An interesting question Jock. it is not unusual for members to start a thread stating they have researched their family history and found no connection to a Scottish clan/family. Often they are directed towards several District or other non-clan tartans that provide the connection they are looking for.

Despite the access to records available these days, it still is possible to run into a dead end during one's research and not know if there is a Scottish connection with any degree of certainty.

I take the view that time will not dilute the connection to Scotland but that other barriers will guide people to tartans other than clan tartans because they have a connection that is important to them. Just as many of us have a connection to our clan tartans.

Rob