Watson Clan

**Wareyin** · 21st June 15, 08:07 AM

I am trying to learn which Clan(s) I have family ties to, and we do have the surname Watson in the family. There is a Watson tartan, and there used to be a Clan Watson Society. But I am also finding that Watson is a sept of Buchanan. Are there different branches of Watson, or did Buchanan absorb Watson once there was no longer a Chief? Or something else entirely?

Thank you for any help!

**Bruce Scott** · 21st June 15, 03:53 PM

These links may be of interest:

http://www.rampantscotland.com/clans/blclanwatt.htm

http://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-watson/

http://www.clanwatson.co.uk/

http://www.scotland.com/forums/clans...an-watson.html

http://www.cassoc.ca/clans/watson/frameset.htm

**Wareyin** · 21st June 15, 05:35 PM

Thank you, Bruce Scott for the links. Sadly, none of them explains the relationship between Watson and Buchanan, and none of them leads to an existing website for Clan Watson. Apparently there was such a site in 2000, but it is no longer existing.

**Bruce Scott** · 21st June 15, 06:25 PM

The problem with clan sept names is that there is seldom an explanation as to how and when the name became associated with a particular clan (sometimes it's clans).

According to this site, Watson may be a sept of both Clan Buchanan and Clan Forbes: http://www.rideau-info.com/ken/genea...tson-sept.html

“Septs must be regarded as a rather wonderful effort of imagination” and “The very word ‘sept’ is delusive. . ."
Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, GCVO WS Lord Lyon King of Arms, 1945-1969.

More here on 'The Romantic Myth of Clan Septs': http://www.clans-families.org/clan-septs.html

**ctbuchanan** · 22nd June 15, 09:16 AM

The history of the Clan Buchanan traces it's origins of the Watson line back to the several chiefs named Walter. Because Buchanan was originally a place name and applied only to the chief their sons used other names. In the case of Walter, his nickname was Watt or Wattie and the patronymic became MacWatt, MacWattie, Wattison and Watson etc. Also Walters, Walterson etc.

The issue of course, as with many sept names, is that there were obviously other men name Walter who used Watt or Wattie as well and they may or most often, were not, of the Clan Buchanan. But today in the northeast USA there are many, many Watsons who when they came to places like Nova Scotia knew that they were Buchanans. The sept name is very common in this area.

**Balaamsass51** · 25th June 15, 02:13 PM

Hello Wareyin. Clan Watson is a clan, but it is an armigerous clan, that is one without a living clan chief. (the last one died in the 1700's). We are also a sept of Buchannan, Forbes, and some say Hay and perhaps Gunn. Yes, there was a Clan Watson Society quite a while ago, a lady out west ran it but she was very old and went into a nursing home so it folded. The Clan Watson group in Nova Scotia is very active and has a lot of history on their web site. There is a fellow in England who ran a Watson forum, perhaps he is still in business. Hope some of this helps.

**Wareyin** · 25th June 15, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by Balaamsass51

Hello Wareyin. Clan Watson is a clan, but it is an armigerous clan, that is one without a living clan chief. (the last one died in the 1700's). We are also a sept of Buchannan, Forbes, and some say Hay and perhaps Gunn. Yes, there was a Clan Watson Society quite a while ago, a lady out west ran it but she was very old and went into a nursing home so it folded. The Clan Watson group in Nova Scotia is very active and has a lot of history on their web site. There is a fellow in England who ran a Watson forum, perhaps he is still in business. Hope some of this helps.

Thank you, Balaamsass51 for the information. I will look for the Nova Scotia Watson web site. If you were to attend a highland games in a tartan other than a Watson, which would you choose?

**Balaamsass51** · 26th June 15, 03:25 AM

Well, I have a Black Stewert from Stillwater. Also an R-kilt from Mr Pel in Ontario. Since I belong to the Scottish Tartan Authority and run a booth at several games, perhaps a Wilson's 60, which is the tartan of the STA would be nice. Naturally my favorite is my Watson, made by Matthew Newsome from Locharron heavy weight tartan.

**Wareyin** · 26th June 15, 04:19 AM

I would certainly love a Watson, but finances do not allow such an extravagance. Would wearing a Buchanan be gauche, as Watson is considered a Sept?

**ctbuchanan** · 26th June 15, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by Wareyin

I would certainly love a Watson, but finances do not allow such an extravagance. Would wearing a Buchanan be gauche, as Watson is considered a Sept?

Wearing the Buchanan would be very appropriate. We have many Watsons who visit our Clan tent and that is all they wear. Many have been raised and told that their Clan is Buchanan. Of course without a clear knowledge of your heritage it would be good to know what area of Scotland your family came from, but even then the old clan lands that you see on maps were so hundreds of years ago and people moved about a great deal since then.

One common history for the Watsons in much of the US is that they came through Ulster, Ireland as part of the Ulster Plantation experiment in the 1700's. They then further migrated to N. America. (the Scots/Irish or Scotch/Irish as they are sometimes called in the South) Much of this happened because the last Buchanan chief died in the late 1600's so left without clan or protection they thought Ulster would be a good chance. Many of them then moved to Nova Scotia as well.

But, as I said wear the Buchanan with pride knowing that there are 10's of thousands of Watsons who do so as well. And Buchanan tartans are readily available in just about any configuration you might want including budget options.

Aye,
CTBuchanan