The Laing family, found in the Howe of Fife all seem to descend from the branch in Auchtermuchty, established there by the 16th Century. The family also appears in Ayr (on the West Coast), spreading to Abdie (Newburgh), Falkland, Strathmiglo and Kettle in Fife and also elsewhere (including Dundee and Aberdeen). The main sources in this early period are the Registrum secreti sigillum regum Scotorum (RSS) and the Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum (RMS). No LAING entries (in Fife) appear in RMS before 1586 although this starts in 1306. The references used here are derived from the index, where the spelling has been sanitised with the spelling given as LAING. Church records are rare in this early period so shortly after the Reformation. Until the 17th Century these have numerous gaps, which makes reconstruction a major problem. It will be necessary to work with the Register of Sasines. This will be an expensive hurdle - no indexes exist and this will require the work of a specialist researcher who can cope with not only the Latin text but also the script. NOTE: For ease of reference the main figures will be distinguished by Latin numerals.

Patrick (I) LAYNG, RSS 1526.

Patrick (II) LAYNG, RSS 1579 ‘at the horn’; RSS 1580 ‘remission.’

John (I) LAING ‘in Auchtermuchtie’, RMS 1586/1041 & 1587/1372. NOTE: The first number refers to the year and the second to the charter.  He may have married a daughter of Stephen PATERSON 'of the Myris, in the lands of the Myris, Over and Nether' and his wife Elizabeth MURE.  He appears to have had three sons:

• John (II) LAING, who follows.
• Patrick LAING ‘Burgess Ayr, Portioner of Auchtermuchtie’ RMS 1591/1946, 1605/ 1627, 1606/1786; ‘Portioner of Auchtermuchtie’ 1609/191 & 1616/1397; as well as Inquisitiones Generales - IG 1618. He had a daughter & heiress:
• Margaret LAING, IG 1618; alive 1639 in Laing Charters (no. 1912); married Alexander GUDDELL. No known issue:
• Stephen LAING, married Elizabeth YAIR; ‘in Auchtermuchtie’ RMS 1591/1946 & 1621/238; ‘Portioner of Auchtermuchtie’ 1608/2018, 1612/648, 1616/1397 & 1619/2074;  they had:
• John LAING (s.o. Stephen & Elizabeth); RMS 1619/2074 (nothing known).
• Elizabeth, sp. of Andrew SIBBALD, Pastor of Auchtermuchtie; RMS 1619/2074.
• ? Christina, w.o. William GILMOUR, Port. of Auchtermuchtie, RMS 1623/420.
• ? Janet, w.o. James GILMOUR, Port. of Auchtermuchtie RMS 1623/420.

• Richard (I) LAING ‘in Over Myres’ RMS 1631/1702 - who follows.
• Patrick LAING ‘of Auchtermuchtie’ RMS 1631/1702, 1642/1161, 1643/1454 & 1643/1523; ‘in Auchtermuchty’ RMS 1662/163. He is possibly the same as (or the father of) Patrick LAYNG who baptises children in Abdie 1650-1668:
• Richard LAYNG, bap. Abdie 22 Sep 1650 (nothing further known).
• Williame LAYNG, bap. Abdie 1 May 1653 (nothing further known).
• Kathren LAYNG, bap. Abdie 23 Nov 1655 (nothing further known).
• Charles LAYNG, bap. Abdie 30 Jan 1659 (nothing further known).
• Mitchall LAYNG, bap. Abdie 9 Feb 1662 (nothing further known).
• Marione LAYNG, bap. Abdie 28 May 1665 (nothing further known).
• Anna LAYNG, bap. Abdie 5 May 1668; marries as Ann LENG at Abdie 24 Apr 1696, William RODGER, bap. Kemback, Fife 28 Mar 1676 (s.o. William ROGER & Margaret MITCHELL); and had issue:
• William RODGER, bap. Abdie 26 Mar 1704 (nothing further known).
• Margaret RODGER, bap. Abdie 6 July 1707; married Abdie 17 Sep 1736 Richard LAYING, bap. Auchtermuchty 15 June 1710 (see later).
• Stephen LAING ‘in Auchtermuchtie’ RMS 1631/1702 (nothing further known). NOTE: It would seem acceptable to presume that this Stephen was the same as that mentioned above. However, four LAINGs are mentioned in RMS 1631/1702. This makes it more likely that Stephen was a son of John (II), rather than a brother. This could be a totally different situation if this is a question of inheritance where the male line of the original Stephen had died out. This would require a reconstruction. The original sequence was alphabetical according to the RMS. Perhaps the sequence of the children of John (I) should be Patrick (called after f.f.), Stephen (after ?m.f.) and then John (II) - (called after f.).

