Hi to all Hepburns.. i`m sure we`re all related somewhere along the way! As far as my research tells me the Hepburn Family name was first registered in Northumbria,England, in 1408, which would make them from the votadini tribe which stretched from Edingburgh to northumbria.I believe the gaelic translation for the name would be house by the river- heb = a small house, burn = a river. because of its close proximity to the border of scotland its likely some where sheep rustlers, my grandfather told me some had been hanged for it! then later in history the hepburn clan where attacked by a scottish clan, defeated, and were being taken back to scotland when they were attacked by another scottish clan. A father and son from the hepburn clan distinguished themselves so in battle by saving the life of a Scottish laird, who was the known as the red o`daire.
For this act they were granted the lands of shetland and orkney as their home(cheers), and forever after the Hepburns were known as fearsome warriors(nice). although the islands are no longer associated to the Hepburn name. From my own personal family tree my great grandfather was a docker on the clyde, then a coal shoveller on the australia run, before movng down south to the east end of london.