Brown? What tartan!? Who is to know!

[figheadair]

Hi there-
The Clan Broun/Brown need not be a sept of any other clan. We have our own castle in Coulston and a Clan Chief (Sir Wayne Broun). Sir Wayne and Lady Carlie will be at the Glenngarry Highland Games this year should you want to meet him. The problem as of the last 40 years was that the Head of Clan Brown emigrated to Scotland in the late 1800's and as the Chieftainship passed down, there was less involvement with Highland culture and Clanship, thus the Clan Brown was no where to be found. That all changed with the present Chief and he and his wife are going balls to the wall to get the Clan into respectable shape!

The name Brown is of course not confirned to Scotland and whilst there may be a recognised head of the name Broun/Brown that does not make them a clan. The Brouns of Coulston were a Lowland family and there was never a Highland clan Brown.

[davidlpope]

Burly,

The two threads below contain much good advice and information:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...00/#post929323
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...rrrroun-63534/

If you're dead-set on the recently created "Brown" tartan, then House of Edgar offers it as a stock fabric in 16oz.

The only way to know for sure whether your Brown surname ancestors were Highlander/Lowlanders or English/Scottish/German/Swiss/etc. is through careful genealogical research to determine where they immigrated from, starting with yourself and working backwards.

If that is not possible to pursue, then I would suggest that you ally yourself with a historic Highland clan (presumably MacMillan or Lamont), assuming that tartan, kilts, bagpipes, etc. are what turns you on. These are Highland things, so it only makes sense (to me) to put them in their proper context...

Here is an overview of the connection that the surname Brown has with Clan MacMillan:
http://www.clanmacmillan.org/Septs.htm (click on Brown/Broun)

If you are researching a specific line, then our clan genealogist, Graeme Mackenzie, may prove helpful.

Best of luck!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The name Brown is of course not confirned to Scotland and whilst there may be a recognised head of the name Broun/Brown that does not make them a clan. The Brouns of Coulston were a Lowland family and there was never a Highland clan Brown.

This is, of course, quite correct. Generally a family becomes a "clan" only when there are at least nine other "great houses" descended from the founding ancestor (the gaelic derbhfine). Think in terms of the various "Campbells of ..." and "MacDonalds of..." and you'll get the general idea. Simply because one family rose to local prominence in a particular area does not mean that they constituted a clan, either in the Highlands or Lowlands.

[Burly Brute]

This has all been very helpful. I have asked similiar questions in the past, but this has been more specific. Like I have also said in the past, I have never spoken to my biological father (who is where I get Brown) and so I have no real idea. But, I appreciate the help guys! Very much.


Sincerely,

Zach

[sevenoaks]

Hi Burly Brute.
The good thing is that you are entitled to wear any tartan that you like. Trying to follow your Heritage back is very difficult and so very time consuming. Today.. it matters not if you can trace your history. It may make you feel more connected but when you find your family back to 850 BC or back to 1900. As long as you like the tartan and wearing the tartan and connect to the tartan then I would say wear it with pride and enjoy the freedom. The only thing I could say is wear your kilt with pride and don't desecrate the look of a man by wearing a Tye died shirt with a kilt.
I know I will get a lot of flack for saying this but try to stay with the traditional look as much as you can but never hesitate to be yourself.
Without trying to make the Scottish Kilt look like a new age , comical, off the wall, costume ... do as you wish and wear the tartan with pride.