A wee favor tae ask

[glenlivet]

Is there someone here who has a paid membership or subscription to the tartansauthority website? I was looking up the surname Wilson using the ferret, and several unexpected tartans came up alongside the ones I expected (I expected Wilson, Gunn, and Innes, as I'd read that Wilson can be considered a sept of either of the Gunn or Innes clans, I suppose depending on geographic location, or proven genealogical connection).

My real question is, since I don't have a membership, could I get one of ye lads or lasses who does have one, to look up why MacKay or MacFarlane came up. If you click on the button "Click for More Information," maybe it explains the connection there? There is no apparent connection in the free information.

I was thinking it might be because the source or designer was Wilson's of Bannockburn, but in two examples such as MacFarlane (Lord Lyon Sett), MacFarlane Dress, and Edinburgh District, the sources are either unknown, or at least not named as Wilson's.

I rather like the MacFarlane Lord Lyon sett. Would be neat to have a familial or geographic reason to adopt it. I do have a 3x great aunt (Wilson) who married a McFarlane in Stirlingshire. But that's a stretch...

[ChattanCat]

Wilson is a sept of Clan Gunn and Clan Innes. Not sure why the ferret crossed reference to the others.

[macneighill]

glenlivet,
It is possible that, because Gunn and MacKay often intermarried you might find the name Wilson associated with Clan MacKay. I editied this post because, I found some info that might be helpful. As for MacFarlane . . hmmm, I'm not sure? Here's what Wikipedia says (look at one of the "aliases" the MacFarlane's assumed):

"Fall of the clan

The clan was denounced by the Government in 1594, to have committing theft, robbery, and oppression. Later, in 1624, many members of the clan were tried and convicted of such acts, with some being pardoned.[3] Many others were removed to Aberdeenshire and Strathaven in Banffshire, where they assumed the names M'Caudy, Greisock, M'James and M'Innes.[3]

According to the International Clan MacFarlane Society website, the last descendant of the chiefs, in the direct male line, died in 1886.[4] A branch of the clan settled in Ireland, during the reign of James VII,[3] and the leading representative of this branch, MacFarlane of Hunstown House, from Dublin, claimed to be the chiefship of the clan.[3] Today the chiefship of the clan is dormant,[4] and the clan can be considered an Armigerous clan.[5]"

[macwilkin]

The real clue is geography; where did your Wilson line originate from in Scotland? Determining that might help in determining which clan (if any) your ancestors might have been affiliated with.

Regards,

Todd

[glenlivet]

The real clue is geography; where did your Wilson line originate from in Scotland? Determining that might help in determining which clan (if any) your ancestors might have been affiliated with.

Regards,

Todd

Yes, that is indeed the big mystery. The oldest record I've been able to find yet on scotlandspeople.gov.uk, is my 4x great-grandfather's marriage record in 1787. It took place in Port of Monteith, Perthshire, BUT it names him "Archibald Wilson, not of this Parish." No mention of his or his bride's parents' names.

But if I go on naming patterns of their children, which admittedly they didn't slavishly follow, Archie would have named his 1st first born after his own father, or his father-in-law. I've looked for Archibalds born of Thomases about 1760 to 1775ish, and there was an Archibald born in West Kilbride, Ayrshire 1771. Later references to him say he was a weaver. Wouldn't it be something for him to be related to William Wilson of Bannockburn?

That statement "not of this Parish" could mean he wasn't even born in Scotland, though.

Sorry, I know this isn't a genealogy forum.
-Mark

[macwilkin]

Yes, that is indeed the big mystery. The oldest record I've been able to find yet on scotlandspeople.gov.uk, is my 4x great-grandfather's marriage record in 1787. It took place in Port of Monteith, Perthshire, BUT it names him "Archibald Wilson, not of this Parish." No mention of his or his bride's parents' names.

But if I go on naming patterns of their children, which admittedly they didn't slavishly follow, Archie would have named his 1st first born after his own father, or his father-in-law. I've looked for Archibalds born of Thomases about 1760 to 1775ish, and there was an Archibald born in West Kilbride, Ayrshire 1771. Later references to him say he was a weaver. Wouldn't it be something for him to be related to William Wilson of Bannockburn?

That statement "not of this Parish" could mean he wasn't even born in Scotland, though.

Sorry, I know this isn't a genealogy forum.
-Mark

Mark,

If it is indeed Perth, then the Gunns and Mackays can be ruled out automatically. Their territory was far to the north, in Caithness and Sutherland. It would be very unlikely that a Lowlander from Perth would claim fealty to a Highland clan.

If it were me, I would recommend a district tartan.

Regards,

Todd

[gilmore]

...

But if I go on naming patterns of their children, which admittedly they didn't slavishly follow, Archie would have named his 1st first born after his own father, or his father-in-law. ...

Another problem with relying on naming patterns (other than that they were not at all uniformly followed) is in doing so childhood deaths, a very common occurence on former times, are often overlooked.

[davedove]

The real clue is geography; where did your Wilson line originate from in Scotland? Determining that might help in determining which clan (if any) your ancestors might have been affiliated with.

Regards,

Todd

That would be the most important consideration. Looking at the name Wilson, it would seem to me that it would derive from "Will's son" so the original nameholder was a man who was the son of someone named Will or William. This could come from anywhere.

Region would be key.

[glenlivet]

That would be the most important consideration. Looking at the name Wilson, it would seem to me that it would derive from "Will's son" so the original nameholder was a man who was the son of someone named Will or William. This could come from anywhere.

Region would be key.

Awhile back someone started this interesting thread which linked to a name mapper site. What I saw there was pretty consistent with my research, as far as narrowing down to the general western lowland area, but included Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway, & the Borders.

My imagination was captured by the mention of Archibald Wilson being a weaver, with a possible link to Stirlingshire (Port of Monteith is now considered Stirlingshire, rather than Perthshire as listed in the old records).
But it is only now imaginary, until I can break through my brick wall.

[O'Callaghan]

Many Wilsons are not Scottish, but English!

Also, the Wilson tartan is associated with the immediate family of Wilson's of Bannockburn. However, I am sure that, as the owners of a woolen mill, they would have been happy to sell lengths of Wilson tartan to anyone, even Wilsons from England!