Tartan to choose

[figheadair]

For us Americans, how do we choose the best tartan. I have scottish from a great grandma named low, emigrated from Markinch, Fife. Now it seems lows were part of the McLaren. I also have found I have some McClelland through a 4 times great gma. So which of these would be tartan for me. Or should I use macduff from Fife since that is where they emigrated from. Or just use my us aro force tartan. Looking for how this works and what degree of family I would be

The connection between the name Low and the MacLarens is, like so many other names of physical and topographical origin, more complex than the books would suggest. The name is found in Scotland and England and is a nickname for a short man. It comes from the Middle English lah, lowe (Old Norse lágr). The word was adopted first into the northern dialects of Middle English, where Scandinavian influence was strong, and then spread south. So, unless you can trace your family to the area where the MacLarens lived before the end of the clan system in the mid-18th century, then the alleged connection is dubious.

If it were me, I'd look at McClellan (MacLellan); the Gillies/MacLeish/MacLellan tartan would be the choice here. Alternatively, perhaps the Fife District tartan to acknowledge the Markinch connection.