Finding "Your" Tartan

[GlassMan]

Based on the behavior of my recent male ancestors (from my father on back) I'd be willing to bet that I'm related by marriage or adulterous affair to most of the Clans of Scotland!

[Prester John]

That kind of leaves you free to pick your tartan!

[Rob Wright]

Douglas and McBride for me.

[starbkjrus]

I also started the same search just out of curiousity.

I'm a Stewart (I don't care who says what about the spelling of that) so there are several to choose from even if they are almost invariably er....bright. Obnoxious comes to mind. Also Abercrombie, Armstrong, Thompson (even though the latter are finicky about who wears the tartan).

Also the Carolina district tartan (FedEx has the kilt just now...arghhh) Plus since my partner is Canadian I'll go with the Ontario tartan (in dispute just now but I like both of them) and the MapleLeaf. Not to mention the BC tartan which I really like (both the tartan and the province).

It seems that virtually anyone with a European heritage can conjure up several tartans that have a "connection" with his or her family.

Scotland Forever!

[bubba]

The tartans I know for sure are MacNeil of Barra, Hamilton, MacPherson and MacLean of Duart.

[Riverkilt]

One of the benefits of having many Scottish lines is that I can pick and choose the tartans I like and not feel "forced" to wear a tartan I don't like just because its a clan tartan.

And, don't forget, we're all X Marks the Scot Clan....so order up some of that fabric this go around

Ron

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Now you see why I say I can find a tartan for anyone!

Oh, and there is a tartan for South Dakota, kind of. There is a Black Hills tartan, designed by the Rev. John Pahls, for the Black Hills Highland Games. But I have seen it called "South Dakota" before, so at least someone is using it as a state tartan -- though I assume it to be unofficial.

[Jerry]

Macneil of Barra on my father's side of the family and Gordon on my mother's side. (my middle name is Gordon) My fathers side of my family is from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, so I could wear that county tartan, or any of the Ulster tartans as well. I always considered myself to be of Scot Irish decent, but at The Richmond games I stopped by the Irish Society tent to enquire if they had any sources from which I could trace my father's family and was informed that even though they immigrated from Ireland, we are really Scots who immigrated to Northern Ireland. As for wearing the tartan of any other clans which are Septs of or variations of either Macneil or Gordon, I always was under the impression that the various Septs wore the tartan of the parent clan and not the tartan of another Sept? I also have a question for MAC Newsome:

Quote, Mac:

Now you see why I say I can find a tartan for anyone!

Mac do you know if Virginia has a state tartan. I have been unable to locate any. The closest related tartan I have found for Virginia is the Confederate memorial tartan, which I consider to have a big connection with Virginia since it is the birthplace of Robert E Lee and was, of course, the capital of the Confederacy. One other question just ocurred to me. MAC, I've always been told that my family is a sept or name variation of Macneil of Barra. How does one determine whether they are related to Macneil of Barra, or to Macneil of Colonsay?, or are we related to both and thus entitled to wear either tartan?

[davedove]

Mac do you know if Virginia has a state tartan. I have been unable to locate any. The closest related tartan I have found for Virginia is the Confederate memorial tartan, which I consider to have a big connection with Virginia since it is the birthplace of Robert E Lee and was, of course, the capital of the Confederacy.

There's also the Blue Ridge tartan:

[Cawdorian]

We can all find plenty of tartans, I can claim the following by heritage:

Lamont - Patrick (sept) on Dad's side, Brown (sept) on Mom's
Brown - Mom's side
Campbell - on both sides of the family
Bruce - Mom's side
McDonald - May (a sept) on both sides and by marriage
McGregor - Mom's side
McAlpin - Mom's side
Woods - Mom's side
Dunbar - Mom's side

Other's

Argyle Distrct
Ulster Red
Meath
Ayrshire
Georgia
Chattahooche ( I live 2 miles from the river)
Scottish National
Irish National
USA

There are probably a few I have left out, let's see now, this means I can add at least 17 more kilts to my "Kollection".

So many tartans, so few kilts!