Thus Clan Donald claimed to be both Clann Cholla and Siol Chuinn ( Children of Colla and Seed of Conn). Tradition gave Somerled a Gaelic descent in the male line, as the medieval seanchaidhean (Gaelic historians) traced his lineage through a long line of ancestors back to the High Kings of Ireland, namely Colla Uais and Conn of the Hundred Battles. It remains uncertain if the Clann Somhairle are also descendants in some manner, through one or another of the above dynasts, of the House of Ivar, but this is commonly argued. Furthermore, they are descended maternally from both the House of Godred Crovan and the Earls of Orkney, through Somerled's wife Ragnhildis Ólafsdóttir, daughter of Olaf I Godredsson, King of Mann and the Isles and Ingeborg Haakonsdottir, daughter of Haakon Paulsson, Earl of Orkney.

Their dynasties are together commonly referred to as the Clann Somhairle. Clan Donald shares a descent from Somerled with Clan MacDougall, who traces their lineage from his elder son, Dugall mac Somhairle. Ranald's father, Somerled was styled 'King of the Hebrides', and was killed campaigning against Malcolm IV of Scotland at the Battle of Renfrew in 1164. circa 1250), whose father Reginald or Ranald was styled 'King of the Isles' and 'Lord of Argyll and Kintyre'. The Norse-Gaelic Clan Donald traces its descent from Dòmhnall Mac Raghnuill (d. The MacDonnells of Antrim are a cadet branch of the MacDonalds of Dunnyveg but do not belong to the Scottish associations and have a chief officially recognised in Ireland. There are also notable historic branches of Clan Donald without chiefs so-recognised, these are: the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, and the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan. There are also numerous branches to the Clan Donald and several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan MacAlister.

Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles until 1493 and two of those chiefs also held the title of Earl of Ross until 1476. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, recognises under Scottish law the High Chief of Clan Donald. Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald ( Scottish Gaelic: Clann Dòmhnaill Mac Dòmhnaill ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans.

Bridge baron for mac