Mothers Tartan?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The most reliable dating I have for the concept of wearing one's mother's tartan reaches all they way back to 19th century Scotland. I've never come across anything earlier in print, although a lot of 20th century academics and FSA scot-types seem to have spilled a sea of ink justifying the practice by reaching back into the mists of Scottish history.

My personal belief is that while a case can probably be made for Pictish practices, in all likelihood the wearing of one's mother's tartan wasn't an issue until the Victorian era when some gentlemen felt obliged to explain why, when their name was Schultz, they were wearing "Grant" or some such other tartan.

[Riverkilt]

The concept of a stranger telling me I can't/shouldn't wear the tartan of a Clan who's blood runs in my veins is beyond my comprehension.

Ron

[Nick the DSM]

It really doesn't matter which side. Most say you can only wear your father's but tell that to Sean Connery and then come back to me(probably with a broken nose). You can wear either side, or none!

[gilmore]

The most reliable dating I have for the concept of wearing one's mother's tartan reaches all they way back to 19th century Scotland. I've never come across anything earlier in print, although a lot of 20th century academics and FSA scot-types seem to have spilled a sea of ink justifying the practice by reaching back into the mists of Scottish history.

...

I agree. Isn't there something inconsistent with using supposed practices of the matrilineal Pictish culture---which died out in or before the Dark Ages, even before the clans arose to which clan tartans are attributed---to shore up the wearing of what is largely a 19th Century construct?

What am I missing here?

[David Dubh]

I beleive that you wear the tartan of the clan you belong to, generally on your fathers side. That being said if you like your mothers tartan better then wear it. Remember that not all scottish names have a clan affiliation so if you want to wear a tartan that is of your "familly" you may have to go back to your grandparents on both sides to find a clan affiliation. Of course if you want many different tartan kilt and your clan has few tartans you might want to trace further back so you have a wider variety of related tartans.

[RadioKen]

...if you want to wear a tartan that is of your "familly" you may have to go back to your grandparents on both sides to find a clan affiliation.

Or great-grandparents, and possibly great-great grandparents.

Which raises a question in my mind (which I'm sure has probably been asked and answered elsewhere on this forum): How many generations back may one reasonably reach to find a Scottish clan affiliation? Here's a good example from my own background. I have a great-grandmother on my father's side (his mother's mother), who was a LACKEY. That name is the Northern Irish version of the Scots name LECKIE, the name being transcribed as it sounded to the clerks doing the writing. In my geneological researches, I've found claims that all LACKEYs in (Northern) Ireland were of Scottish origin. My ancestor, William Lackey, came to the American Colonies in 1772 from Antrim, Ireland. It is reasonable to assume that if the above claim about LACKEYs in Ireland is correct, then my ancestor was himself of Scottish ancestry, if not actual parentage. LACKEY being LECKIE (or LECKY), and LECKIE being a documented name taken by those MacGregors who opted to change their name when it was proscribed, then...how great of a stretch is it for me to wear a MacGregor tartan? (And I don't mean the "stretch" of the material about my waist, which, I am thankful to say, is not TOO terribly great.)

~Ken

[Tim Little]

...how great of a stretch is it for me to wear a MacGregor tartan?

None at all, IMHO.

[macwilkin]

Or great-grandparents, and possibly great-great grandparents.

Which raises a question in my mind (which I'm sure has probably been asked and answered elsewhere on this forum): How many generations back may one reasonably reach to find a Scottish clan affiliation? Here's a good example from my own background. I have a great-grandmother on my father's side (his mother's mother), who was a LACKEY. That name is the Northern Irish version of the Scots name LECKIE, the name being transcribed as it sounded to the clerks doing the writing. In my geneological researches, I've found claims that all LACKEYs in (Northern) Ireland were of Scottish origin. My ancestor, William Lackey, came to the American Colonies in 1772 from Antrim, Ireland. It is reasonable to assume that if the above claim about LACKEYs in Ireland is correct, then my ancestor was himself of Scottish ancestry, if not actual parentage. LACKEY being LECKIE (or LECKY), and LECKIE being a documented name taken by those MacGregors who opted to change their name when it was proscribed, then...how great of a stretch is it for me to wear a MacGregor tartan? (And I don't mean the "stretch" of the material about my waist, which, I am thankful to say, is not TOO terribly great.)

~Ken

Whilst you certainly could wear the Macgregor tartan, if it were me, I would wear the Ulster tartan, since you have actually traced an ancestor to Co. Antrim.

Regards,

Todd

[The Wizard of BC]

I'm going to post this knowing full well that I'm probably going to get jumped on something fierce. But here go's.

Everybody take a chill pill. This whole idea that Tartans are associated with the Clans of the Scottish Highlands is a very new idea only dating to the late 1700's and early 1800's.
By that time all that was left of the Clan system was a memory.

And the Clan system was never about blood family or relations. It was a Feudal system. To be a member of a Clan all you had to do was live on the land held by the warlord (Cheiftan), or agree to serve him. It was about land ownership.

Tartans didn't become affiliated with names for a long time after the Clan system was dead. And when they were named it was usually some noble who wanted to look like a peacock at court while playing the part of some Romanticized ideal of what the Highlanders used to be.

Only in very recent time have we begun to associate our own family names with Scottish names. This whole idea of what is right or wrong, what is correct or proper is less than a couple hundred years old.
And a lot of the Tartans we talk about were only designed in the last 50 years.

Anyone who claims you can, cannot, should, or are authorized to wear a Tartan are just spouting myths that have come from people wanting to feel a contact to "Older" times and to a heritage of some kind. We call them Tartan Snobs.

The next time someone spouts off about the right or wrong of Tartan ask them to show you documentation. I'll put money on them not being able to produce it.

The only rules about Tartan that makes any sense are these:
1) Pick a Tartan you like or have feelings for.
2) Know what Tartan you are wearing. (You will be asked.)
3) Wear your Tartan with pride. (And not the pride of tracing it to your GGGGrandmother but because you chose it.)


If your still having trouble finding an appropriate Tartan to wear have your Kilt made from The X Marks the Scot.com Tartan. Your a member here. Your a member of this Clan.

[Bugbear]

I would agree with you Wizard except for one slight detail. There are still legally recognized clan chiefs, and they do have the athority and power to decide which tartans are or are not their clans' tartans. To some that has meaning, to others it has little meaning, but it is... something. I think respect is called for in this area.