Need help finding the correct tartan, please.

[IndyMage]

Well, it turns out that my uncle had a family tree type thing done. It turns out that somewhere down the line, I am a decedent of Alexander Rodger, a scotish poet.

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSA05178

I am trying to find out from what clan (and in turn, what tartan) is correct. I can't find anything on the web. I was hoping maybe someone on here might be a long lost relative of mine (and Alex's).

Thanks,
Ed

[Chas]

Hi Ed,

The first thing that has to be said is that not all Scottish people have a tartan. Next, many of the 'clan tartans' were only designed from 1960 onwards, so are not ancient or historic.

I have a database of over Scottish 30,000 names. The name Rodger is not in it. Neither is Roger. (Always remember - Spelling is an adventure not a science!)

But Rodgerson is in the database as a sept of Clan Galloway. From the Scottish Register of Tartans -

http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar...aspx?ref=10087



Be aware that this one was only designed just over two years ago. Be also aware that Clan Galloway is what is called armigerous and does not have a Chief.

Regards

Chas

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Chas,

Are you certain that your information actually indicates that the name is a "sept of Clan Galloway" (a clan I have never heard of), or does it actually indicate that the Galloway district tartan is recommended for the name?

Often a district tartan is recommended for a name with no clan connection. In Black's The Surnames of Scotland, Rodgerson is on record early in Aberdeen and in Edinburgh, and there is an entry for the name Rodgers/Rogers/Rodger/Roger, as well. The Angus district tartan is one recommended for that name, and according to Black the name is on record in the Coupar-Angus region (as is Rodgerson).

[Chas]

Matt,

Clan Galloway is listed here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armigerous_clan

and here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_clans

The lists on Wikipedia come from a published list from Sir Thomas Innes of Learney when he was Lord Lyon. Like many of the armigerous clans, they have no visible way of re-instating a Chief. Either the line is so long since dead, or is not possible to identify in the first place. My feeling is the latter, now compounded by the former.

My understanding is that this is a bit of a chicken and egg situation - which came first the Galloway area or the people called Galloway?

The database I have has been gathered together over quite a few years and I do not claim that it is either complete or 100% accurate. But if asked I would tell people that Clan Galloway is an armigerous clan.

Regards

Chas

[MacMillans son]

Welcome aboard IndyMage!

A third option for consideration; if Alexander Rodgers is the family member to whom you are tying your heritage, and he is known to live and work in or around Glasgow (per your linked article), perhaps the Glasgow District tartan would be a meaningful option for you as well.

Happy kilting in which ever tartan you choose!

[macwilkin]

Welcome aboard IndyMage!

A third option for consideration; if Alexander Rodgers is the family member to whom you are tying your heritage, and he is known to live and work in or around Glasgow (per your linked article), perhaps the Glasgow District tartan would be a meaningful option for you as well.

Happy kilting in which ever tartan you choose!

Seconded.

Todd

[CamelCody]

The Clan system has always been inclusive rather than exclusive anyway, placing more importance on a group of people banding togethor to help each other out rather than strict bloodties or genealogical descent. It was not uncommon for one family or clan group to adopt the name, traditions, practices and even tartan of another clan if it was beneficial for one group or the other. That being the case i don't think you should have any qualms about wearing a tartan that doesn't necessarily belong to 'your' clan, even less so if the tartan belongs to a district or shire that your family descends from. Please correct me if I'm wrong but that's my understanding of the whole situation. I hope that helps.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Galloway: "A territorial name from the former Celtic princedom and the modern district in south-west Scotland." (From the Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia, by George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire (now of Rubislaw), pub. 1994) If this is true, it would seem to mitigate against any sort of "clan" status, at least in the generally accepted sense of the word, which in turn would suggest that "Rodger" isn't a sept-name, but rather a name, one of several, encountered in the Galloway area. That being the case, I'd tend to agree with Cajun Scot and MacMillan's Son in suggesting that a district tartan might be the way to go.

[Highland Logan]

A third option for consideration; if Alexander Rodgers is the family member to whom you are tying your heritage, and he is known to live and work in or around Glasgow (per your linked article), perhaps the Glasgow District tartan would be a meaningful option for you as well.

Seconded.

Galloway: "A territorial name from the former Celtic princedom and the modern district in south-west Scotland." (From the Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia, by George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire (now of Rubislaw), pub. 1994) If this is true, it would seem to mitigate against any sort of "clan" status, at least in the generally accepted sense of the word, which in turn would suggest that "Rodger" isn't a sept-name, but rather a name, one of several, encountered in the Galloway area. That being the case, I'd tend to agree with Cajun Scot and MacMillan's Son in suggesting that a district tartan might be the way to go.

The ayes have it.

Frank

[Graham A. Robieson]

Greetings,

Roger/Rodger/Rogers/Rodgers/Rogerson/Rodgerson - However it is spelt, the name Roger is English, though brought over buy the Normans, the Normans would add 's' if Roger had a son and he would be named Rogers, the name Roger was changed to Rodger with the 'd' added by the Welsh, therefore there is possibility that Alexander Rodger has Welsh roots, and could offer you a look at Welsh tartans, or given that your ancestor is from Glasgow maybe a district tartan would be another option...also the name is common throughout the British Isles, and was even taken to Ireland.

Here is a link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_(surname)


All the best,


Graham