Newbie looking for tartan advice

[Old Building Prof]

Hello from Youngstown, Ohio. I've been here only since August, and lived in Hong Kong for seven years previous to that. I was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky.

I've always wanted to wear tartan (whether in kilt or other form) since I was a teenager, but have never really figured out the appropriate one to choose. It kind of starts with my surname, Farris, which is a rather indefinite kind of name as to its British origin, by itself. Added to this that my ancestors appear with almost every conceivable variant of spelling in records in the first half of the 19th century, and I was about to give up hope in establishing whether my paternal line had Scots roots (in fact I have other lineages that go back to Scotland, but you know how the paternal line seems to be emphasized). My earliest traceable ancestor was born in Virginia in 1787. When I'd go to a Highland games or other event, the default answer seemed to be Fergusson tartan, but....

At any rate, along comes DNA testing, a lo and behold my paternal descent is definitely Scots. I've had the FTDNA Big Y test (which I think may still be the most detailed highest resolution SNP test), and all of my closest genetic relatives seem to be Scots. My most exacting matches are from McLures (one of whose oldest known ancestors was born in Glenelg), and then McLellans (one of whose oldest known ancestors was born in North Uist),and then more distantly there are matches with McIntosh and McNab. My roots definitely would seem to be island or highland. The chronology of the match to McLures would probably be late Medieval/early Renaissance era. New World matches are of variable last names, though particularly Williams. I have to wonder whether my ancestors were McLures who gave up the name for some political or personal reasons (I have heard that name was outlawed once), or whether they had another reason for adopting such a nondescript surname.

This all of course leaves me with a real mess in trying to figure out the right tartan. The old patronymic way of sorting would throw me into Clan Fergusson, but this doesn't seem to be particularly correct as my ancestors likely had no links to them, but maybe was just descended from one of the many village guys named Fergus. On the other hand, it's awkward to adopt a tartan not traditionally connected to one's surname. Then some people would say to just wear Black Watch, but it is a primarily military tartan, and I'm not at all a military personality. The regions of my genetic matches are suggestive, but not quite enough to peg down a district tartan, I think? Then there's always the tartan of my ancestors' home state in the US, but does anyone really wear a "state tartan?" The university where I received my Ph.D. also has a tartan, but would one really wear a kilt (even if the fabric were available) composed of it?

Anyway, I think you can see the thought I've put into the question. I'd appreciate some tartan therapy, please.... Any advice is most welcomed!

[Jumpmonkey]

From my research, it seems that truth be told, a lot of the conventions as far as tartans and clans and families are largely marketing contrivances. The work of ingenious marketers taking advantage in the booming interest after the repeal of law outlawing the wearing of the highland dress by men and boys.

If you want to wear the kilt, by all means, wear it. Find a tartan you like and get your kilt made in that. You can trouble over an ancestral kilt if you like, there's nothing wrong with that. If you aren't comfortable with wearing a kilt associated with a clan or family not belonging to yourself there are the tartans for various areas, famous persons, and just plain old fashion tartans. You mentioned state tartans. I don't wear mine, but its one of two tartans I'm debating on for my next PV kilt, and I will own and wear it eventually.

Overall, I'd say chill out, relax, find a tartan you love, get a kilt made, and wear it proudly.

[Steve Ashton]

One of the most common ideas is that because Tartans have names that it is your surname that determines what Tartan you should wear.

But it really comes down to where your people come from. The area or the town. If for example your surname is Campbell and your people come from Ayreshire you would not be part of the Campbell Highland Clan.

In fact the majority of Scots would not, historically, have been part of the Highland Clan system.

Tartan tells the world - Who am I, where do my people come from, and what makes me - me - today.

If your people came from Scotland, but you are today Canadian, you could choose to wear the official Tartan of the Country of Canada. The Canadian Maple Leaf Tartan.

So, yea, don't get all wrapped up in the myth. Find a Tartan that tells the world who you are today and wear it with pride.

[Tarheel]

I'd like to begin with, well met and welcome new member. I have a family connection to a clan but the two tartans I currently own are personal to my life and past (U.S Army tartan and Confederate Memorial). I do plan to get a kilt in my family tartan but also want other tartans that fit my tastes in color combinations that I am attracted to. I would able to wear those tartans easily because they fit my personality and attachment to the patterns.

