Sorley MacLean
Sorley MacLean was born at Òsgaig on the island of Raasay on 26 October 1911; Scottish Gaelic was his first language. Before he went to school at the age of six, he spoke very little English. He was the second of five sons born to Malcolm (1880–1951) and Christina MacLean (1886–1974). The family owend a small croft and ran a tailoring business, but they later gave up the croft to move to a better house, which proved detrimental to their finances when the Great Depression took a high toll on the tailoring business. His brothers were John Maclean (1910–1970), a schoolteacher and later rector of Oban High School, who was also a piper; Calum Maclean (1915–1960), a noted folklorist and ethnographer; and Alasdair (1918–1999) and Norman (c.1917–c.1980), who became general practitioners. Sorley's two younger sisters, Isobel and Mary, were also schoolteachers. His patronymic was Somhairle mac Chaluim 'ic Chaluim 'ic Iain 'ic Tharmaid 'ic Iain 'ic Tharmaid; he could not trace his genealogy with certainty to the eighth generation.
Hector Mor Maclean, 16th Chief
Hector Mor Maclean of Dowart (circa 1600–1626), or Eachann Mór Maclean in Scottish Gaelic, or Hector the Great, was the 16th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from 1623 to his death in 1626. Mór or Mor translates as "great" when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic. He resided at Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. He was the first Chief of MacLean to not produce an heir in four hundred years, breaking the direct male line from Gillean of the Battle Axe, the founder of the clan to himself. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Lachlan Maclean, 1st Baronet.