Family Name and Clan

[Don Patrick]

By the way Don I hope you are on the up-side of mending after your accident. Nothing too serious I hope. Get well soon!

Two broken bones in my left wrist and some dents in my right elbow and right knee. I consider myself lucky though. Another fellow, a week later, had a similar accident here and he didn't make it through the accident - so I consider my blessings.

I thank you for your words.

[BoldHighlander]

I think you may have opened up a very large can of worms. At the end of the day anyone can wear what ever they want, tartan included. So long of course that they don't break any rules, either at work, school or actual law. For a Scottish clansman, he or she would most obviously want to wear the tartan of their clan, it would be the same as a military badge. The tartan would make the wearer recognizable as being from Clan "A". But in the same token there may be those whom like the tartan from Clan "A", and chose to wear it as well. There is no harm in that, and certainly not illegal. I wear my clan tartan, and no other. Hope this helps.

Frank

Very well said Frank

I have no problem with someone wearing a tartan "just because" they like it & have no connection in any way, shape, or form to it.

As for myself (and as I listed in the thread about our "tartans & why") I wear, or desire to wear, only those tartans that I have some connection to, rather it be family or other association (the only exception is Black Watch).
But that's me

p.s. -- glad you survived your accident. I earned my broken wings back in October of '86.

[The Wizard of BC]

The possible exception I can think of is this.

Clan loyalty was not just by blood or fathers surname. Anyone could pledge loyalty to a clan by taking an oath and agreeing to serve the chief and clan when called upon.

So theoretically Joe Wu the poor shipwrecked Chinese sailor finding himself being cared for by Highland Chieftain Dave could pledge loyalty to that Clan and be authorized to wear the Tartan.

Even today a letter to a Standing Clan Chieftain requesting to wear his Tartan is usually met with a wonderful and thankful permission to do so.

Now I'll throw a wrench into this question. If you feel you would only be comfortable wearing a Tartan you have a feeling for, how would you feel about wearing a district, State, or fashion Tartan?

[J.B. Simpson]

Now I'll throw a wrench into this question. If you feel you would only be comfortable wearing a Tartan you have a feeling for, how would you feel about wearing a district, State, or fashion Tartan?

I have no problem with a District Tartan if I have some relation to said district, the same can be said about a State Tartan. As far as the Fashion Tartan........not really a problem depending on the Tartan, that would be the one exception to the "I like it so I will wear it".

[Don Patrick]

I guess I should lay my cards on the table. Last year, I suggested that because Lady Gray was Queen of England for nine days and since my my grandmother's maiden name was Gray, that might mean, I could legitimately wear the Stewart Tartan. I was shot down very quickly. Apparently her right to be deemed Queen of England was not accepted by all.

Since then through research, I've discovered that the Gaelic form of Gray is MacGashan. MacGashan is a Sept of the Clan Stewart - Stewarts of Atholl. These Stewarts are a branch of the Royal Stewarts.

Any comments?

[Don Patrick]

Now I'll throw a wrench into this question. If you feel you would only be comfortable wearing a Tartan you have a feeling for, how would you feel about wearing a district, State, or fashion Tartan?

I do not have a problem wearing the Blue Bonnet Tartan - I'm a Texan. I also have no problem wearing the US Army or Coast Guard - I served in each.

[Highland Logan]

I guess I should lay my cards on the table. last year, I suggested that because Lady Gray was Queen of Englan for nine days and since my my grandmother's maiden name was Gray, that might mean, I could legitimately wear the Stewart Tartan. I was shot down very quickly. Apparently her right to be deemed Queen of England was not accepted by all.

Since then through research, I've discovered that the Gaelic form of Gray is MacGashan. MacGashan is a Sept of the Clan Stewart - Stewarts of Atholl. These Stearts are a brach of the Royal Stewarts.

Any comments?

Now just because Gray as name would be MacGashan in Gaelic, may not mean that your Gray's come from those Gray's. Gray is also an English name, and people did move around. I don't think that should make much of a difference if you want to wear the Stuart tartan, but if you feel you need the family conection, you should check the geneolgy of your grandmother's name, rather than think a Gray is a Gray.

Frank

[Don Patrick]

Now just because Gray as name would be MacGashan in Gaelic, may not mean that your Gray's come from those Gray's. Gray is also an English name, and people did move around. I don't think that should make much of a difference if you want to wear the Stuart tartan, but if you feel you need the family conection, you should check the geneolgy of your grandmother's name, rather than think a Gray is a Gray.

Frank

Hence my earlier question? Is possession of the family name enough or is it not?

[Don Patrick]

The possible exception I can think of is this.

Clan loyalty was not just by blood or fathers surname. Anyone could pledge loyalty to a clan by taking an oath and agreeing to serve the chief and clan when called upon.

I have to agree with you.

[Nighthawk]

The possible exception I can think of is this.

Clan loyalty was not just by blood or fathers surname. Anyone could pledge loyalty to a clan by taking an oath and agreeing to serve the chief and clan when called upon.

This is exactly why I brought up the MacLeod analogy earlier. I'm a member of a Denver based MacLeod clan, and I will wear a MacLeod tartan as soon as I get one. Do I have blood relation to it? No. But they are locally my clan.