The designation as Chief was also referred to as a King (Ri), Lord (Tiarna), or Captain of his countries, all of which were roughly equivalent prior to the collapse of the Gaelic order.
The concept of a hereditary "title" originated with the adoption of English law, the policy of surrender and regrant and the collapse of the Gaelic order during the period from approximately 1585–1610.
Because all new chiefs had to come from the same patrilineal lineage, each family developed a long history of ruling within an area, which gave rise to the concept of Gaelic nobility.
However, ruling titles did not necessarily pass from father to son; rather it was by election from within the patrilineal kindred and bloodshed, given the absence of criminal penalties for the death of an opponent.
They allege to be descendants of Cormac of Dunguil, younger son of Tadhg na Mainistreach Mac Carthaigh Mór, King of Desmond (died 1426), they claim to belong to the Srugrena sept, but "this is a debunked falsehood"; Sean J Murphy MA who has no proof to the contrary but insists anyway, that any claimant to a Gaelic Chiefship must first be vetted and accepted by him, and that not cooperating with Mr. Murphy means a claimant must be 'bogus'?.
[19] There remain other Gaelic nobles who are not of the "senior" lines, but whose descent is recognised in Europe and a number of whom also hold Continental titles.