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Scottish Clans

Kilgour Tartans & Clan

The Kilgour's are a Sept of Clan MacDuff

Clan Motto Gradatim (Not comparable)

Who Wears Kilgour 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.

  • Kilgore
  • Kilgor
  • Kilgowre
  • Kilgoure
  • Kilbourne
  • Milnor
  • Killmer
  • Kilbourn
  • Igou
  • Kilgo
  • Gilmour

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Kilgour Tartans

2 variations

Each 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.

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 Primary Image Kilgour

From the start

Kilgour Clan Kilgour Clan Origins & History

Clan Origin History Image Kilgour

Explore the history of Clan Kilgour

How it all started

Territories

Fife, Aberdeen & Alloa

Clan Chief

We are unsure who the current Clan Chief of Clan Kilgour is. The picture is of Robert Kilgour, a Scottish clergyman and supporter of the Jacobite cause.

Where does the name Kilgour come from?

The name is probably a diminutive of Christopher

Clan Origin Location Image Kilgour

Falkland Palace

The Kilgour name descends from the Pictish people of Ancient Scotland, the name was given to those who lived in the area of Kilgour just outside of Falkland in the county of Fife. The Kilgour name is a sept of Clan MacDuff, who owned Falkland Castle throughout the 13th Century before it was destroyed nearing the end of the Century. The Castle was then re-built between 1501 and 1541 by King James IV and King James V in a Renaissance Style, there is only two Castles in Scotland Built in this architectural style, the other being Stirling Castle.

Sir Thomas Kilgour

Sir Thomas Kilgour was chaplain of St Thomas within Falkland Palace in 1528.

Clan Motto: Gradatim (Not comparable)


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