Finding "Your" Tartan

[MacMullen]

Now you see why I say I can find a tartan for anyone!

Oh, and there is a tartan for South Dakota, kind of. There is a Black Hills tartan, designed by the Rev. John Pahls, for the Black Hills Highland Games. But I have seen it called "South Dakota" before, so at least someone is using it as a state tartan -- though I assume it to be unofficial.

Thanks Matt! Maybe you can answer another question for me - why is the "Wisconsin" tartan called, the "Wisconsin of Scotland" tartan? Is there anything in the notes about that?

I always considered myself to be of Scot Irish decent, but at The Richmond games I stopped by the Irish Society tent to enquire if they had any sources from which I could trace my father's family and was informed that even though they immigrated from Ireland, we are really Scots who immigrated to Northern Ireland.

How long did they stay in Northern Ireland? One would assume there would have been some Scots-Irish marriages somewhere in there, if they were there for any length of time.

[macwilkin]

How long did they stay in Northern Ireland? One would assume there would have been some Scots-Irish marriages somewhere in there, if they were there for any length of time.

Remember that the term "Scots-Irish" does not refer to a hybrid of Scots and Irish, but to Scots, both Lowlanders and some Highlanders, who resided in Northern Ireland as part of the Ulster Plantation. In general (and there are always exceptions), the Scots in Ulster were Protestant and did not marry their "native" Irish neighbors, who were Roman Catholics.

Cheers,

Todd

[Eujeankilt]

I have no Scottish blood that I can trace (many English surnames married in so there's got to be Celtic) but I recently found out my step-daughter has Scottish blood. Her G-G-G-G Grandmother was a Lindsay. I also have a Great Aunt who was born in Bathgate and she was a Dougherty (Irish?). There's got to be a tartan in there somewhere. My Father's ancestors, DuValls, came from Normandy and settled in Anne Arundel County in Maryland (Annapolis) which has a tartan http://www.district-tartans.com/anne_arundel.htm

I was born in Ohio which has a tartan too. I guess I've got a claim to a fair assortment. On top of that, I quite fancy the Nova Scotia tartan - I visited there as a youngster.


Dale

[Mike n NC]

I also started the same search just out of curiousity.

I'm a Stewart (I don't care who says what about the spelling of that) so there are several to choose from even if they are almost invariably er....bright. Obnoxious comes to mind. Also Abercrombie, Armstrong, Thompson (even though the latter are finicky about who wears the tartan).

Also the Carolina district tartan (FedEx has the kilt just now...arghhh) Plus since my partner is Canadian I'll go with the Ontario tartan (in dispute just now but I like both of them) and the MapleLeaf. Not to mention the BC tartan which I really like (both the tartan and the province).

It seems that virtually anyone with a European heritage can conjure up several tartans that have a "connection" with his or her family.

Scotland Forever!

Dee you might want to take a close look at the Thompson line especially if you are originally from the NC, TN, VA highland area. A very good friend of mine, last name Thompson, found that in this region the Thompson name resulted from a change to MacTavish. How that happened I have no idea but when I checked the Thompson branch of my family, that is exactly what I found.

Mike

[David Thornton]

I've been compiling names & notes, mostly Martin. A bit of looking indicated MacDonald or Cameron. Apparently that is correct with ties to both.
Now I find a Martin tarten, too green. And the Clan Donald group essentially said probably not, prove where they were born etc, so I am mainly wearing Cameron now.
The next order is USMC, no questions there.
David

[Jerry]

Thanks Matt! Maybe you can answer another question for me - why is the "Wisconsin" tartan called, the "Wisconsin of Scotland" tartan? Is there anything in the notes about that?





How long did they stay in Northern Ireland? One would assume there would have been some Scots-Irish marriages somewhere in there, if they were there for any length of time.

From what I can find out, they moved to Northern Ireland in the 1700 or 1800s. I know my paternal grandmother was a Farrel. Also, everything I've been able to find on Mcneills, Mcneils, Macneills Macneils O'neils, and ect. say that we are all decended from "Nial of The Nine Hostages", an ancient Irish king and that The Macneils of Barra went to Barra from Northern Ireland back in 1400 or so.

[macgreggor]

MacMullen,

Thanks Matt! Maybe you can answer another question for me - why is the "Wisconsin" tartan called, the "Wisconsin of Scotland" tartan? Is there anything in the notes about that?

Just so happens my wife invited me to join her in Scotland after she finished her study abroad with the University of Wisconsin. Being a rather simple and studious sort, I jumped on the first plane I could catch (would have settled for a canoe!) and joined her. UW has a small campus at Dalkeith which has a display case with a small peice of the UW Scotland tartan! Seems it was specially designed when the university accuired the House at Dalkeith.

In short, I FINALLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO AN OBSCURE TARTAN QUESTION!!!!

Sorry, just had to celebrate my little victory.

macG

[auld argonian]

Well, my Scot ancestor (as far back as they've been able to figure out) worked for Richard Lionheart in the Crusades (this was "Auld William") and got his parcel of land as a payment for his services. I'm guessing that it must have been in or around Ayrshire because the place has as many Latta's as there are in the whole United States. As the story goes, they were part of the Plantation and ended up in Londonderry where, eventually, Young William and his wife Elizabeth (a Rabbi's daughter) decided that they might do better in the Colonies and in or about 1750 made camp in what is now New Jersey.

So I guess that Ayrshire would be a good one (and I do like it). According to some website or another we're supposed to be a sept of Boyd. There is a Londonderry district tartan...but I'd have to wear it with a Star of David kilt pin...

...and my Great-to-the-nth-power-Grandmother was one of the ORIGINAL Jersey Girls. So I got that goin' for me.

best

AA

[prattw]

On my father's side, Grant. (Pratt is a sept.)
Also on my father's side, my paternal grandmother was a Crowl (earlier, Crowls, originally Krulls). They immigrated from Dundee around 1710 (part of the Scottish Settlement around Oxford, in Western Chester Co, PA), so I could wear the Dundee District tartan.
Other ancesters on that line, the Pennocks were from Cornwall, so that would open up the Cornish general tartans. And the Davises were Welsh, so that would justify Welsh National, and maybe the new Welsh family tartans include Davis?
Bluebonnet (Texas District Tartan), of course, being a Texan.

On my mother's side, Grant (Allanson, a surname of the Allan sept). Also the Carolina District tartan.

And then I'm a longtime resident of Nevada, so I could wear the Nevada tartan (which is really nice looking.)

Mostly, though, I'm content to stick with Grant, which I was raised to think of as "mine" and Hunting Grant, which is so widely available.

Will Pratt

[macwilkin]

So I guess that Ayrshire would be a good one (and I do like it). According to some website or another we're supposed to be a sept of Boyd. There is a Londonderry district tartan...but I'd have to wear it with a Star of David kilt pin...

Dean Castle, in Ayr, is the seat of the Boyds:

http://freespace.virgin.net/kilmarnock.org.uk/dean.html

And as far as the "Star of David" goes, ever seen the old flag for Northern Ireland? :mrgreen:



Cheers,

Todd