Scottish Clans
Davidson Tartans & Clan
Bienvenu à la page d'accueil du tartan écossais Davidson. Vert, noir, bleu clair et rouge sont les couleurs dominantes de ce tartan écossais.
Produits disponible en tartan Davidson sont de tissu ecossais, coussin ecossais ainsi que couverture. En département accessoire vetement on fabrique de pantalon ecossais pour homme, costume et gilet, en plus de mini kilt femme, jupe ecossais et manteau, en plus d’écharpe, cravatte et meme des bottines et escarpin ecossais. La liste de disponibilité se trouve ci-dessous. On fabrique aussi beaucoup plus d’articles sur commande. Si vous ne le trouvez pas demandez-nous et on peut normalement le fabriquer!
Who Wears Davidson Tartan? - Associated Names
First of all to explain why there are so many tartans, way over 2000 in fact. There are an awful lot of Scottish clans to start with and on top of this each clan can have many different tartans and names associated with it.
- Davis
- Davey
- Davie
- Davison
- Dawson
- Day
- Deas
- Dea
- Dean
- Deans
- Deason
- Dey
- Dow
- Kay
- Key
- Keys
- MacDade
- MacDaibhidh
- MacDaid
- McDavis
- MacDavid
- MacDevitt
- Slora
- Slorach
- Dye
- Keay
- Mackay
Associated Regiments
Over the last 300 years, tartans have been a part of official dress for some of the most famous regiments throughout the military world! Their respective regimental tartans became undisputedly tied to the very core identity of the soldiers who wear it. Explore the associated regiments below:
- Highlanders of Canada (48th)
Davidson Tartans
5 variationsEach tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
- Ancient
- Modern
- Weathered
- Hunting
- One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
Helpful Advice
Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Modern Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Helpful Advice
The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Weathered Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
Helpful Advice
Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
Hunting Tartan
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if Tartan
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
From the start
Davidson Clan Origins & History
Explore the history of Clan Davidson
How it all started
Territories
It is commonly believed that the earliest Davidsons set up home in the valley of the Spey River, nestled in between the Cairngorm Mountains to the south and east, and the Monadhliath Mountains to the north and west.
Nowadays, you can find the towns of Kingussie, Newtonmore, and Aviemore among the Davidson’s ancient homelands.
The family did not take long to venture away from their birthplace; they soon split into many branches and claimed territory across vast stretches of Scotland.
By the end of the 14th century, the Davidson name had been recorded in Perth, Dundee, and Aberdeen, and by the 16th century the clan had travelled as far south as Ayr.
One group of Davidsons were recorded as living in Samuelston in the Borders and became known as part of the notorious reivers of the Debatable Lands.
Meanwhile, other Davidsons made much more honest names for themselves! In the mid 1600s, Alexander Davidson was named the town clerk of Fortrose.
Clan Chief
The Davidson family fought hard to have a chief reinstated after almost 80 years as an armigerous clan. In 1996, the combined efforts of the Clan Davidson UK Association and the Australian Clan Davidson Society paid off and Lord Lyon finally agreed to appoint a new chief!
The man for the job was Duncan Hector Davidson from New Zealand, the oldest descendant of the last chief’s grandfather, Duncan IV of Tulloch, the Lord Lieutenant of Ross-shire.
Sadly, Duncan passed away only 2 years into his tenure, but he will always hold a very important place in the Davidson’s history.
The current clan chief is Grant Guthrie Davidson who was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1959. He was inaugurated in 2015 and had the following touching words to share with the gathered clan members:
“I will carry this cromach, wear the bonnet and feathers, and with our motto and coat of arms, do my best to guide our clan through the next 20-30 years.”
If you have Davidson blood, we hope you feel buoyed by the knowledge that you have such a passionate and dedicated chief!
Where does the name Davidson come from?
Clan Davidson has a classically complex and winding history which overlaps with a number of fellow clans. According to the Highland manuscript, the progenitor of the Davidsons was the chief of Clan Chattan, Gilliecattan Mhor, who lived during the reign of David I.
