Scottish Clans
MacDonald Tartans & Clan
Who Wears MacDonald 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.
- Alastair
- Allister
- Anderson
- Ballach
- Balloch
- Beath
- Beaton
- Bethune
- Bowie
- Brodie
- Budge
- Buie
- Bulloch
- Cambridge
- Cathal
- Cathil
- Cochran
- Cochrane
- Coll
- Colson
- Conn
- Connal
- Connell
- Cook
- Cooke
- Coull
- Coulson
- Cririe
- Cromb
- Crombie
- Croom
- Crum
- Daniel
- Daniels
- Darrach
- Darroch
- Donaldson
- Donnell
- Drain
- Dunnel
- Forrest
- Forrester
- Galbraith
- Galbreath
- Gall
- Galt
- Gauld
- Gaul
- Gault
- Gilbride
- Gill
- Gorrie
- Gorry
- Gowan
- Gowans
- Hawthorn
- Heron
- Hewison
- Houstoun
- Houston
- Howat
- Howe
- Howie
- Howison
- Hudson
- Hutcheon
- Hutcheson
- Hutchin
- Hutchinson
- Hutchison
- Hutchon
- Hutson
- Isles
- Jeffrey
- Keegan
- Keighren
- Kelly
- Kinnell
- Laing
- Lang
- Leitch
- MacArthur
- MacBeath
- MacBeth
- MacBheath
- MacBrayne
- MacBride
- MacBryde
- MacCaa
- MacCairn
- MacCambridge
- MacCarron
- MacCaw
- MacCay
- MacCluskie
- MacCodrum
- MacColl
- MacConnal
- MacConnell
- MacCooish
- MacCook
- MacCosham
- MacCrain
- MacCran
- MacCririe
- MacCrorie
- MacCrum
- MacCuaig
- MacCuish
- MacCuithein
- MacCutchen
- MacCutcheon
- MacDaniell
- MacDrain
- MacEachern
- MacEachran
- MacElfish
- MacElheran
- MacGaa
- MacGaw
- MacGeachy
- MacGechie
- MacGee
- MacGhee
- MacGhie
- MacGill
- MacGorrie
- MacGorry
- MacGoun
- MacGow
- MacGowan
- MacGown
- MacGrain
- MacHugh
- MacHutchen
- MacHutcheon
- MacIllrick
- MacIlreach
- MacIlrevie
- MacIliriach
- MacIlwraith
- MacIlwrick
- MacKay
- MacKeachie
- MacKee
- MacKeithan
- MacKellaig
- MacKelloch
- MacKerron
- MacKey
- MacKie
- MacKiggan
- MacKinnell
- MacLairish
- MacLardy
- MacLarty
- MacLaverty
- MacLeverty
- MacMurchie
- MacMurphy
- MacMurdo
- MacMurdoch
- MacO'Shannaig
- MacQuilkan
- MacQuistan
- MacQuisten
- MacRaith
- MacRearie
- MacRorie
- MacRory
- MacRuer
- MacRury
- MacRyrie
- MacSorley
- MacSporran
- MacSwan
- MacSween
- MacWhan
- MacWhannell
- Mark
- Marquis
- Martin
- May
- Murchie
- Murchison
- Murdoch
- Murdoson
- Murphy
- O'May
- Paton
- Patten
- Peden
- Purcell
- Reoch
- Revie
- Riach
- Roderick
- Rorie
- Rorison
- Ryrie
- Shannon
- Shennan
- Sorley
- Sorlie
- Sporran
- Train
- Whannel
- Wheelan
- Whellan
- Wilkie
- Wilkinson
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:
- 71 Engineer Regiment (Scotland)
- Deoli Regiment, 42nd. (Bombay)
Macdonald Tartans
37 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.
Dès le début
MacDonald Clan Histoire & Origines
Découvrir l'histoire de Clan MacDonald
L'Écosse ne manque pas d'histoires à raconter
Territories
Originally the MacDonalds were the Lords of the Isles but have since spread throughout the Highlands.
Clan Chief
The current clan chief is Godfrey James Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Baron Macdonald of Slate
D'où vient le nom MacDonald?
Forms of the Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic MacDhòmhnaill or Dòmhnallach. Dòmhnall is composed of the elements domno meaning world and val meaning might or rule.
Finlaggan Castle
Finlaggan Castle is located in Finlaggan on the Isle of Islay and is the historic seat of Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald. The Castle is also referred to as Eilean Mor Castle and it is thought that it was built in the 13th Century. The Castle was originally the seat of the Lord of the Isles, when they first rebelled against the King of Scots. However, the reign of Lord of the Isles finally ended in 1493 when King James IV had the then Lord of the Isles imprisoned until his death, with no heir. After this the Castle fell to ruins, which is thought to have happened during the 16th Century.Septs of MacDonald
Who can wear Clan MacDonald's tartan? The question isn't who can wear MacDonald tartan, it would be more appropriate to list those who can't as the list of septs is so extensive that anyone from Alastair to Wilkinson with about 200 other names in between!
Clan Motto: Per mare Per Terras (By Land and By Sea)
Aonghus Og
Aonghus Og showed considerable loyalty to Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence and thereafter in battle, Clan MacDonald has been granted the honoured position to the right-hand side of the monarch.