Richard (I) LAING ‘in Over Myres’ RMS 1631/1702. He is the first known Richard LAING found in Fife and is probably the same person as Ritchard LAING who married Christen DRUMMOND; and had issue:

NOTE: From this time the personal name ‘Richard’ becomes a genealogical marker of the branch that would become ‘Laing of Colington’. According to G. Hamilton Edwards ‘In search of Scottish ancestry’ Richard is the 28th most common male personal name in Scotland. All those with the name in the IGI can be taken back to this family.

• Richard (II) LAYNG (no baptism found).
• ?John LAYNG (no baptism found - possible ancestor of Richard LAYNG in Falkland who marries Christian WISHART).
• Alexander LAING (twin), bap. St Andrews & St Leonards, Fife 11 Oct 1629.
• Margaret LAING (twin), bap. St Andrews & St Leonards, Fife 11 Oct 1629. She is possibly the Margarat LAYNG who married at Auchtermuchty 4 Mar 1664 James MAXWELL of the family of Broombrae. They had a son James, bap. Aucht. 14 Aug 1666.
• Thomas LAING, bap. St Andrews & St Leonards, Fife 20 Jan 1633

Richard (II) LAYNG, married Auchtermuchty 6 July 1660 Jannet WILLIAMSONE; and had issue:

• Jaine LAYNG, bap. Auchtermuchty 1 Feb 1661. NOTE: There are no Auchtermuchty baptisms for the period Dec 1661 to Mar 1663, also from Aug 1667 to Sep 1702. Thus it has not been possible to establish other children. It is probable that they are the parents of Richard (III) LAYING (who follows).

• Richard (IV) LAYING (who follows).
• Ann LAYING, bap. Auchtermuchty 4 Apr 1714.

• William LAYING (called after his m.f. William RODGER), bap. Auchtermuchtie 3/31 July 1737. He may be the same as William LAYNG, who married at Collessie 2 July 1756 Margraet BEVERICH; and had issue:
• Robert LAING (s.o. William LAING & Margaret BEVREDGE), bap. Monimail  16 Jan 1763 (Nothing further known).
• Katharine LAYNG (s.o. William LAYNG & Margaret BEVERIDGE), bap. Auchtermuchty 1 Oct 1769.
• Richard LAYNG (s.o. William LAYNG & Margaret BEVERIDGE), bap. Aucht. 29 Nov 1772. (Nothing further known).
• Ann LAYING (called after her m.m. Ann LAYNG, bap. Auchtermuchty 2 Jan 1743. NOTE: According to the Scottish naming pattern one would expect her to be called after her m.m. The fact that her eldest brother was called after the m.f. (when he should have been called after the f.f.) makes one wonder why? Was Margaret RODGER an heiress? If so, of her parents or her grandfather Patrick LAYNG?
• Richard LAYING (called after his f. & f.f.), bap. Auchtermuchty 3 Mar 1745. He may be the same as Richard LAYNG, who married Auchtermuchty 15 Sep 1771, Margaret WILSON; no known issue.
• James (I) LAYNG (presumably called after James MAXWELL, f.m.f.) - (who follows).
• ? Margaret LAING, bap Falkland 6 Jan 1751 (no mother given).

• James LAING (called after f. & m.f.), bap. Kettle 22 Sep 1776 (nothing known).
• Richard (V) LAING (called after f.f.) -  (who follows).
• Christian LAING (called after m. and m.m.), bap. Kettle 8 Sep 1782.
• Margaret LAING (called after f.m.), bap. Kettle 30 Oct 1785.
• David LAING (called after m.bro. David LITSTER, W.S.), bap. Falkland 6 Feb 1791.

