Scottish equivalent of "Smith"

[The Kilted Reverend]

I guess you could claim kinship with the Campbells, but you might want to think about that.

Easy on the Campbells there buddy. Just Kidding!

Slainte,
TKR

[pastorsteve]

There are only two ways to discover with certainty which clan your Harbison ancestors may have been associated with. One is the slow, laborious but exacting method of going backward in time, one generation at a time, carefully documenting one generation before moving on to his parents.

The other method is Y chromosome DNA testing, which may or may not yield results. It is likely, however, to tell you who you are NOT related to, and that can be helpful. Take a look at the FAQ at www.familytreedna.com

This is true. It's not the name - it's your ancestry. Just because a sir-name is X doesn't mean that has a specific family history. Names and spellings are changed on immigration and even during census taking over the years. DNA is quickest if you can possibly make a connection but there's nothing like years of family research. We have done it for years and still have trouble making some connections. Women marry and their names change. They can become a different surname each marrying generation (sometimes multiple surnames per woman per generation) having no blood relationship with any of the surnames.

You even find during ancestral research that family members who thought their father was someone - were mistaken. This can be done through birth/death records, census records, military records, etc. It's one step/generation at a time.

[The Wizard of BC]

And please remember and abide by the rules when it comes to choosing your Tartan.

Just in case you have forgotten the rules here they are.


1) Pick a Tartan you like.
2) Know which Tartan you Pick.
3) Wear it with Pride.

[gilmore]

And please remember and abide by the rules when it comes to choosing your Tartan.

Just in case you have forgotten the rules here they are.


1) Pick a Tartan you like.
2) Know which Tartan you Pick.
3) Wear it with Pride.

I don't agree with 1) at all.

For me aesthetics plays little to no part in the selection of a tartan. It's what it represents, what it is a sign of, that gives it relevance. Otherwise it's just a bunch of groovy colors that one will likely tire of seeing eventually.

[timseh]

I agree Gilmore.

I've made my decision. I'm sticking with the Leatherneck Tartan. Being a Leatherneck, I absolutely have a tie to that clan.

Semper Fi!

[The Wizard of BC]

If you look at no. 1 you will notice that I did not specify what "Like" means. If you like your Tartan because it has the same name as you do then that is the one you "Like". If it is meaningful to you then that is what I intend.
I have never implied that "Like" was limited to nice colors.

I'm very sorry if my post upset you. I was simply trying to get people over the "There must only be one Tartan that I am authorized to wear" sort of thinking.

Even someone who does officially belong to a Scottish Clan has regional Tartans, Corporate Tartans, and fashion Tartans still to choose from if they wish.

Even the Clan Named Tartans have variability. The Modern version, Ancient Version, Dress Version, Hunting Version, Weathered Version. All of these can be the exact same Tartan.
The colors of the same Tartan may also be different with different weavers.

If you bring all this into the thinking then you are really down to which colors do I like better?

So I worded my tongue in cheek "Rules" to say only like. It seemed the safest word at the time.

Again, I'm sorry if I offended.

[The Wizard of BC]

Ah, but do you want the Leatherneck Modern, The Leatherneck Weathered, or the Leatherneck Ancient.



Don't get upset. this is a joke. a little humour. There is only one Leatherneck Tartan and I too wear mine with pride.

Sempre Fi.

[Bugbear]

I agree Gilmore.

I've made my decision. I'm sticking with the Leatherneck Tartan. Being a Leatherneck, I absolutely have a tie to that clan.

Semper Fi!

Glad you are sticking with that choice. And it can make a difference in the way you feel about the tartan if you have and feel that clan-like connection to it. I respect that you are calling it your clan.

[Twa_Corbies]

Sorry I can't help... I just know the frustration with searching. Moore has been a hard one for me to research: it's on both my parents' sides!! On top of it all, I finally found more info on my last name (Griffith), and one of them (relative of my ancestor) married a Moore! Augh! I can't seem to get away from that name even when I'm trying to avoid it for a break (not sure that one is related to any of my Moores, but who knows).

Good luck with your search!

There is a Moore/Moor/Muir tartan, and (if I'm not mistaken) a Welsh tartan for the name Griffith/Griffin

[Twa_Corbies]

The clan system predates feudalism. As the power of the central government grew, such as it did, in the Middle Ages and later, the clans were slowly incorporated into feudalistic government, with the chief or chieftans becoming feudal barons and lords, and lesser clansmen becoming their tenants.



As noted, the clan system is no more, other than in a few vestigial rights and privileges that as often custom rather than law gives to the chiefs.

The end of the clans as viable political entities is usually reckoned to be 1746, with the failure of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The revival of tartans and things Scottish started in the reign of George IV, several decades, not 200 years, later.

It's certainly true that not everyone had ancestors who were associated with a clan, but many of us wear tartans only from the clans from which we descend.

It should also be pointed out that there is very little evidence for clans wearing any particular tartan to identify their clan affiliation before the 1800's. The notion of certain names being attached to certain tartans came about as a marketing gimmick on the part of tartan manufacturers like Wilsons of Bannockburn back in the early 19th century. In the 1700's and earlier tartans were worn, but probably had no specific identity in regard to clan or family association. The various Highland regiments named after their commanders - The Gordon Highlanders, the Atholl Highlander's, MacLeod's Highlanders, the Seaforth's, the Sutherland Highlanders, etc. were probably the origin of the notion of certain names being associated with certain tartans, since the different Highland regiments often worn tartans based on the Blackwatch, with the addition of colored overstripes in the tartans - the Gordon Highlanders added a yellow stripe to the Blackwatch, the MacLeods added buff and red stripes, the Seaforths added white and red stripes, etc. These then became associated with the clans Gordon, MacLeod, MacKenzie, etc.

If you look at very early portraits of kilted Scottish chiefs, you will notice that the tartans often changed from generation to generation, and the Campbells used to wear red tartans - very unlike the lighter colored Blackwatch tartan now known as Campbell (lots of Campebells served in the Blackwatch, and this may be the reason that they adopted that tartan as their own.