Quote Originally Posted by cajunscot
I disagree with this statement. Some sources, such as "Tartan for Me!", do list specific district tartans that certain surnames are affiliated with, but the whole purpose of the district/state/provincial tartan is to provide a tartan that anyone one can wear -- read the offical literature regarding the US state tartans, and many of them will state that anyone may wear it. Some choose a district tartan because they are from that place; others wear it because of a family connection, or because they happen to like that particular place.
I'm not saying anyone can't wear a district tartan, just that someone (Tartan Authority especialy) has assigned names to most Scottish district tartans.


Quote Originally Posted by cajunscot
Does your local Caledonian Society have that strict of membership requirements, or are you just assuming that they do? Most Caledonian/Scottish societies do not require that much documented proof of Scottish ancestry, and many today only require an interest in "all things Scottish" for membership, mostly due to non-profit status qualifications with the IRS. In our society, for example, one of hardest working members is a full-blooded German Lutheran from Nebraska!
I haven't actually tried, but they do want documented Scot ancestry (which I can actually give, he was just 11 genetations ago). On a positive note in just the last year they are allowing women to join (not kidding , about a year ago the requirements were male over 18 with Scottish ancestry - this morning I saw that they had dropped the male requirement).

Adam