Question for kilt historians and anyone else who wants to throw in their 2 cents

[The Wizard of BC]

If I may quote from "The Scottish Register of Tartan".

http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/guidance.aspx

Tartan name

• Each tartan submitted for registration in the Register must be named and the nature of the applicant's association with the name explained (Scottish Register of Tartans Act 2008, section 6(7)(d)).
• The name chosen must be unique to the Register, i.e. it must differ from the names of all tartans already recorded (Scottish Register of Tartans Act 2008, section 6(8)).
• It must be no more than 200 characters in length.
• The nature of the applicant's association with the chosen tartan name refers to his/her 'relationship to, connection with or interest in the name' (Scottish Register of Tartans Act 2008, section 6(12)(b)). An applicant must therefore explain fully why the name has been chosen.
• The proposed name for a tartan must not give the impression that the tartan has been approved or officially adopted by any clan/family, corporation, military regiment, district or place unless such authority can be demonstrated.
• Applicants are advised to avoid using the preposition 'of' in their tartan name unless they can demonstrate a legal right of ownership of the lands so described, as recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon.
• Applicants should only use titles which are recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon.

Types of names:

Scottish Clan/Family names -
A tartan to be worn by a particular Scottish clan or family.
The applicant must be the head or chief of the family or clan, or have the written authority of the head or chief. Where there is no chief or head, the authority of the Clan Society will be acceptable to register a Clan Society tartan.
Applications to register Clan/Family tartans will be submitted to the Court of the Lord Lyon for checking.

Name
A tartan for anyone of that surname to wear.
The applicant will be expected to have the backing of a substantial number of people who bear that name, eg. the backing of a Name Society, as evidence that those who share that surname like and approve of the tartan to be registered on their behalf.

Personal Name
A tartan designed by an individual but available for anyone sharing that name to wear.
The name of the tartan must be qualified by the addition of a given name and a geographical location. The rationale should include detail on whether the owner is happy for others sharing the same surname to wear the tartan.

District and place names
A tartan associated with a particular geographical area, including towns, parishes, counties or countries.
Where a tartan is named after a country, a state, a district, a town or a city, giving the impression of an association with any local or central authority, public or private initiative, the application must be accompanied by a letter of authority from a prominent office-bearer in the appropriate body.
If there is no such appropriate authority then the applicant will be expected to confirm that fact in writing.

Corporate and group names
A tartan for a company, an organisation or an informal group of individuals.
Where a tartan is named for a formal company or organisation, giving the impression of an association with it, by use of the official title or commonly used nickname, then the application must be accompanied by a letter of authority from a prominent office-bearer in the appropriate body e.g. the Chief Executive.
An informal group of individuals will be expected to provide background information on the group, its nature and its approval of the tartan.

Military names
A tartan associated with any branch of the armed forces, including volunteer regiments.
The applicant will be expected to submit evidence that the tartan has been endorsed by the Commanding Officer (or equivalent) of the regiment concerned.

Royal names
A tartan with a direct Royal connection
The applicant must submit written authority of a senior official from within the relevant royal household.

Commemorative names
A tartan designed to commemorate a particular person or event.
If a commemorative tartan name gives the impression that it has 'official' approval, then evidence of authority to use that name will be requested.

Artefact names
A tartan copied from an artefact or painting
If the threadcount for a tartan has been taken from an existing artefact or painting, historical or modern, the name should record its origin.

Fashion or fancy names
A 'fancy' tartan for the fashion trade
Generally the names proposed for fashion tartans will have little or no meaning.