Do Clan Septs Have Tartans?

[@thejoker9446]

As someone from Scotland it's different hearing Americans talk about tartan - really nice to see though! Will subscribe 👍

[@GioMarron]

Realistically, there are no historical clan tartans. A lot of people genuinely believe that clans wore their own tartan into battle or in daily life but that’s just not the case. Tartan, probably originally brought to our island by the Romans, as everything people associate with Scotland was (tartan, haggis, whisky, bagpipes), probably took hold in the years of the Norse invasions. They were made how the relevant clan could make them and in colours they had available. Initially, all things Scottish were banned following the Act of Oppression… I mean Union, the Act of Union but there suddenly became a huge surge in popularity of highland gear, clans and all things Scottish. This was seized upon by 2 English brothers: John Carter Allen and Charles Manning Allen. The English brothers changed their name to Sobieski Stuart and claimed descent from Bonnie Prince Charlie. They claimed to have found a manuscript called the "Vestiarium Scoticum" - or wardrobe of the Scots - which listed 75 tartans connected with certain clans back to the 1580s. Many of the fake tartans are still worn today. It was thought that this story may be false but, in the last couple of years, it’s been pretty much confirmed. Don’t get me wrong, I love clan tartan and I do throw on the tartan myself once in a while: Clan Grant, Clan Bruce, Clan Donald or the Saltire Tartan for travelling to Hampden with the rest of the Tartan Army Saor Alba Gu Bràth 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@ArkansasRebel9361]

Yeah my family the Gibsons were Septs to Clan Buchanan, one Gibson ancestor briefly held the title as Duke of Rothesay before it was surrendered to England.

[@la_old_salt2241]

My Clan Pollock is a sept of Clan Maxwell but is also a full clan itself now. I enjoy both tartans. Then there's the Watsons also.

[@sherieffiong853]

My clan is Sept of MacGregor. I have tried looking for Gren on the Kilts and Culture website and the Scottish Tartan Register website. It isn’t on either one. I have been mistaken by two different strangers as being a MacGregor. I told them about my ancestry and they agreed that I am most likely a Sept of that clan. I did find my clan and tartan in an old book about the Highland clans and our family name was listed as a MacGregor Sept. When I find out the title of the book, author and the page number I will post it.

[@Lunablueeyes]

So traditionally you can wear MacGregor Tartan.

[@BCSchmerker]

+USAKiltsOfficial *Thanks for the background on Clan forks and Tartan adoptions.* The most detailed examples from history are Clan o'Cambrun, divided into Lochiel and Erracht, and Clan Mac Donaild, which forked into a half dozen septs, including one Clanranald.

[@yukongetit4603]

My clan, Bell is a good example, love it ✨

[@KingofKarnies]

My Grandma's a Walker, a Sept of MacGregor, and all I ever saw was MacGregor iconography of the few things she displayed.

[@la_old_salt2241]

I have a grandmother who was a Walker also. I've also gone MacGregor.

[@Ceilidhmacmc]

To be honest, Scotland doesn't care aboot clans anymare. we think of them as rich people clubs. ye gotta be minted to join one. we know of clans but we just don't bother with the rich elite. here we only wear kilts if it's a special occasion like a wedding or party or pipe band activities. Its nice to see people teaching folk about tartan

[@gryffydd42]

I have ancestral ties to Mitchell. They are considered a clan, but have no chief. Mitchell is listed as a sept of Innes, though I think it applies specifically to Mitchells in the Innes Geographical area.

[@tylersuttle5825]

My moms family, Wilson's, was under clan Gunn and later became their own clan

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

That would have been my guess!

[@williamtuck6886]

In some cases a clan became a sept and joined a larger clan for protection or other reasons.

[@Lunablueeyes]

As for us McClure's a sept of Macleod we can wear Macleod tartan. I wear Ancient, and since MacLeod's are originally from Isle of Skye I wear the Isle of Skye tartan in winter as in a shawl and hat. I live in WNC was The first sizable group of Scots to arrive in North Carolina in a body was the so-called Argyll Colony of 1739, which came from the Highland county of Argyll.

[@traildogisla]

Unrelated question, any thoughts or comments on making and wearing an early style minimally trailered, box pleat 4-5 yards kilts? Particularly thinking as an option for a daily/outdoor wear kilt, the simpler design keeps the cost down which means you can still use good quality heavy weight wool for a given budget. I am considering having something like this made.

[@Catatethemouse]

My family name is Andrews and I wonder what tartan would be appropriate? Where would I find out ? Thanks!

[@USAKiltsOfficial]

It looks like Andrew(s) is a sept of Ross: www.usakilts.com/advancedsearch/result/?q=andrews

[@johnnyjet3.1412]

MacBryde has a family tartan - MacBryde is part of MacDonald of Sleat.

[@chrislaws4785]

My family is part of Clan MacLaren. I've done a lot of research including DNA testing.

[@c.gilliland8338]

Tartan and the kilt are really only things as we recognise them now, the shortbread tin look, thanks to Walter Scott. The notion of Clan and Sept as some honourable hierarchy is another fiction, smaller Septs were all but share croppers under larger land owning clans and chiefs. The Lewis and the.. Beaton, lets say, worked lived and died on MacLeod land, MacLeod didn't attach them selves to other names to sound grand. A Sept is not based on clan loyalty, its Chief MacLelland;"you live on my land, Lewis Lowrie and Logan:? well then, grow tattie here or well kill you"

[@raymondfink9580]

I have Campbell of Cawdor in my tree, I wear the tartan, it’s a sept of Campbell, the Cawdor family was it’s own clan till the death of the clan Chief and his daughter married the son of clan Campbell thus they are a sept. And have there own tartan

[@BigRed2]

Get your Y DNA tested to see if you’re a true Campbell, just did mine and i am

[@raymondfink9580]

@@BigRed2 the Campbell is up my mothers line, up one of her Erskine grandmothers.

[@ianmckee_84]

Clan McKee/MacKay! Manu Forti!

[@kirkmorrison6131]

The idea of Clan Tartans is a Victorian construct. At the time of the 45 it was whatever you could weave or buy

[@kittybear9693]

Practicality is the most Scottish thing.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

@@kittybear9693 Yep, I am from the Virginia Highlands

[@x42brown33]

A bit earlier for the Idea. The weaving firm 'Wilsons of Bannockburn' seem to be the ones that started it in the late 1700 (1779 from my memory not to be relied on) but nothing was official till 2008 with the 'Scottish Register of Tartans Act (2008)'

[@brandonmcbride2067]

I’m a McBride could I be both scot Irish clan I have a some idea

[@la_old_salt2241]

Clan Macdonald. I have a buddy who's grandma was a McBride. The Mac or Mc spelling doesn't matter.

[@gradyratliff2034]

Bydand.