Tartan-wearing conventions among Scots

[gilmore]

One reason some names are on multiple sept lists is that people of that name in different geographical areas may have been affiliated with different clans.
....

"There is no official list of recognised septs. This is a matter for each chief to determine. But where a particular sept has traditionally been associated with a particular clan it would not be appropriate for that name to be treated by another clan chief as one of its septs."

The Court of the Lord Lyon, http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/240.html

and that is that.

[O'Callaghan]

"There is no official list of recognised septs. This is a matter for each chief to determine. But where a particular sept has traditionally been associated with a particular clan it would not be appropriate for that name to be treated by another clan chief as one of its septs."

The Court of the Lord Lyon, http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/240.html

and that is that.

Doesn't actually seem to stop them, though, does it?

[gilmore]

Doesn't actually seem to stop them, though, does it?

Yes, it does. It likely stops the chiefs, chieftans and other well-informed, responsible persons from claiming surnames as their septs that are clearly not associated with their clan. What it doesn't stop is tartan merchants, armchair genealogists, and people bound and determined to be descended from Scots no matter what, from coming up with all sorts of spurious claims.

[BoldHighlander]

Yes, it does. It likely stops the chiefs, chieftans and other well-informed, responsible persons from claiming surnames as their septs that are clearly not associated with their clan. What it doesn't stop is tartan merchants, armchair genealogists, and people bound and determined to be descended from Scots no matter what, from coming up with all sorts of spurious claims.

And yet both the Campbells & the Gordons claim the Muirs (More / Moore / Mure) as septs. However one source states they are no longer officially septs of the House of Gordon, & yet their website still lists them as such. Go figure


from the Campbells website:
The inclusion of the name Mure, Muir, or Moore among Campbell septs is perhaps rather optimistic since the family have a perfectly good Chief of their own in the person of Mure of Rowallan, in Ayrshire, one of Scotland’s oldest and most historic families.

[Bruce Scott]

According to Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, Lord Lyon King of Arms 1945-1968: "septs must be regarded as a rather wonderful effort of imagination"
http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/...lan-septs.html