Mhor had two sons, Muirich Mhor and Dhai Dhu. The first of these went on to form Clan Mhuirich, or Macpherson, while the second founded Clan Dhai, who we now know as Davidson!
Built by Norsemen
Dating back to the 12th century there is little documentation about the ownership of Tulloch Castle until the 16th century when the Bayne family appear in the records. Henry Davidson bought the castle on 13th January 1762 from his cousin Kenneth Bayne, 8th Laird of Tulloch, and it became known as the seat of the Clan Davidson from then on. The last of the direct line of Davidsons was Duncan Davidson who died in 1917.
Today the castle is a hotel and you can book a relaxing stay and pretend to be a Laird or Highland Chief for a weekend. There is a secret tunnel from the basement of Tulloch Castle across the town of Dingwall to the ancient Dingwall Castle; sadly it is now too dangerous as parts have caved in but you can peak down air vents from the front lawn of the castle and imagine who sneaked along there hundreds of years ago.
Image Credit: Peter Moore, CC BY-SA 2.0
Engineering Skills
The Davidson family are also esteemed for their cutting-edge engineering skills! Robert Davidson invented the first ever electric powered locomotive in 1837, while Samuel Cleland Davidson designed the earliest air-conditioning system.
Do Clan Davidson have a Plant Badge?
Scottish Clans wore plant badges to show their loyalty to their chief and fellow clansmen.
The badges would also help them distinguish friend from foe in battle, surely an extremely welcome benefit during the chaos of clan warfare!
Plant badges also provided a way for clans to celebrate certain traits that they were proud of via Celtic symbolism. It seems that the Davidsons certainly took this route.
One of Clan Davidson’s most popular plant badges is the Boxwood, which is often associated with resurrection. It is used to symbolise eternal life and has frequently been included in a number of burial rituals. This seems very fitting for a clan who has shown immense resilience time and time again, and who consistently seek ways to revitalize their family name, even to this day!
The Davidsons also share a plant badge with Clan Chattan: the distinctive Red Whortleberry. This plant is abundant across the wild landscapes of Scotland.
Do Clan Davidson have a Clan Crest?
The clan crest is a sacred symbol for powerful Scottish families, as clan members wear it to demonstrate their loyalty to one another and allegiance to their chief.
The Davidson crest is described as ‘a stag’s head erased Proper,’ meaning that it shows a deer’s head in natural colours. It is also often encircled by the clan’s motto, ‘sapienter si sincere.’
Do Clan Davidson have a Society?
There are several active Clan Davidson Societies currently operating, so you shouldn’t struggle finding a group to join!
You can find out more about the Clan Davidson Society in Australia on the Scots of Victoria website here: https://scotsofaus.org.au/clan-associations/davidson/
They have been operating since 1984 and played a key role in reinstating the family’s chiefship, so they would be a great organisation to help you explore your Davidson roots!
Alternatively, you could consider joining the Clan Davidson Association: https://clandavidson.org.uk/join/#how-to-join
They do excellent work to preserve and promote Clan Davidson culture, supporting members with carrying out genealogical research, organising clan events, publishing Davidson family histories, and even helping to source fascinating artefacts for the Clan Davidson Room at Tulloch Castle!
If you are based in the US, you can find out how to join the North American society on their webpage here: https://clandavidson-na.org/
They are an all-volunteer, not for profit organisation who are dedicated to upholding ‘traditions and knowledge of the great Clan Davidson through educational and charitable events.’
They publish 2 award winning newsletters each year full of fascinating clan tales, so if you sign up you can trust that you will increase your Davidson expertise!
Finally, if you live in New Zealand, you can discover your local Clan Davidson society here: https://www.clandavidson.org.nz/
They have been working hard to preserve and promote Davidson culture and history since 1998, so we’re sure you’d be in safe hands!
The Caledonian Canal
Our place of the month is the long and meandering Caledonian Canal, which makes its way through spectacular Scottish countryside to link the east and west coasts of Scotland.
This canal has served as a vital commercial resource, as well as a beloved beauty spot, for hundreds of years, and the Davidsons had a big role in making this happen.
The canal was originally built by Thomas Telford between 1804 and 1822 and was considered to be one of the greatest engineering projects ever undertaken in Scotland at the time.
