I've not run across anything to suggest there was a tie between the Gunns and Barclays, but I suppose anything is possible.

The historic, geographical locations of the two families is fairly well separated, with the Gunns in Caithness and the Barclays in Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire.

As for tartan similarities, have you noticed how close the Barclay Dress tartan is to the MacLeod Dress?

Quote Originally Posted by dirkskene
Our clan badge design was exactly the same.
The Gunn badge depicts a right hand holding a sword, whereas the Barclay badge is a right hand holding a dagger. This wouldn't tend to indicate a link between the two, as there are many families that had badges more alike. The Wallace badge, for instance, is an armored arm holding a sword.

This certainly doesn't mean there was/is absolutely no connection between the two families, but that is where the fun comes in. You get to start digging around to see what ties were in place. The more you study, the more you are bound to learn. There will be times that you think you are up against a wall and then a connection will be found that will lead you around the obstacle.

Enjoy your hunt!