Mothers Tartan?

[Tim B]

I wore my Wallace tartan kilt to a neighbors party. A gentleman who recognized the tartan as Wallace, asked if that was my mothers maiden name. I told him it wasn't and asked why he would have thought it was. He told me that the tartan that a Scot wore was determined by the mother's family name. I gave the gentleman the benefit of knowing what he was talking about since I doubt the average person wouldn't be able to recognize a Wallace tartan from a table cloth from an Italian eatery.

Anyway, is he right? Has anyone else heard this or had this guy just had one too many brews? Just curious...

[1MUNK3]

Hello,
Typically it's the father's side of the family. I say typically due to the fact that now a days people tend to want to honour both sides of their family (paternal and maternal). Historically speaking / writing though it's paternal side. So yes, this gentlemans view was a bit off due to a few brews. I'm sure he meant no ill, just got it a wee bit off.

[Tim Little]

I'm sure you'll hear from those who are more expert in these matters than I, but I believe the gentleman is incorrect. My understanding is that traditionally one wears the tartan of one's father's family.

That said, there's no reason NOT to wear the tartan of your mother's side, grandparents, etc. I, for example, wear the Mackenzie tartan in honor of my paternal grandmother.

[Panache]

Tim,

I have moved your post to the Tartans & Heraldry forum where I think it is a better fit.

Cheers

Jamie

[Riverkilt]

Don't matter to me. I like honoring my clans. Go far enough back and you're gonna find a guy...a male ancestor...grandfather....them ladies get their clan name from their fathers....

Kilts tend to bring out the "experts" too. Like you, I just nod.

Ron

[HeathBar]

What the gentleman was referring to is an old myth. It was based on a misconception that Scottish women were not faithful wives and a child may not know who his true father was, but he did know who his mother was. So that is why he would choose his mother's tartan. Of course, the whole thing is bogus on so many levels.

[fluter]

I
Anyway, is he right? Has anyone else heard this or had this guy just had one too many brews? Just curious...

He was wrong. That being said, I wear the Wallace tartan because it is my mother's (tartans being rather thin on the ground in the Sallenger lineage).

[The Wizard of BC]

We don't really know for sure but there is Anthropological evidence that the Picts and very early Scots were Matrilinial and Patriarchal.

This means that you trace your lineage through your mothers line but in a family discussion it was Granpa who had the last word.
Of course there was no such thing as Clan Tartans at that time so to claim which name Tartan you should wear is moot.

Please remember that there is no proof one way or the other.

There are those who claim that all old cultures were Matrilinial but this seems to derive more from wishful thinking on the romantic side of "All old cultures were kinder and more pastoral" train of thinking.

Could it be true? Well, yes. But ask for proof before repeating it.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Generally speaking the Mother's tartan was worn if she had married a non-Scot. So, if Isobel Ramsay married Guido Panzenetti, their son (little Archibald) would wear his Mother's tartan. This harkens back to the ancient Scottish custom of adopting "strangers" into one's family or clan. What you have to remember is that not only is little Archibald "entitled" to his Mother's tartan, he can also take her family name as well, if he so chooses.

[Fedgunner]

The confusion lies in that the Celts were matrilinial, and the scut were patrilinial.

I follow the Celt pattern. I honor the women of my family. Mostly the men couldn't care less.