Earl of Seafield in 1701 and inherited the earldom of Findlater in 1711.

The Seafield estates, including Cullen (Banffshire) and Deskford, were built up mainly in the Banffshire coastal lowlands from the 15th century. They were united into the barony of Ogilvy in 1510. A major acquisition was the barony of Boyne (Banffshire), with lands in Fordyce and Portsoy, bought from the Ogilvys of Boyne in 1709. On his death in 1811, the estates and earldom of the fourth Earl of Seafield passed to his cousin, Sir Lewis Alexander Grant (d. 1840), 9th Bt, of Castle Grant, whose brother Francis William Ogilvy-Grant (d. 1853) succeeded him as 6th Earl. (The spelling Ogilvie-Grant was adopted by the 11th Earl of Seafield.)

Estates in 1883: Inverness-shire 160,224 acres, Morayshire 96,760 acres, Banffshire 48,946 acres, total 305,930 acres worth £78,227 a year.