The Munros of Auchinbowie (sometimes spelt Monro) are a distinguished branch of the Scottish, highland Clan Munro. From this family three Professors of Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland were produced, as well as several other doctors and military officers.

Lineage

17th century

The progenitor of the Munros of Auchinbowie is generally regarded as Alexander Munro of Bearcrofts who served as a major in an infantry regiment and saw action at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. He later took up a career of politics. His ancestry can be traced to George Munro, 4th of Milntown who descends from Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis (d. 1425), an early chief of the Clan Munro of Ross-shire, Scotland. Alexander Munro of Bearcrofts had seven children:

18th century

George Munro, 1st of Auchinbowie had three children: Alexander Munro, 2nd of Auchinbowie (d.1742) had nine children: George Munro, 3rd of Auchinbowie had two sons:

Alexander Monro primus

Although George Munro, 3rd of Auchinbowie had male heirs as mentioned above, he sold the Auchinbowie property to a cousin, Alexander Monro (primus) who was the son of John Monro (surgeon), who was in turn a younger brother of George Munro, 1st of Auchinbowie. Alexander Monro primus was the foundation Professor of Anatomy at the Edinburgh Medical School. He was appointed lecturer on Anatomy by the Incorporation of Surgeons, later the Royal College of Surgeons, at Edinburgh in 1719; the following year he became professor, and in 1725 was appointed the first Professor of Anatomy to the University. He was a principal promoter and early clinical lecturer in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Alexander Monro primus had six children: Alexander Monro primus treated the wounded on both sides at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715 and at the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745.

Alexander Monro secundus

Alexander Monro primus was succeeded in the property of Auchibowie by his eldest son John Monro, 5th of Auchinbowie who was in turn succeeded by a daughter. However he was succeeded in his profession by his third son Alexander Monro (secundus) who was Professor of Anatomy in Edinburgh. He took his degree as Doctor of Medicine on 20 October 1775. He then proceeded to studies abroad. He spent a short time in London, where he attended the lectures of Dr William Hunter. He next visited Paris and on 17 September 1757 entered Leiden University where he formed a friendship with two famous anatomists, Bernhard Siegfried Albinus and Petrus Camper. However his foreign studies were principally prosecuted at Berlin, where he worked under the celebrated Professor Meckel, in whose house he lived. Alexander spent some time in Edinburgh during early 1757 in order to fill the place of his father, who was confined to the house by illness. He finally was admitted a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on 2 May 1758 and as a Fellow on 1 May 1759. He had four children:

Alexander Monro tertius

Alexander Monro tertius followed his father and grandfather in becoming professor of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh. Amongst his publications are Outlines of the Anatomy of the Human Body (1811) in four volumes and "Elements of Anatomy" (1825) in two volumes. He was Secretary of the Royal College of Physicians from 1809 to 1819 and President in 1827 and 1828. He was also on the Council of the Wernerian Natural History Society of which he became a member in 1811. He had been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1798 and at his death was father of the Society. He had 12 children:

DNA

DNA testing of two living male members of the Munro of Auchinbowie family has proven their ancestral connection to the Chiefs of Clan Munro.