Richard (V) LAING, born Riggs, Fife 11 May 1779, bap Kettle, Fife 16 May 1779; living in Methilhill, near Wemyss, Fife in 1805. From 1807 to 1814 he is mentioned in the OPR as "in Kirkland" also at Wemyss; came to the Cape of Good Hope with his family 2 Dec 1820, living at Blaauwberg, Cape in 1837; date and place of his death unknown; married at Markinch, Fife. 13 Nov 1801, his second cousin Isobel WILSON (d.o. William WILSON, Confectioner at Cupar, Fife and Margaret COLE); born after 1777, alive at the Cape in 1823; they had issue:

• James (II) LAING, born ? Kennoway January 1802. (who follows)
• William LAING, born "Fifeshire" 1803, died on the farm "Slangkop", Darling 21 Aug 1852; married St Andrews, Cape Town 23 Apr 1832, Charlotte Margaretha HARTSLIEF (1809-1841); and had 2s & 2d and 8 LAING grandsons. He established the largest branch of the family in Southern Africa.
• Margaret LAING, born 3 July, bap Wemyss 7 July 1805, alive in September 1832; married St Georges Anglican Church, Cape Town 23 May 1825, her cousin once removed Jeffrey LISTER (s.o. Thomas LITSTER and Isobel MILLAR), bap Arngask, Perthshire, Scotland 6 May 1792, alive in 1837.  They had no known issue.
• Christian LAING, born 26 June, bap Wemyss 4 July 1807, died Darling 17 Oct 1871; married St Georges Anglican Church, C.T. 27 Mar 1826 George STEWART / STUART, died Darling 1 Aug 1873 age 86y2m2d, discharged soldier in the 72nd Regiment of Foot (Seaforth Highlanders), and had issue: (14c).
• Richard LAING, born 14 June, bap Wemyss 22 June 1809; Smith, Wheelwright and Coachbuilder, C.T.; married firstly Frances ELSBUDGE (no issue); secondly St Andrews, C.T. 7 Mar 1842, Cornelia Mary JONES, born C.T. circa 1824 (d.o. Jenkin JONES & Cornelia Emilia GRIFFITHS); and had issue: (1s,4d).
• Isabel LAYING, born 13 August, bap Wemyss 29 August 1814, she is not known to have been married, and was alive in 1873.

James (II) LAING of Colington; born ? Kennoway January 1802, died Koeberg, Darling 15 Aug 1889; Arms confirmed by a grant from the Lord Lyon, L.R. Vol 53, p. 55, 18 Sep 1984 - making him and his successors Nobles in the Noblesse of Scotland; married St Andrews, C.T. 23 Mar 1829, Maria Hendrica Wilhelmina JACOBS born 9 Sep 1802, (d.o. Frans JACOBS and Catharina ALEXANDER); and had issue:

• Catharina Margaretha LAING, born 16 Oct 1830; married Peter WATERING; and had issue:
• Isabella Helena Barendina LAING, born 21 Sep 1831; married John Constable EVERTS; and had issue:
• Maria Frances LAING, born 25 Dec 1832, died unm. 7 Jan 1861.
• Johanna Christina LAING, born 20 June 1834, died 1869; married Johannes Hermanus MULLER; no surviving issue:
• Richard James LAING, born 12 Mar 1836 (who follows).
• Francina (Frances) LAING, born circa 1838; married 25 Feb 1861, Johannes Christoffel LAUBSCHER; and had issue:
• Margaretha Jacoba LAING, born 12 Aug 1840, died 9 Mar 1907; married 31 Mar 1862, Henry Edward HOLLOWAY; and had issue:
• James LAING, born 31 Aug 1842, died after 12 Jan 1867; no known issue.

