Umfridus de Kilpatrick was granted the lands of Colquhoun, Dumbartonshire in 1241. The family took the name of the place. They later inherited the lands of Luss by marriage.
Sir John Colquhoun was Governer of Dumbarton Castle in the reign of King James II.
Another Sir John Colquhoun of Luss, received the Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1625. He was married to the sister of the Marquis of Montrose, Lady Lillias Graham, who took in her young sisters, Catherine and Beatrix, when their father died. In 1632 Colquhoun, Catherine and a German servant Carlips disappeared from Rossdhu. The use of malefice was alleged to bewitch the young sister. All three were presumed to have fled abroad. Sir John was declared an outlaw.
The Colquhouns were ardent royalists and warmly received General Middleton's troops in 1654, where recruits were found, although this did not prevent defeat by the roundheads at Lochgarrie on the 26th July of that year. The 2nd Baronet Sir John Colquhoun of Luss was later fined by Cromwell £2000 in his Act of Grace and Pardon of the same year.
In 1664, Archibald Colquhoun became the laird of Garscadden. He was a Glasgow writer and second son of the laird of Camstradden, Luss. This branch of the family trace their descent to John, second son of Robert Colquhoun, the sixth laird of Camstradden. John Colquhoun is reported to have distinguished himself in the Battle of Pinkie in 1547.