Caledonianly speaking, who ami I?

[ctbuchanan]

This debate has come up many times, with a variety of opinions. I suppose mine is as valid as any. The consensus seems to be if you were in Scotland and claiming affiliation with the Chief of a Clan, you would need to follow your father's line. Which in your case would not lead you to any clan.
BUT - you are in the USA where our desire to explore and experience our roots does not usually include a "formal" wish to affiliate with a Chief, but more to affiliate with a clan society or association that our family has some connection to. For example, my father was a Yorkshireman with an Irish surname, hence no clan. My mother was born in Glasgow and a member of the Clan Buchanan. All of our lives we were told we were Buchanans and we learned at a very early age not to argue with mum :-). So we are now into the 4th generation that she left behind her and we all participate in the Clan Buchanan Society Int'l as members and wear the tartan proudly.

If your closest relative with a Scottish affiliation is your mother, I would suggest that you honor her by choosing her Clan which has its own tartan, but also is associated with the MacDonald, which by coincidence is also associated with MacIntyre. So it would seem to me that you could be safe to wear a MacDonald tartan which appears to have affiliation with both Boyd and MacIntyre. And if anyone asks, you can tell them proudly that you do so to honor your mother and grandmother. Or as an alternative wear the Tyrone tartan. Or BETTER yet get both and wear them with pride.

I hope that doesn't muddy the waters too badly.

[Dale Seago]

So it would seem to me that you could be safe to wear a MacDonald tartan which appears to have affiliation with both Boyd and MacIntyre. And if anyone asks, you can tell them proudly that you do so to honor your mother and grandmother. Or as an alternative wear the Tyrone tartan. Or BETTER yet get both and wear them with pride.

YES!! As long as you don't wear both at once. Or white hose.