• James Richard LAING, born 4 Nov 1862 (who follows).
• Jacob Hernoldus LAING, born 15 Jan 1865, died 17 Nov 1923; married 26 Sep 1897, Magdalena Petronella JACOBS; and had issue:
• Maria Isabella LAING, born 9 Feb 1867, died young.
• Richard William LAING, born 25 Feb 1869, died 2 June 1930; married Margaretha Frederika Petronella ACKERMANN; and had issue:

• James Richard LAING, * C.T. 18.3.1891, died there 22 March 1891.
• Henry James Tobias LAING, * C.T. 3 March 1892, died there 1.12.1907.
• Alice Martha LAING, * C.T. 20.3.1894, bap. St Mary-the-Virgin, Woodstock 15.7.1894, died Durban 6.11.1958; X James MOORE, no issue; XX Albert Lloyd JOHNSON; family tradition has it that she was a very talented pianist.
• Flawrence Jacoba LAING, * C.T. 19.11.1895, died there 4 March 1897.
• Richard Arthur LAING, * C.T. 20.1.1897 (who follows).
• Martha LAING, * C.T. 19.5.1900, died inf. there 12.8.1900.
• Edward Arnold Llewellyn {Eddie} LAING, * Cape Town 11.7.1901, died Durban 3.9.1990; Electrical Engineer; Organist; X Durban 14.2.1925, Mabel Cecilia LENNON, * Durban 25.7.1904 (d.o. Walter LENNON & Mabel TUCKER), died Durban 11.1.1983; and had issue; XX Durban 21.1.1984, Imelda CARTER (formerly de SWARDT, neé de SWARDT), * 28.8.1921; no issue.

• Mary Magdalene LAING, * Salt River, C.T. 21.12.1916, died s.p.m. Kloof, Natal 16.7.1992; Private Secretary; X (div) Germiston 1945, Paul Michael BESTER, * 29.7.1912 (s.o. Adrian William Peter BESTER & Amelia Beatrice HANGER); Official with  S.A.R.& H.; and had issue; XX George POULTON, * 20 Sept 1933; Mechanic - Durban Corporation; no issue.
• James Richard Arthur LAING, * Salt River 16 April 1918 (who follows).
• Anna Magdalena Maria LAING, * C.T. 2.2.1920, died inf. there 20 April 1921.
• Margaret Edna LAING, * Cape Town 17 Sept 1922; X (div) Germiston 16.8.1947, Ernest Frederik JONES, no issue; XX St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Germiston 10.8.1957, David Aubrey James Wastie HOOKER, C.Eng., M.I.C.E., * Totton, U.K. 2.10.1927 (s.o. Aubrey James HOOKER & Ivy MOULD), died U.K. 29.11.1992; Engineer; and has issue:
• Alice Doreen LAING, * Germiston 11.5.1928; Private Secretary; X Paulist Fathers Catholic Church, Malvern, Jhb 14.6.1947, William Paggen {Billy} HALE, * Johannesburg 23 March 1925 (s.o. Gerald Paggen HALE & Ellen Margaret McKENNA), died Boksburg/Benoni Hospital 31.8.1991; Electrician; and has issue:
• Twin boys who were lost through spontantaneous abortion in 1940.

• Robert Arthur LAING of Colington, * Germiston 11.7.1948 (who follows).
• @ Diane Mary LAING, * Germiston 9.1.1954; X (div) St Andrews, Germiston 8 Sept 1973, Michael James RUMBLE, * Jhb 5.8.1947 (only s.o. James Michael RUMBLE & Anna Dorothea JACOBS); and has issue; XX Jhb Magistrates Court, 7.1.1985, Derrick Duncan MACKENZIE, * Jhb 2.6.1949 (s.o. Angus Fraser MACKENZIE & Johanna Jane Kilossa (Kay) KEW); no issue:
• John Michael LAING, K.T., * Primrose, Germiston 6.5.1958; Industrial Radiographer; Handyman; Amateur Arachnologist; X (div) Valley Baptist Church, Jhb 26 April 1980, Allyson Faith {Bonny} COX, * Jhb 9 Sept 1961 (d.o. William {Bill} COX & Josephine {Joyce} HYMAN); no issue: XX (div) Homberg/Efze, Germany 27.4.1984, Ute OPRETZKA, * 27.11.1963; and has issue: XXX Jhb Magistrates Court, 20 March 1995, his fifth cousin Gillian LAING, * Jhb 17.6.1964 (o.c.o. Leonard Arthur LAING & Magdalena van der VYVER); and has issue:
• James Michael Attewell LAING, * Fritzlar bez. Schwalm Eder Kreis, Germany 14 April 1985.
• Thyra Margaret LAING, * Jhb 15.12.1993 (04:19), &bap.; St Marys-the-Less, Jeppe 16.1.1994.