A question about Hamilton tartan

**Thekiltedmohawk** · 22nd March 16, 06:55 PM

I do know I have many Hamilton ancestors of Grange, Scotland before they migrated to Charles Co, Maryland a long time ago. They were part of the House of Hamilton, a Lowland clan.

I've searched for the Hamilton tartan, and learned that it was designed to honor Alexander Hamilton, a founding father of the United States Coastal Guard which the Hamilton tartan was also to be known as the USCG tartan. It was registered in 1842. There was no evidence of any Hamilton to wear any tartan before 1842.

My question is.. Since I'm not related to Alexander despite sharing the same surname. So, I shouldn't adopt or at least accept the current Hamilton tartan as part of my family's tartans, right? Yet, on the site for the Hamilton clans. They adopted that USCG tartan while acknowledging our ancestors didn't have a tartan of their owns. I want to be educated on this unique situation.

**davidlpope** · 22nd March 16, 07:14 PM

I think you're confused. The Hamilton tartan is one of the Lowland tartans featured in the Vestiarium Scoticum, published in 1842. Most clan tartans are not that old.

The US Coast Guard tartan was designed with the Hamilton tartan in mind, because of the connection to Alexander Hamilton.

If your surname is Hamilton, wear the Hamilton tartan.

**Thekiltedmohawk** · 22nd March 16, 07:24 PM

Ah, that makes sense now after re-read the Hamilton tartan description.

Thank you!

**OC Richard** · 24th March 16, 04:51 AM

By all means wear the Hamilton tartan, but be aware that it was designed by two English brothers as part of an elaborate hoax. It is not ancient or authentic or Highland or even Scottish (its only connexion to Scotland is that the Englishmen happened to be living in Scotland when they invented it).

**Thekiltedmohawk** · 24th March 16, 08:39 AM

That's what I suspect after all there was no evidence of my Hamilton ancestors designed, or at least wore them.

**Wareyin** · 24th March 16, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

By all means wear the Hamilton tartan, but be aware that it was designed by two English brothers as part of an elaborate hoax. It is not ancient or authentic or Highland or even Scottish (its only connexion to Scotland is that the Englishmen happened to be living in Scotland when they invented it).

Aye, things may have started as a hoax, but many a clan chief has accepted a tartan from the brothers Allan, so who are we to judge? As a proud member of clan Buchanan, there is no evidence of our tartan before 1850, several years after the Sobieskies "manuscript'. Then again, most modern tartans are from the 19th century at the earliest, so I say wear your centuries old family tartan with pride.

**Thekiltedmohawk** · 24th March 16, 05:29 PM

Now that's something to ponder about.. How many tartans exist before 1842, created/designed by their clan ancestors, and no aid needed from any Englishman?

**figheadair** · 25th March 16, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by Wareyin

Aye, things may have started as a hoax, but many a clan chief has accepted a tartan from the brothers Allan, so who are we to judge? As a proud member of clan Buchanan, there is no evidence of our tartan before 1850, several years after the Sobieskies "manuscript'. Then again, most modern tartans are from the 19th century at the earliest, so I say wear your centuries old family tartan with pride.

There is ample evidence for the existence of the Buchanan tartan pre-1850.; have a read of this.

**davidlpope** · 24th March 16, 01:34 PM

OR Richard tends to be a bit tough on the Sobieskis. Regardless of the spurious origins of the VS, the tartans it contained, for the most part, have been accepted as the tartans of their respective clans. While there are some clan tartans that date to before 1842, that's pretty old.

The accepted convention is to wear the tartan associated with your surname.