Scottish Clans
Morgan Tartans & Clan
'Clan Morgan' was for long the title of the Mackays of the Reay country who later became Clan Aoidh, and it is probable, though perhaps not demonstrable, that there was close connection between them and the Aberdeenshire Morgans. The Morgan Modern and MacKay Blue Ancient tartans share the same pattern. Morgan's today are a sept of Clan MacKay and can wear the MacKay clan crest.
Who Wears Morgan 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.
- Morgunn
MorganTartans
2 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
- 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Dall’inizio
Morgan Clan Storia e Origini
Esplorare la storia di Clan Morgan
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Territories
Aberdeenshire
Clan Chief
Clan Morgan do not have their own Clan Chief, however they are a sept of Clan MacKay and their Clan Chief is Æneas Simon Mackay, 15th Lord Reay.
Cosa c'è nel nome Morgan?
This is a very common name throughout Britain, and it is of more than one origin. It comes from the early Celtic 'sea-bright', and also exists in Old British, Old Breton, Cornish and Welsh. 'Morgunn' is the Pictish form of the name.
Aberdeenshire
The Morgan family originally hale from the historic Scottish county of Aberdeenshire and in historic times this area was the only place where the Morgan name could be found. Aberdeenshire can be found in the North of Scotland, it begins on the Banffshire coast and stretches right out to the St Cyrus National Nature Reserve in land.Morgans in Aberdeen
The founder of the Pelagian heresy was a British monk named Morgan. In Scotland it is remarkable that the name survives, for in historic times it existed nowhere else than in Aberdeenshire and among the Sutherland Mackays.
Clan Motto: Manu forti (With a strong hand)
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