Which tartan for Buie (Bowie)?

[macwilkin]

With all due respect to the above poster, I had somehow missed out on the fact that mankind had managed to invent time itself -- I was not aware that we were that advanced! Nor was I aware that we had the magical ability to make something true simply be believing it. (I guess all I need to do now is believe that I have a million dollars!)

If you are looking for actual information about the tartans, the Bowie tartan that is commercially available from Lochcarron is in fact a variation of MacDonald, probably because of the relations between the Bowies and MacDonald Clan. It's been in production since the 1960s but we don't really seem to know the origin. It has also been produced in a couple of different variations. It seems to be fairly accepted as a family tartan, most likely because it is readily available, if nothing else.

The Buie tartan recorded by the STA also dates to the 1960s and seems to have been designed by a gentleman of the surname in Atlanta, GA. Again, not much information on the origin is known but tartan researcher Tony Murray has suggested that, because the design is similar to the MacLaine of Lochbuie tartan, it may have been an intentional variation of that tartan based on the mistaken idea that the Buie family is somehow related to the LochBUIE MacLaines. This tartan is not in commercial production, so you'd have to have it custom woven if you wanted to wear it.

The MacDonald and Grant tartans are, of course, readily available. Generally in cases where the same surname is accepted by multiple clans you would need to know some geographical information about where your family in Scotland came from to get an idea of what the actual clan association may be. In the case of Bowie, according to the Clan Donald web site, those Bowies or Buies from Islay, Kintyre, and Jura are of Clan Donald.

The Clan Grant Society says this on their web site:

I seem to remember Dr. Phil Smith discussing the "Macdonald or Grant" issue for Bowies in an older edition of Tartan for Me!, and suggesting that Catholic Bowies should wear Macdonald, and Protestants the Grant. Whether this was tongue-in-cheek on Dr. Smith's part I cannot say, so I would go with what Matt posted above.

T.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I seem to remember Dr. Phil Smith discussing the "Macdonald or Grant" issue for Bowies in an older edition of Tartan for Me!, and suggesting that Catholic Bowies should wear Macdonald, and Protestants the Grant. Whether this was tongue-in-cheek on Dr. Smith's part I cannot say, so I would go with what Matt posted above.

T.

In the most recent (8th) edition, this is what he has to say.

"The name 'Bowie' can either be 'Grant' or 'MacDonald.' If one knows that their family came from the east, then suggest a 'Grant' tartan; if from the west, then suggest 'MacDonald.' If the family traditional religion is Protestant, then 'Grant'; if Roman Catholic, possibly 'MacDonald.' Only 'MacDonald' Bowies should wear the 'Bowie' tartan. It is a variation of the 'MacDonald' tartan."

I believe he is suggesting the Protestant/Catholic thing as a helpful rule of thumb to maybe assist those who don't know what part of Scotland their Bowies came from. I don't think he was intending it as a hard and fast rule.

[macwilkin]

In the most recent (8th) edition, this is what he has to say.

"The name 'Bowie' can either be 'Grant' or 'MacDonald.' If one knows that their family came from the east, then suggest a 'Grant' tartan; if from the west, then suggest 'MacDonald.' If the family traditional religion is Protestant, then 'Grant'; if Roman Catholic, possibly 'MacDonald.' Only 'MacDonald' Bowies should wear the 'Bowie' tartan. It is a variation of the 'MacDonald' tartan."

I believe he is suggesting the Protestant/Catholic thing as a helpful rule of thumb to maybe assist those who don't know what part of Scotland their Bowies came from. I don't think he was intending it as a hard and fast rule.

Oh aye, Matt.

T.