Alexander Nisbet relates that "the first of this ancient and noble family came from Hungary to Scotland, in the retinue of Queen Margaret, in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, anno Domini 1057.

A Thomas de Borthwick is mentioned in a charter of Sir Robert Lauder of Quarrelwood, in the reign of King Alexander II.

However, Alexander Nisbet, writing as far back as 1722[8] states: "this family was dignified with the title of Lord Borthwick in the beginning of the reign of King James II" which commenced in 1437, which is closer to Brown's assertion.

Of the first Lord, Burke's (1999) merely states: "knighted before his father in 1430; one of the magnates who according to contemporary records habitually plundered the Customs.

His son, the de jure eleventh Lord, was a colonel in the army and was killed at the Battle of Ramillies in 1706.

On his death the right to the lordship passed to his elder son William, de jure thirteenth Lord, and then to his younger brother Henry.

He married Alice Day, their eldest daughter was Gabrielle Borthwick, their son, the twentieth Lord, was a Scottish Representative Peer between 1906 and 1910.

The claim passed to his distant relative William Henry Borthwick, the de jure twenty-first Lord.

As of 2017[update] this ancient title is held by his elder twin son, the twenty-fourth Lord Borthwick, who succeeded in 1996.

He is Chief of Clan Borthwick and also holds the baronage title Baron of Heriotmuir and Laird of Crookston.