Question: "spelling" tartans

**ctbuchanan** · 10th May 17, 06:05 PM

As first generation US (my mother was born in Scotland and came here as an adult my father was born in Yorkshire) I was raised with strong awareness of our Buchanan heritage. All of her five sons owned kilts by the time we were 18 and we continue to wear them to family events (she lived to 95 years and passed away about 5 years ago).

I would feel odd in a kilt that was not of my clan but I would see no wrong in those that chose to do so.

I own kilts in:
Modern Buchanan - two
Ancient Buchanan
Modern Hunting Buchanan

**ThistleDown** · 10th May 17, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by McKerrell

Well said. I agree all the way. My hope is maybe Jock will post and explain how they'd view this in Scotland. Your reply, though, is worth quoting--especially on the biggest dubious tartan site. They're big on Clan tartan entitlements.

Jock will explain for himself, as will others in Scotland. As for me, I wear the Davidson because that is my birth name, Davidson of Tulloch because that is the 'direct' line from which I am descended, Mackintosh because that is my adoptive family, and Clan Chattan because that is the 'district' in which I live. The important thing to realise is that by taking and wearing a tartan you are accepting the name attached to it as your name. Not your great-grannies. You may only belong to one 'clan' -- that from which you are descended in the male line -- or into which you have been accepted in place of all others.

Tartan names as attached to clans are a 200-year-old (just about as old as the US) phenomenon. Wear any tartan you wish, in other words. But you may belong to only one clan and are not 'entitled' to any other, although others may accept you among them for now

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**Geoff Withnell** · 13th May 17, 12:29 PM

I have quite a few kilts. But the only clan tartan I wear are associated with Davidson, since that is my clan. I also wear Chatten, since Davidson is part of the Chatten group. I also wear the two USMC tartans, the Albannoch tartan, American Heritage, and a few others. But Davidson is my only clan, and the only clan tartan I wear.