Clan Primary Image Galbraith

Scottish Clans

Galbraith Tartans & Clan

The first record of the name Galbraith is from when Gillescop Galbraith acted a signed witness to a charter created by the Lord of Lennox in 1208.

Clan Motto Ab obice sauvoir (Sweeter for there having been difficulties)

Who Wears Galbraith 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.

  • Balgair
  • Begg
  • Cabreth
  • Calbraith
  • Calbrathe
  • Calbratht
  • Calbreath
  • Caubraith
  • Cobreath
  • Coubreach
  • Coubreath
  • Coubrough
  • Coubruch
  • Couburgh
  • Coulbrough
  • Cowbratht
  • Cowbreath
  • Cowbroch
  • Cowbrough
  • Cubrugh
  • Cubrughe
  • Culbreth
  • Galbrach
  • Galbracht
  • Galbrad
  • Galbrat
  • Galbrath
  • Galbrathe
  • Galbrayt
  • Galbraytht
  • Galbreath
  • Gallbraith
  • Gallbraithe
  • Gallebrad
  • Gawbrath
  • Gilbreath
  • Macbartny
  • Macberkny
  • Macbertny
  • Macbirtny
  • Macbraten
  • Macbratney
  • Macbratnie
  • Macbretnach
  • Macbretney
  • Macbretnie
  • Macbretny
  • Macvretny
  • Macvrettny
  • Makbrechne
  • Makbretne
  • Makbretny
  • Malbratnie

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Galbraith 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 Origin Primary Image Galbraith

From the start

Galbraith Clan Origins & History

Clan Origin History Image Galbraith Update

Explore the history of Clan Galbraith

How it all started

Territories

The Galbraith name can be traced back to Angus in northeast Scotland and the first clan chief dates to the 12th century.

Clan Chief

The only chiefs of Clan Galbraith were The Galbraith of Culcreuch who can only be traced to the 1700s. Clan Galbraith does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because of this, the clan is know as an armigerous clan, and because of this Clan Galbraith has no standing under Scots Law.

Where does the name Galbraith come from?

Galbraith comes from from the Gaelic gall "stranger" & Breathnach "Briton"

Clan Origin Location Image Galbraith

Culcreuch Castle

The ancestral seat of Clan Galbraith for over 700 years and now a beautiful hotel, the earliest parts of Culcreuch date back to Maurice Galbraith (around 1320) and the 10th Chief James Galbraith completed the Tower in 1460. After 1624 ownership passed to The Napiers, the Spiers from 1762-1901, followed by Sir Walter Menzies until 1970 when Hercules Robinson moved in, Laird Andrew Haslam from 1984 to 2007 and today Laird Robert Reynolds is in residence. The Bottle Dungeon is the most famous feature of the Castle, so called because prisoners could not lie down in it due to the bottle shape.

The first record of the name Galbraith is from when Gillescop Galbraith acted a signed witness to a charter created by the Lord of Lennox in 1208.

Clan Motto: Ab obice sauvoir (Sweeter for there having been difficulties).


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