Scottish Heritage Tartans
0 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
Scottish Heritage Tartan Origins & History
Explore the History
How it all started
Wherever you are in the world, there is a likely chance that you have Scottish ancestors, with Scottish heritage and Scottish history being so rich and expansive, there are many ways to discover your Scottish family history. Scottish Clans are the best way to research your family history, and are a group of people who band together due to a shared surname, so are usually family. Clan names are also tied into land and they often have clan leaders. Ancient clans stem as far as the 12th century with each generation adding to them. Today, over 50 million people have some sort of Scottish ancestry, so there is a large likelihood you have Scottish blood running through your veins!
We are regularly asked the question "Which clan do I belong to?". We are not genealogists and would never pretend to be. To investigate your family history in depth and truly trace your heritage we suggest contacting a well respected genealogist. We do of course know which names are linked to which clans and your starting point is our Tartan Finder. Type your name in and if you are linked to a particular clan then these will come up. Most Clans have a long list of names that make up their history and you can read more about your Scottish Clan through our numerous Clan Pages. If nothing comes up do not despair, look into where your family originated from and there are many District tartans available. Failing this we have our list of Universal Tartans which can be worn by anyone!
What's in the name?
Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. The term first appears in classical texts as Ἀλβίων Albíōn or Ἀλουΐων Alouíōn, and later as Albion in Latin documents.