A man named Matthew Davidson worked as the superintendent engineer for the Inverness branch of this project and quickly developed a reputation as a formidable designer.
This extraordinary skill clearly ran in the family, as Matthew’s son, James Davidson, was assigned the first ever resident engineer for the whole canal. After this, his grandson, John Davidson, also served as the resident engineer!
It’s great to know that the Davidsons had a hand in creating such a treasured landmark. The canal is now a scheduled ancient monument and sees over 500,000 tourists every year.
Pipe Music
Clan Davidson are among the dwindling numbers of clans with a long-standing formal pipe salute. “Failte Thighearna Thulaich,” meaning “Tulloch’s Salute,” or “Welcome to the Laird of Tulloch” was written by the esteemed piper John Mackay for Duncan, the 4th Davidson of Tulloch, and is still recognised as the clan’s official song today!
Clan Battles
The Davidsons have fought valiantly in endless bloody battles, staying bold and brave even in the most disastrous of circumstances.
One particularly notorious instance was the Battle of Invernahavon. To give you context, we’ll have to explain one of the most unusual elements of the Davidson’s history.
The family were part of an alliance called the ‘Chattan Confederation,’ which consisted of a number of neighbouring clans who joined up to support one another.
Membership in this group at first helped the Davidsons to build prosperity and power faster than they could have done alone, but sadly, the Confederation also threatened to be the end of the family.
In 1370, the Mackintoshes, the Davidsons, and the Macphersons gathered to fight a mighty group of Camerons, seeking revenge against an attack on their territory.
Unfortunately, an argument quickly broke out between the Davidsons and the Macphersons regarding who would ride on the right-hand side of the Confederation Chief.
The Macphersons were so incensed that they left the field, leaving the Chattan group severely outnumbered. The Camerons took advantage, slaughtering their enemy indiscriminately.
Some even go so far as to say that only one member of Clan Davidson remained alive after this fight!
The family slowly but surely rebuilt their ranks, displaying a steely resilience unrivalled by any other clan we have met so far.
Image source: Alex Robinson, CC BY-SA 2.0
Do Clan Davidson have a War Cry?
Clan Davidson’s motto is ‘sapienter si sincere’ which is traditionally translated as ‘wisely if sincerely,’ and more modernly translated as ‘with sincerity comes wisdom.’
This stoic attitude seems to have survived throughout many generations of Davidsons and can certainly been seen now in the family’s dedication to honouring their heritage.
Do Clan Davidson have a Tartan?
Clan Davidson’s tartan features green as its main colour, complimented by a black check pattern and interspersing red lines.
Here at ScotlandShop we stock two main variations: Davidson tartan and Davidson of Tulloch tartan. Both are available in ‘ancient’ and ‘modern,’ and there is also a ‘Davidson clan muted.’
Each version showcases a different strength and depth of colour, so you are sure to find one to suit you!
Owning your own Davidson tartan is a great way to connect with your clan ancestors, and we have plenty of options to offer you.
If you consider yourself a bit of a traditionalist, how about a classic kilt or flat cap?
Or if you enjoy crafting, why not treat yourself to a cutting of 100% wool fabric and create your own, unique Davidson furnishings or clothes!
A Favourite of Queen Victoria
The Davidsons are blessed with a certain disarming charm, even endearing themselves to royalty!
Duncan, Laird of Tulloch, served as an MP for Cromarty and supposedly became a great favourite of Queen Victoria herself, who he would visit during her trips to Balmoral.
He also had a somewhat tumultuous personal life, getting married 5 different times, and allegedly fathering 48 children!
Mobile Phone Backgrounds
Swipe to view
As part of our Clan of the Month celebrations, we produce different mobile phone wallpapers so you can celebrate your Davidson heritage every time you pick up a call.
- Select your preferred image from the four above. Press on the image and a pop up will appear. Select download image.
- Open the image in the photos app on your phone and set as your new background.
- Ta-da, you have a bright and shiny new Scottish wallpaper for your phone!
Clan Motto: Sapienter Si Sincere (Wisely if sincere).
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