Whats in a name vs. Blood?

[Mac-Attack]

OK a little background (pour yourself a port).
I am a McLean, but not by birth. My mother remarried when I was 3 to an American (McLean) but I was born Swedish (also German). My dad adopted me (hence the official McLean last name). But here is the next twist, My grandfather on my dads side, was adopted into the McLean as well, so far the story is sketchy (I actually started digging up this summer). But his parents are a McLean/Stewart. So, whats in a name as I am clearly not bloodline related? Have been interested in Scot history and family line kilt, but was too lazy/broke to pursue. Now I am looking into things (it is a distraction from my PhD studies) and even made my first kilt (modern XKilt) and have a 2nd in the works (again Xkilt in Green Duck cloth with Gold underpleats... USF colors) but not certain if I qualify to wear the McLean tartan now, as I will eventually make a dress kill in McLean, but not going to spend the money if I made a clan faux pas.

[J_Mimbs]

From all I've seen on here I think you would be fine to wear the McLean tartan, as you do have a strong connection to the name, even if its not by blood. But I'll let those older and wiser than myself speak to that.

On a totally unrelated note, are you in Tampa or did you/do you go to USF? Just curious; its close to where I live and I have friends who went there.

[Cygnus]

As far as I know, whether you belong to a clan depends almost entirely upon your surname (there are exceptions - people with differing surnames who offer fealty to the chief, those who owed fealty based on their geographic location, etc.) - if you were officially adopted by a McLean, and your grandfather was officially adopted into a McLean family, then you are a McLean!

[davidg]

Adoption always makes you a full member of the family. With that come rights and responsibilities so you are a MacLean whether you like it or not

Wear the tartan with pride

[Lyle1]

Adoption always makes you a full member of the family. With that come rights and responsibilities so you are a MacLean whether you like it or not

Wear the tartan with pride

Short and sweet, but you pretty much say it all!

[Jock Scot]

Adoption always makes you a full member of the family. With that come rights and responsibilities so you are a MacLean whether you like it or not

Wear the tartan with pride

Well yes, but there are a few things to remember.

Firstly whilst the laws on adoption are as clear cut as any law can be, but there are family sensibilities, from many directions and often tricky ones to consider that no law can cater for.

Secondly,I think many of you are attaching far too much importance and significance to this clan thing. Now some Clans may have strict rules about who can, or can't these days be a Clan member, but generally Clan membership is very lax. Hasn't it always been that way? Modern day Clans are in reality a club and like any club they are a meeting of common interests ------such as culture, history and having a good time. Now I can understand full well, that we all want to belong to a group------a Clan even-----it seems that humans have this need and the modern day Clan fills that need easily---- and how! In truth clan history is only really important to the Clan Chief, if he cares at all and to be fair most do, as he has the wellbeing of the Clan in the loosest sense, is in trust for his lifetime and one must not forget the most important thing of all, the Chief's primary concern, is the future of his his heirs. Every one else is really tagging along for the ride. That is fine if you are happy to do so.

Thirdly, just because your name is "MacCarrott" ,it in reality, may actually have nothing whatsoever to do with the Clan MacCarrott of Wester Ross at all. Further more when you delve into the lists of Sept names, well, it would be unwise to put too much credence to the accuracy of much of it.

Now, in spite of what I have said above, Clan tartans, kilts and Highland attire mean a lot to the Scots and to others outwith Scotland but, on the whole, we in Scotland wear our one Clan tartan whatever it maybe, we don't don't go in for all this justification stuff , we don't ask any one else why they are wearing a particular Clan tartan and we get on with life. Choose your Clan tartan and yes indeed, "wear it with pride"!

Good luck to you.

[Peter Crowe]

Well yes, but there are a few things to remember.

Firstly whilst the laws on adoption are as clear cut as any law can be, but there are family sensibilities, from many directions and often tricky ones to consider that no law can cater for.

Secondly,I think many of you are attaching far too much importance and significance to this clan thing. Now some Clans may have strict rules about who can, or can't these days be a Clan member, but generally Clan membership is very lax. Hasn't it always been that way? Modern day Clans are in reality a club and like any club they are a meeting of common interests ------such as culture, history and having a good time. Now I can understand full well, that we all want to belong to a group------a Clan even-----it seems that humans have this need and the modern day Clan fills that need easily---- and how! In truth clan history is only really important to the Clan Chief, if he cares at all and to be fair most do, as he has the wellbeing of the Clan in the loosest sense, is in trust for his lifetime and one must not forget the most important thing of all, the Chief's primary concern, is the future of his his heirs. Every one else is really tagging along for the ride. That is fine if you are happy to do so.

Thirdly, just because your name is "MacCarrott" ,it in reality, may actually have nothing whatsoever to do with the Clan MacCarrott of Wester Ross at all. Further more when you delve into the lists of Sept names, well, it would be unwise to put too much credence to the accuracy of much of it.

Now, in spite of what I have said above, Clan tartans, kilts and Highland attire mean a lot to the Scots and to others outwith Scotland but, on the whole, we in Scotland wear our one Clan tartan whatever it maybe, we don't don't go in for all this justification stuff , we don't ask any one else why they are wearing a particular Clan tartan and we get on with life. Choose your Clan tartan and yes indeed, "wear it with pride"!

Good luck to you.

I agree with what you state here about Clan identity and 'member-ship' Jock, and would also add that there is (perhaps paradoxically) a strong strain in the culture of the Scots (Highland and Lowland alike) that we are ultimately 'all Jock Tamson's bairns' (we are all G-d's children), and moreover that 'a man's a man for a' that' (Burns).

[Dale Seago]

Well yes, but there are a few things to remember.

Excellent summation, Jock.

. . .In truth clan history is only really important to the Clan Chief, if he cares at all and to be fair most do, as he has the wellbeing of the Clan in the loosest sense, is in trust for his lifetime and one must not forget the most important thing of all, the Chief's primary concern, is the future of his his heirs. Every one else is really tagging along for the ride. That is fine if you are happy to do so.

That part really stood out to me, as it's a pretty exact parallel between a Scottish clan chief and the Soke of old (mostly pre-1860s) Japanese martial traditions.

[Newfoundlander]

Hi lad,

Whilst there are no real "rules" about who can and can't wear a specific tartan, it seems clear to me that you feel (and rightfully so) connected to the MacLean clan, and are more than justified in wearing that tartan. By justified, I mean justified in your own mind and not in the eyes of others. Whether your blood relative was of that clan or if you are married into it, your still a part of that heritage if you feel a personal connection to it.

Take for example my Mother. She was a MacLeod, but she married into the Foster family. Is she not part of the Foster family and "justified" in wearing a Forrester tartan skirt or sash? Of course she is. However, she's not a strict blood member. But she was brought into that family and identifies with it on a personal level, and that's what really matters.

On a side note, your kilt and the one you have in the works sound pretty cool! If you can, post a picture to share =)

[Macman]

As far as I know, whether you belong to a clan depends almost entirely upon your surname (there are exceptions - people with differing surnames who offer fealty to the chief, those who owed fealty based on their geographic location, etc.) - if you were officially adopted by a McLean, and your grandfather was officially adopted into a McLean family, then you are a McLean!

This is my take on it as well. Your last name is McLean, so you are member of the Clan McLean. Wear the McLean tartan with pride!