Clan Primary Image Macleod

Scottish Clans

MacLeod Tartans & Clan

Clan Motto Hold Fast

Who Wears MacLeod 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.

  • Allum
  • Callum
  • Callam
  • MacCallum
  • Challum
  • Gillecallum
  • MacGillechallum
  • MacCabe
  • McCabe
  • MacCalman
  • Malcolm
  • MacAlman
  • Beaton
  • Bethune
  • Beton
  • Betha
  • Bethea
  • Harold
  • Harrold
  • MacHarold
  • Harald
  • Haraldson
  • Herrald
  • MacRalte
  • MacRaild
  • Lewis
  • MacLewis
  • MacAndie
  • Andie
  • MacKande
  • Makcandy
  • MacKandy
  • MacHandie
  • MacAskill
  • MacCaskill
  • MacAsgill
  • MacKaskill
  • McCaskill
  • MacCaskie
  • Caskie
  • Kasky
  • MaKasky
  • Taskill
  • Clann t-Asgaill
  • MacAsgaill
  • MacAulay
  • Aulay
  • Caulay
  • MacAlley
  • MacAllay
  • MacCaulay
  • MacCauley
  • MacAuley
  • Calley
  • Coll
  • MacCorley
  • MacCabe
  • MacCaig
  • MacCuaig
  • MacKaig
  • MacCrivag
  • MacCowig
  • MacCoig
  • MacQuigg
  • MacDbubhaig
  • MacCaskie
  • Caskie
  • Kasky
  • MacKasky
  • MacAskey
  • Askie
  • MacAskill
  • MacClure
  • McClure
  • MacLure
  • MacLur
  • MacAlear
  • MacLeur
  • MacLewer
  • MacClewer
  • MacCorkill
  • McCorkie
  • MacKerkyll
  • MacCorkle
  • MacOrkill
  • MacKorkyll
  • McKurkull
  • MacCorkindale
  • MacCorquodale
  • MacCorcadail
  • MacThorcadail
  • MacCrimmon
  • MacRimmon
  • Crimmon
  • Grimmond
  • Grimman
  • Griman
  • MacGrimman
  • Cremmon
  • MacCrummen
  • MacGrymmen
  • MacWilliam
  • McCullie
  • MacKullie
  • MacKilliam
  • MacWillie
  • MacWylie
  • MacWilliams
  • Williamson
  • Malcolmson
  • Nicol
  • Nichol
  • Nichols
  • Nicoll
  • Nicholl
  • Nicolson
  • Nicholson
  • McNychol
  • MacNickle
  • MacNichol
  • Necolson
  • Nicollsoun
  • Nucolsone
  • Nuckall
  • Nuccol
  • Nickle
  • deNicole
  • Norman
  • Tormod
  • Tormud
  • Normand
  • Norval
  • Norwell
  • Norrie
  • Norie
  • Norreys
  • Norrey
  • Nore
  • Norn
  • Norris
  • Noray
  • Norye
  • Norad
  • Tolmie
  • Tolme
  • Tolmach

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:

  • The Queen's Gurkha Engineers

Shop MacLeod Tartans & Clan From Curtains to Clothing, use the filters below to navigate through everything we offer in MacLeod Tartans

About tartan variations

  • Ancient
  • Modern
  • Weathered
  • Hunting
  • Dress

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.

Dress 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.

Clan Origin Primary Image Macleod

Dall’inizio

MacLeod Clan Storia e Origini

Clan Origin History Image Mac Leod

Esplorare la storia di Clan MacLeod

Come tutto è cominciato

Territories

Clan MacLeod's lands are on the Isle of Skye

Clan Chief

The current chief is Hugh Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod

Cosa c'è nel nome MacLeod?

The name macleod comes from Mac which means "son of" and also Leod. Leod is an old Gaelic name that some believe to be derived from the old norse name Ljotr which itself meant ugly.

Clan Origin Location Image Mac Leod

Dunvegan Castle

Dunvegan Castle is the historic and current seat of Clan MacLeod. The original castle was built during the 13th Century for Clan MacLeod, it is located on the Isle of Skye just outside the town of Dunvegan. The Castle has been modernised various times over the years, the most recent was during the 19th Century when it was completely re-modelled. At one point the castle stood alone on an island, but today it sits upon a rock on the coast.

The MacLeods

Throughout the centuries MacLeods have been known for their devotion to their chief, the tenacity with which they have maintained the ancient Dunvegan castle, their appreciation of music and Gaelic lore, their outstanding record in the professions, and their loyalty to one another.

Clan Motto: Hold Fast


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