<P> James Macdowall and William Macdowall were the sixteenth and seventeenth Lairds respectively . During the seventeenth century, they were members of Parliament for Wigtownshire . William and his wife, Grizel Beaton, had fourteen children . Their grandson, James Macdowall, became Lord Provost of Glasgow . </P> <P> The twenty - first Macdowall Laird was an advocate at the Scottish Bar and was elected to Parliament . From 1783 to his death in 1810, he served in the House of Commons at Westminster . He was succeeded by his nephew, William, who sold the clan lands of Garthland but transferred the name to his estate at Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire . He and his brother died unmarried and the title passed to Lieutenant General Day Macdowall . At the end of the nineteenth century, the chiefly family of Macdowall emigrated to Canada . </P> <P> Lesser - status MacDowalls were among those who were recruited by the English for plantations in Ireland in the early 18th century and many settled there . </P> <P> Today, Fergus MacDowall of Garthland is the Chief of the Name and Arms . </P>

Where does the last name mcdowell come from