Linton Surname and Tartan – More Info

[Steve Ashton]

I think your "19th century enthusiasm across Scotland to incorporate a tartan into their family tradition" would better be more accurately written as "19th century enthusiasm outside of Scotland to incorporate a Tartan into their family tradition."

The first attempt to standardize and record Tartans was done in London. In Scotland there seems to have been far less interest in the whole concept of "I'm of Scottish ancestry so I, of course, should be able to find what Clan I belong to".

I know and understand that all of this is coming across as a bit rude and dismissive. And I apologize for that. I do not mean for my comments to come across that way. It is just that I have been in the kilt business for quite a few years and gone as a vendor to a lot of Highland Games. You can have no idea how many times I have heard much the same.

You referenced "House of Names" in your first post. This is one of what we call "Bucket Shops" at Games. You walk up and give them a name. Any name. And they will be more than happy to look it up for you. They will then offer to print off a full history, give you a Clan affiliation, and even print a coat of arms for you. I once gave one of these guys an Italian name that sounded sort of Scottish and the amount of BS he handed back was really impressive. All bogus but impressive. There is no "Family Coat of Arms" under the Scottish system of heraldry and the 'history' that he printed was exactly the same words that he offered someone else with just the names changed.
I had one guy come into my tent with a huge collection of material that he was given at one of the "Clan" tents. He was looking to get a kilt in "His" newly discovered Tartan. It seems that he was led to believe that his name alone 'entitled' him to wear this Tartan, to display a coat of arms, to go to Scotland and 'claim' title to a defunct castle, and even to claim a title of Laird.

I have had people talk to me about "Their Clan" when what they actually mean is their paid membership in a clan society. A social group that by signing up and paying your 'dues' you are actually buying the newsletter.

The Clan system we know today holds very little relationship to what Clan was at the time of Culloden and little to the system from 100 years before that.
I seriously doubt that if you approached a Scot from south of Stirling in 1700, and asked what Clan he belonged to, that you would have been met with much enthusiasm.

Be proud of your Scottish ancestry. There is a lot to be proud of. But please do not buy into the modern concept of Scottish Clans that is so prevalent in N. America today.