Clan Davidson is one of the major Scottish Clans with an identifiable history going back to at least the 11th century. Davidsons have associations with virtually all parts of Scotland, particularly the central Highlands and the Borders. Clan Davidson fought at Culloden, and has played a significant part in Scottish history. The great spread of Scots to Ulster, Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and many other parts of the globe contained its fair share of Davidsons - underlined by the fact that the Chiefship of the Clan is now held by a New Zealander.

Duncan VI’s grandfather was Duncan IV of Tulloch. Duncan IV had five wives and eighteen children, and it is from Duncan IV that the current Chief is descended. Duncan IV and his fourth wife had a son, Hector Francis Davidson, who immigrated to New Zealand, where he married and had three sons. The family in New Zealand had always been aware of their position as the last direct descending line. Descent is only through the male line, and it was believed that lines of descent from the first three wives had died out. In the late 1950’s, Hector’s son Eoin sought audience with the Lord Lyon, and for 10 years he attempted to substantiate his claim to be Chief. Eoin was hampered by two things. The first was a counter claim from an earlier Tulloch line, descendants of John Ewen Davidson, the Australian sugar pioneer. Secondly, and of much greater difficulty, there was the tangled genealogical web involving the issue of Duncan IV of Tulloch, who had five wives and 18 legitimate children, not all of whom could be accounted for.