Scottish Clans
Taylor Tartans & Clan
The Taylor name derives from the French ‘tailler’, meaning ‘to cut’, and is rendered in Latin documents as ‘cissor’. This is a very common name in early Scots records. Alexander le Tayllur was valet to Alexander III in 1276, and Bryce le Taillur was taken prisoner when the English captured Dunbar Castle in 1296. Six persons of the name coming from Roxburgh, Edinburgh, Lanark, Dumfries and Angus, rendered homage to Edward I of England in 1296.
Who Wears Taylor 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.
- Tailor
- MacTaylor
- MacTailor
- Mac-an-taillear
Taylor Tartans
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.
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.
From the start
Taylor Clan Origins & History
Explore the history of Clan Taylor
How it all started
Territories
Taylor is a very common name in early Scots records, and it seems that the clan quickly acquired numerous territories, as the Ragman Roll of 1296 lists 6 Taylors in counties as far apart as Roxburgh and Angus.
In 1462, Donald Cissor and Bricius Cissor were witnesses to a deed in Inverness, while in the next century, the Taylor sept of Clan Cameron followed their progenitor, Donald ‘Taillear Dubh na Tuaghe,’ to Cowal, where they became known as ‘Mac an Taillear,’ or ‘sons of the tailor.’
Today, the surname is most commonly found in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Caithness and Sutherland, Perth and Kinross, and the Orkney and Shetland islands.
Clan Chief
Clan Taylor is an armigerous clan which means that their name and crest are officially registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon, but they do not currently have a recognised chief.
Image credit: Nick Bramhall - Flickr: Aberdeenshire from Benachie, CC BY-SA 2.0
Where does the name Taylor come from?
The name 'Taylor' is a classic occupational surname, derived from the French word ‘tailler,’ meaning ‘to cut,’ suggesting that early members of the family worked with cloth. There are several variations, and it was often written in Latin documents as ‘cissor.’
While the Taylors are a clan in their own right, one branch of the family was also a sept of the mighty Clan Cameron. The Taylors associated with the Camerons are thought to have descended from Donald ‘Taillear Dubh na Tuaghe,’ or ‘the dark tailor of the axe.’
Donald lived during the time of Mary Queen of Scots, and was the son of Ewen Cameron, 14th chief of Clan Cameron. His mother was a daughter of Clan MacDougall's Chief.
He was born out of wedlock, so a tailor’s wife cared for him as a baby. Because of this, and his shock of black hair, people called him ‘An Taillear Dubh,’ or ‘the dark tailor.’
As he grew, he became terrifyingly skilled at fighting with his signature weapon, the Lochaber axe, earning him the rest of his nickname.
He went on to become one of Clan Cameron’s greatest warriors of all time, both feared and admired as an infamous presence on the battlefield.
Do Clan Taylor have a Plant Badge?
The plant badge was an important symbol for clans, as it represented kinship with fellow clan members, and loyalty to the chief. Men would often wear a sprig of the plant attached to their hat, while women would wear it attached to the shoulder of their sash.
Clan Taylor’s plant badge is the Oak, the pride of many British forests. Oaks grow to grand heights, and oak forests support more life forms than any other native forest!
They house hundreds of insect species, supply many birds with nesting places and food, and provide acorns for squirrels, badgers, and deer. The oak is also deeply significant in Celtic symbolism, as it represents great strength and endurance. Perfect for the resilient Clan Taylor!
Taylor Pioneers
The Taylors are a remarkably pioneering clan.
James Taylor, born in Lanarkshire in 1753, invented the first practical paddle-wheel steamboat. The boat was launched on the 14th of October 1788 at Dalswinton and successfully achieved a speed of 5 miles an hour!
Taylor’s work was instrumental in building the later grand paddle steamers which carried passengers across vast rivers in North America.
Do Clan Taylor have a Society?
Clan Taylor does not currently have a standalone society, however, as the Taylors are a recognised sept of Clan Cameron, many members of the family join The Clan Cameron Association.
The Association was formed in 1889 and is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the clan’s collective heritage, fully supported by the hereditary chief, Donald Cameron, XXVII of Lochiel.
To learn more, and discover how to get involved, visit the society’s official website here.
Kirktonhill House
Kirktonhill Castle was owned by the Taylor family from the 18th Century after they made a fortune from investing in the sugar plantations in Jamaica. This was soon replaced with Kirktonhill House, the house has since been demolished.Do Clan Taylor have a Pipe Song?
