Quote Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome
After reading Jamie Scarlet's recent little book on Military Tartans (Partizan Press), I'm convinced that the "clan tartan" actually had its origins in *military* tartans. We know that specific regiments were outfitted in the same tartan from sometime before the middle of the eighteenth century (I don't have his book right here with me now), and because many of these regiments bore clan names, the association naturally spread to the clan.
That would definitely explain the references in MacKay literature to the tartans worn by the MacKay Highland Regiment and the MacKay Highland Fusiliers.

I'm going to have to go look at for that book. Sounds like it will make a nice addition to the library. I will reserve judgement on the book until I have read it. But from what I've read on our particular units, it was raised from predominantly our clan members and the tartan chosen was that of the local region which then became associated with the clan. While other clans of the area then added identifiable differences to the regional tartan to solidify their identity.

But once again, I'm having to rely on memory, since the blasted books are inside a box at the moment.