I'll give you an example of my tartans. These are the kilts I have had made. It doesn't count the less expensive off the rack kilts I bought in my early days of kilt wearing.

My first was a kilt in the MacIan tartan. My Dad's mother was a McKean, which is a variant of MacIan.

I have another in the Welsh Edwards tartan. My mother's maiden name was Edwards.

My mother's mother's family is 100% from Germany in the mid-1800s, so I have a kilt in the German National tartan.

My surname is Dove. There was no tartan for my surname, so I had one designed and now have a kilt in that tartan.

I served in the US Army, have worked for the Army as a civilian, my Dad and two uncles were in the Army, and my brother is currently serving in the Army. I felt I had more than adequate justification to wear the US Army tartan.

Finally, I have a kilt in the X Marks the Scot tartan, for obvious reasons.

So, you see, I have a few different tartans, but I do have some connection to all of them.