Clan Taylor do not have a traditional song, but as a sept of Clan Cameron, they often play music associated with the Camerons, most famously ‘The March of the Cameron Men.’
Composed in 1829 by Mary Maxwell Cameron, ‘the march’ is an upbeat and lively song that celebrates the fierce loyalty of Clan Cameron to their chief.
Are Clan Taylor connected to a Loch?
Loch Linnhe is a place of great significance for the Highland sept of Clan Taylor, the Mac an Taillears. Their progenitor, Donald ‘Taillear Dubh na Tuaghe,’ was born in Lochaber, by the shores of the vast Loch Linnhe. At about 35 kilometres long, it is the only sea loch that follows the line of the Great Glen Fault, before opening onto the Firth of Lorne. Its depths plunge to a remarkable 164 metres, making it the second deepest sea loch along the West Coast.
The section upstream of Corran is known as ‘An Linne Dhubh,’ or ‘the black pool,’ while downstream is colloquially named ‘An Linnhe Sheileach,’ or ‘the salty pool.’
Loch Eil feeds into Loch Linnhe at its northernmost point, while Loch Leven joins from the east. The town of Fort William lies on the northeast banks of the loch, at the mouth of the River Lochy.
Loch Linnhe’s deep, clear waters, and breathtaking surroundings make it a popular destination for boating, fishing, and wildlife lovers. Visitors can even enjoy fascinating cruises on the water, where skippers point out porpoises, otters, seals, and various impressive bird species.
Legend has it there is also a more unusual resident that has made their home at Loch Linnhe! Local folklore claims that an ‘each-uisage,’ or ‘water horse,’ lurks deep in the water, luring children away, never to be seen again.
If you take a trip to Loch Linnhe, see if you can spot this impish pony, but be sure not to follow him into the loch!
Image credit: Sylvia Duckworth, CC BY-SA 2.0
Royals and Rebels
Clan Taylor has some impressive royal connections! In 1276, Alexander le Taillur served as valet to Alexander III, King of Alba, showing that the family already held a highly respected position in society.
Despite these links to the upper-echelon, Clan Taylor still boasted a rebellious spirit. During the 17th century, the Mac an Tailears of Cowal sheltered members of the outlawed Clan Gregor. They were caught and punished with hefty fines in 1613.
Clan Battles
The legendary progenitor of the Mac an Taillear sept of the clan played an unforgettable role in the bloody Battle of Bun Garbhain.
In the late 1500s, Clan Cameron had been plunged into turmoil by the death of their chief, Donald Dubh Cameron. Donald had left behind only one infant son, Allan, who was far too young to lead the clan.
This caused several splinters within the family, as they argued about who should be the next chief.
The nearby Clan Mackintosh took advantage of the Cameron’s weakened position, and staged a fierce invasion, marching into Clan Cameron lands near Loch Arkaig.
The two clans clashed intensely, and even though the Camerons were outnumbered, they held the higher ground, which helped them slay numerous Mackintosh warriors.
The Mackintosh chief decided to pull his men back, leading a retreat around Loch Eil.
The Camerons, however, followed quickly. A second battle broke out, and the mighty Donald Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe struck down Clan Mackintosh’s chief with his infamous weapon, the Lochaber axe.
The Mackintoshes then retreated to Bun Garbhain, intending to surrender from any further fighting. Clan Cameron, however, incensed by the invasion of their territory, were not willing to show mercy.
They launched one final attack on the camp, defeating all remaining Mackintosh men.
Surprisingly, however, the drama did not end with the fighting!
After the battle, Donald Tailler Dubh na Tuaighe, went to tell the mother of young Allan Cameron the result of the fight.
Though she had been married to the Cameron chief, she was also the daughter of a Mackintosh, so on hearing of the slaughter, she became distraught.
In a fit of rage, she is said to have thrown her infant son into the nearby fireplace.
Luckily, Donald quickly stepped in, rescuing the young boy from the flames, and Allan’s mother was sent away from Lochaber forever.
Image credit: Angela Mudge, CC BY-SA 2.0
What is Clan Taylor's Motto?
Clan Taylor’s motto is ‘In cruce salus,’ or ‘Salvation from the cross.’ This reflects their steadfast faith and resilience, suggesting that the family believed in a source of divine strength and protection.
Clan Motto: In Cruce Salus (Salvation from the cross)
