maternal heritage - can i wear a clan kilt?

[Taskr]

The question posed is can I wear a clan kilt. So, my question in return is, do you feel you have to join a clan to wear a tartan?

I wear three tartans: one is not family affiliated, one is maternal and one is paternal. I did not join any clans nor consider myself a member of any by birth.

Joining a clan and wearing a tartan are not a direct correlation, IMO.

[Father Bill]

I think you may have meant to say that you would apply for membership in the Clan Association. You're already a member of the Clan by birth for all the reasons I noted in my last post.

Again, I quote my own post. It is impossible to "join" a clan (except through the clan chief) since you are either a member of the clan by birth, or not. You can join a clan association. That does not confer membership in the clan. Only the chief can do that. A clan is just an extended family. The only member who can adopt is the clan chief. Nobody else can give you permission to be part of the clan. The clan association is a club for those who are interested in that clan either because they were born into it, adopted by the clan chief (an enormously unusual occurrence) or who are just interested in that clan for reasons known best to the individual.

I jump a wee bit when I read about somebody "joining their clan". Can't be done.

[Pleater]

I wear the Armstrong tartan because my father's maternal family were Wilsons and connected with the Armstrong Sidderley car makers - they were mostly engineers but also farmers, the younger ones went off to do apprenticeships with steam engines originally. Dad was besotted with the cars - particularly the Sidderley Sapphire.

I don't aspire to or claim anything to do with the Armstrong clan, but I doubt that anyone would get into a snit over that kilt - particularly as there is a connection, even if only a tenuous one.

Anne the Pleater

[tripleblessed]

The border was fluid for hundreds of years, and much of Northumberland was at times in Scotland. The Earls of Dunbar
held sway in what is now England, and after supporting Scotland in a losing fight with England had to move north to survive.
Nixons were on both sides of the border wherever it might have been, and were listed as a border clan in the 1597 decree
by the Scottish Parliament. I note that because I have always been of the opinion that Parliament, living in and among
clans, was probably in a better position to know what a clan was/is and who was or wasn't than modern historians and
the many who like to limit such things to their own little group. Nixons, Bells, Olivers, Jardines, and the like were clans.
Period. When it became apparent that the border folk, militarized and impoverished by both sides, were not suddenly by act
of Parliament going to become calm, peaceful, and docile, they were bundled up and shipped out to Ireland and/or the colonies.
Many sent to Ireland found it a less than happy shift, and after a generation or three moved on force, necessity, and/or choice to North America or Australia. Digging around in one's genealogy reveals some very grim times for those unwanted by the Crown
and/or their chiefs.

Nixons were family regardless of where the border wound up, and while Armstrong is armigerous, it does have a family trust
and there is the Clan Armstrong Society, which considers Nixons, Croziers and Fairbairns as family.

Kilt up, and have fun.

[neloon]

Bill,
I think there is much in what you say. However, to quote Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw Bt, who has for many years been Rothesay Herald

"... if a person offers his allegiance to a particular chief by joining his clan society or by wearing his tartan, he can be deemed to have elected to join that particular clan and should be viewed as a member of that clan unless the chief particularly states that he or his name group are not to be allowed to join the clan."

From
http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...lies_septs.htm

Alan

[Father Bill]

Very clear and helpful, Alan. Thanks.

[nixonshaun]

Thanks everyone for the valuable input and insight.
I appreciate it greatly, as I go I am learning more and more about my heritage and family history.

Thanks again everyone for the input.
shaun

[celtiac]

A few years ago I attended the Orlando games. Winter Springs? anyway a good friend of mine and fellow musician lives up there and I arranged to get some Jams in and then go to the games the following day. Anyway, all his life, he believed in his Russian Jewish heritage, from his fathers last name. But when we got to the games and went to Clan Gunn because I wished to see Alexis Malcolm, Kiltmaker, the book of Cept names was open to the perfect page. My friend's mother's maiden name Mannus, was right there front and center.

Long story short, Charlie came over and after discovering the identity of my friend, gave him an application to Clan Gunn and now my friend is a member from his Mother's side.

[TheMcManus]

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about the Scottish Clan system, Tartans and just about everything having to do with them.

May I suggest you take a look at a few sources of information.

The authoritative source on the Clan System today is The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. There are a lot of claims and misinformation on the web. Some that say or claim that this or that name are a Clan cannot be found on The Standing Council

http://www.clanchiefs.org.uk

You can be 100% Scottish and not be a member of a Clan. Just because you can trace your lineage to Scotland does not automatically make you a part of a Clan. Historically the Clan System was only in the Highlands. The majority of the population lived in the cities and the lowlands.

There are two good sources for information on Tartan.

The Scottish Register of Tartan is operated and maintained by the Scottish Govt. https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/

Another site which has an alphabetical listing and pre-dates the Register is The Scottish Tartans Authority. http://www.tartansauthority.com/
You have to click on the little "Tartan Ferret" to go to the search area.

Take a look at the dates of the Tartans Most Tartans are not ancient.

If you would like learn about heraldry such as Coats of Arms may I suggest you go to The Court of The Lord Lyon. www.lyon-court.com

Many people are surprised to learn that under the Scottish system there is no such thing as a family coat of arms. You can also learn the definition of a Clan and how a Clan Chief is appointed.

The best advice anyone can give is not to believe everything you see on the web. Go to the authoritative source.

There is a lot of cross pollination in the modern world. I have met many Scots (Edinburgh mostly) who are happy to answer the answer the question "What Clan do you belong to", usually the answer is similar to "I have 27 Clans in my background ,I usually wear Mac Lean but my most of blood is form from Galloway , I have worn Mac Donald...."