Scottish Clans
MacLaren Tartans & Clan
Who Wears MacLaren 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.
- Faed
- Larnach
- Laurence
- Laurenson
- Law
- Lawrence
- Lawson
- Low
- Lowe
- Lowson
- MacFade
- MacClarence
- MacCrorie
- MacFait
- MacFater
- MacFead
- MacFeat
- MacGrory
- MacLaurin
- MacPatrick
- MacPetrie
- MacPhait
- MacPhater
- MacRorie
- MacRory
- Paterson
- Patrick
- Patterson
- Peterkin
- Peters
- Peterson
- Rorie
- Rorison
- MacPheat
Maclaren 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.
Dès le début
MacLaren Clan Histoire & Origines
Découvrir l'histoire de Clan MacLaren
L'Écosse ne manque pas d'histoires à raconter
Territories
Tiree, Argyll and Balquhidder
Clan Chief
The current chief is Donald MacLaren of MacLaren.
D'où vient le nom MacLaren?
The name MacLaren comes from the Gaelic Clann mhic Labhrainn.
Balquhidder
Balquhidder is a small village in Stirling and is the traditional lands and historic seat of Clan MacLaren. The MacLarens occupied the lands in the 9th century and settled there for centuries until 1558 when the MacGregors murdered the Chief of Clan MacLaren and took the lands for themselves, when this happened the MacLarens appealed to the Campbells for support but the Campbells only agreed to help if the MacLarens acknowledged them as the superior Clan, the MacLarens refused and they lost their lands to the MacGregors. However, over the years the lands have also been occupied by other notable Scottish families including the Stewarts, Murrays and Fergussons.The MacLaren Lion
Clan MacLaren's animal is a Lion.
Clan Motto: Creag An Tuirc (The Boar's Rock)
Official Boy Scout Tartan
Did you know the MacLaren Modern tartan is the official Boy Scout Tartan? The Scout Association was formed in 1908 and at it's head, as first secretary, was Major Kenneth MacLaren. A few years later the Scout Association decided they needed a base where they could train the leaders, so that their boys could be looked after properly, and as a result William F. de Bois MacLaren, a Scout Commissioner from Glasgow, purchased a derelict estate an hour outside of London, named Gilwell Park. Once the estate was officially opened, the staff members wore MacLaren Modern neckerchiefs to honour Commissioner MacLaren's generous gift. However by the mid 1920's the neckerchief featured a strip of MacLaren Modern tartan and was adopted as part of the official uniform of the Scouts. The tartan neckerchiefs are are still worn today by Scouts in over 120 countries around the world! The connection the scouts have to Clan MacLaren is so strong, that any scout who completes their Wood Badge may join the Clan MacLaren Society as an associate member.
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