The MacIntyres were known as Mac An t-Saoir, meaning the children of the carpenter and came initially from the Hebrides settling in Lorn in the 14th century. It is claimed in an old tradition that the family were formally Macdonald. One day at sea a galley sprung a leak and one of the Macdonalds forced his thumb into the hole and cut it off, thus enabling the boat to reach its destination safely. He was henceforth known as "An t-saoir" and his descendants Macan t-saoir. Whatever the exact origins of the clan they seem to have become established in Glenoe, Argyllshire around 1300, where they became feudal inferiors to the Campbells of Glenorchy. This family were considered the principal branch until 1806 when they were forced to part with their lands and emigrated to America. The MacIntyres were also connected with several other clans, they were hereditary foresters to the Stewarts of Lorn, and ten were killed or wounded in the Appin regiment at Culloden in 1746. A branch of the clan followed the Campbells of Craignish, while another moved to Badenoch, and in 1496 were admitted as a sept of Clan Chattan by William 13th Chief of the MacKintoshes. MacIntyres of Rannoch were hereditary pipers to the Menzies of Weem, while another branch held the same office to the MacDonalds of Clanranald. One of the most famous of Gaelic poets was Duncan MacIntyre, Donnacha Ban nan Oran, born in Glenorchy in 1724. He was imprisoned for a poem he wrote against the Act of Proscription of the Highland dress and died in Edinburgh in 1812 In 1991, James MacIntyre of Glenoe, who lives in the United States of America, was officially recognised by the Lord Lyon as Chief of Clan MacIntyre. Prior to his claim being recognised, the chiefship had been vacant since the 19th century.
