[Closed] Family tartan question

neil . o' Mc and Mac are interchangeable all descendants of the Ur Neil's of Ireland . just a question of the slight variation between the two Gaelics

If you like your current Douglas then why not consider an Ancient Douglas as a change?

Thanks folks.

As much as i like the Douglas, I would like my own kilt to have a family connection instead of a geographical one.

Out of interest, which village in Ayrshire??

You could go for one of the regional or other tartans without a clan link

Ah just saw what you wrote about a personal connection . Note to self read the bloody post properly

You can get your own tartan designed, and registered on the tartan register so that people wanting to wear it have to get your permission! Scottish family member did it for his wedding, was a really nice start to a family tradition.

Mauchline. Family are still there but I'm down sarf. Dane love book about the history of the village talked about the connection with Douglas, and to a further extent, Melrose.

Ok, I'm from Dundonald, also now souf of the border!! Got plenty of family connections all round Ayrshire from Sorn to Colmonell, via eveywhere in between!! 😀

I like Sorn. Used to be fun trails in the old quarry.

I if I remember I'll check for you in the morning. Kilts are the family business, i'll check my book & see what links it gives.

What is your surname? Even though its Anglo Saxon you'd be surprised what names actually link to particular clans.

Thanks dahedd.

I did try too sent this repeatedly as a pm mate but it kept refusing to send.

I did wonder if ##### was your name given your e-mail but didn't want to jump to conclusions.

We us a guide book, Collins Kith & Kin as a resource plus the Scottish Tartans Authority website is a good reference as well though it is full of private designs (many just done on a pc) that no one actually weaves.

The family name as you predicted has no specific family tartan but it can be tracked to Scotland. The book gives reference to the first times the name crops up in historical records.

It is noted in Roxburghshire in the 13th century & Morayshire in the 15th c. The book then references you to the dominant clans in the mentioned areas.

So Roxburghshire would be Crichton, Cranston, Elliot, Kerr, Oliver & Turnball with Armstrong straddling the border with Dumfries & England.

Morayshire gives you Brodie, Campbell of Cawdor, Cumming/Comyn (local estate by me links to this & are looking too open a clan museum), Dunbar, Leslie, McBean & McBeth.

That's a huge list & to complicate things there are multiple colour versions (ancient/old, modern, muted & weathered/reproduction) for some of the above tartans & the different woollen mills have their own interpretation of the tartans.

Now the name Wilson has a tartan in its own right plus it links directly to the Gunn clan.

Neil as you said goes to McNeill so the tartan would be McNeil of Barra or possibly McNeil of Colonsy. There is also an old colours McNeil "old & rare" woven by House of Edgars.

So there you go, heaps & heaps to choose from.

Good luck, Dahedd

Just pick a tartan you like, IME there are spurious links to just about any family name.

My ancestry descends back to Norse Vikings :-)... what axe should I get ?

and MacNeil

[i]To conquer or die.[/i]

Dahedd, thank you so much for the info. It's cleared it up for me!

I was attached to the vikings. True story.

You're welcome mate.

Tbf you can't go wrong with any of the Gunn tartans or the McNeil's. They are all very nice.

Though if I remember correctly the Cranston from the Roxburgh link is rather nice (House of Edgars old & rare range only I think)

At the end of the day though pick something you like. As Nobeer said above some links can be tenuous & tbh if like me you find your tartan is bogging them you're not going too wear it. So pick one you like. Just try & avoid any of the made up fashion tartans, i.e. any thing too black or with lots of purple, they don't date well.

TBH I'm not a particular fan of the Wilson tartan but I like the toned down look of the ancient Macneil.

In the past I've came across some "snooty" people about what tartan should be worn so I feel happy that if approached by someone in the future I can explain why!

It's first outing will be a wedding in Oxford!

What's your business dahedd?

I'm all the way up in Aberdeen mate. Georgian Dress Hire, Small shop, just the one place.

Does good kilts too Georgian.

Mines came from there :)seems every buggers on Stw these days 🙂

Lol. Thanks dude. Remember to pop it in for a tidy up now & then. Nae charge mind, Part of the deal when you bought it.

Ps I'm the short fat ugly bald one as my wife keeps telling me.

Isn't the whole 'family/clan' tartan a Victorian invention?

My folks very nicely bought me my kilt from Duncan Chisolm in Inverness back in 1984 for my 21st / graduation. Still going strong all these years later !