Good hunting for the tartan that "speaks" to your inner reasons.

[Liam]

Welcome to the forum from Western Canada! Steve has given you some very good advice.
Instead of trying to find an historic clan allegiance that may never have existed you could consider a regional tartan. At one time Rocky at USAkilts was designing tartans for every US State. Often Universaries or cities have tartans. Find one that is meaningful to you. Or look abroad for a tartan such as the Isle of Skye, the recently woven Wildcat tartan. There are over 10,000 registered tartans. However remember if a tartan isn’t a common one, having a special weave of it can be expensive.
Slainte

[bikercelt1]

You can even design your own tartan and have it woven. It's kind of cool to wear something nobody else has. Or you can collect tartans of different colors for specific events, different moods, or even just the time of year. Just don't overthink it too much. Get a kilt and put it on, the rest will follow.

[Katia]

On the other hand, it's awkward to adopt a tartan not traditionally connected to one's surname.

My surname is not traditionally connected to me by blood (comes of father's stepfather). I wear it anyway. I would also lay claim to my mother's maiden name, despite the fact that I have no blood ties to that either since it was changed when the great-grandparents immigrated to the U.S. (parts of the two sound similar but it is definitely not the same and even the implied nationality is different; I could technically attempt to claim Scottish heritage by it even though the ancestors actually came from Eastern Europe!). And since you yourself admit that you've found records of your ancestors using varying spellings, how do you even know what your "authentic" surname is? IOW, it's hard to be a purist about such things, so as others have told you, don't worry about it too much.

(And: blood is blood, whether it comes from your mother or father... don't let people push you into the old-fashioned societal view that your maternal heritage isn't important/"doesn't count." If you have Scottish lineage on your mother's side that isn't so ambiguous, why not go with that?)

As others have said... you can find tartans for regions, causes, professions, organizations, etc. of all types, some of which may apply to you. Many of these have, as far as I can tell, absolutely no association with anything Scottish ("the tartan of the Hanoi Muenster Cheese Society" or whatever), so why they have a tartan at all is slightly baffling if you want to be picky about it. If you ask some Scottish people, why citizens of other countries who are several generations removed from actual Scottish citizenship/residence (some of whom have never even been to Scotland) claim to be "Scottish" is equally baffling (and, to some, offensive). And it's been pointed out here that just because you have a certain last name doesn't mean you are or are not associated with a certain clan, or any clan at all.

So again, we could try to be very purist about it, but if we did that, a lot of us here would have to stick to trousers.

[figheadair]

There are over 10,000 registered tartans.

Oh no there aren't. Do not get drawn by the SRT numbers - their 'new' numbers started at 10,000 to keep those they registered separate from the approximate 5,000 they inherited. The STA has the largest and most complete Db, we have somewhere in the region of 9,000 entries.

However remember if a tartan isn’t a common one, having a special weave of it can be expensive.

Expensive compared with.....? Cheap run-of-the-mill stuff woven somewhere other than Scotland, or even the UK, then probably yes.

[Katia]

Expensive compared with.....? Cheap run-of-the-mill stuff woven somewhere other than Scotland, or even the UK, then probably yes.

Impressions I've gathered suggest that a special weave includes a setup fee that one doesn't encounter with a tartan that is more "stock" and regularly produced by the mill? And also often has a yardage minimum that is more than is needed for the single kilt the person ordering probably wants it for, which means higher cost (because more fabric purchased) and possible wasted fabric (the amount above what is needed for the kilt, unless the person finds someone else to buy it/has other things they want made from it)?

[Jumpmonkey]

Impressions I've gathered suggest that a special weave includes a setup fee that one doesn't encounter with a tartan that is more "stock" and regularly produced by the mill? And also often has a yardage minimum that is more than is needed for the single kilt the person ordering probably wants it for, which means higher cost (because more fabric purchased) and possible wasted fabric (the amount above what is needed for the kilt, unless the person finds someone else to buy it/has other things they want made from it)?

I imagine the setup costs will be huge. I used to run a printing press. Most of what you are paying for (on a typical job) is press setup, after that, the more copies your run the less you pay per sheet. Warping a loom is quite a process (I knew a girl who was quite the weaver, it was impressive to watch her work.) I'd be shocked beyond shocked if someone was out there weaving short-runs of tartan and selling it at or marginally above the standard cost. It just defies reason.