Scottish Clans
Young Tartans & Clan
Auldbar Castle in Angus was once home to clan Young, having been passed to them by Clan Lyon.
Who Wears Young 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.
- Yonge
- Yunge
- Yang
- Yong
- Yeong
- Younge
- Jung
- Jong
- Ljung
- Lejeune
- Lajeunesse
- Younger
Young 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
Young Clan Origins & History
Explore the history of Clan Young
How it all started
Territories
The earliest known record of Youngs in Scotland dates to 1271, when two men called Malmor and Ade were noted as living in Dumbarton.
The family were soon driven by an adventurous spirit to travel far and wide across the country, establishing factions in many places including Kincardineshire and Angus.
However, the biggest and most notorious branch of Youngs settled in the Scottish Borders, specifically the Middle March area, which was comprised of Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, Peeblesshire, and Liddesdale.
Here, they joined the fearsome Border Reivers, a group of gangs who frequently raided and pillaged villages along the Anglo-Scottish Borders, becoming infamous for their bloody clashes and enduring feuds.
The Youngs lived almost as close to the border as it was possible to be, so they undoubtedly grew to be terrifying warriors, and took part in some of the most legendary battles of British Middle Ages history.
Image source: Keith Robeson Photography
Clan Chief
Clan Young is an Armigerous Clan, which means that they are registered with the Court of Lord Lyon, and once had a recognised Chief, but no longer do.
The first Chief of Clan Young was Sir Peter Young (1544-1628), who also served as King James VI of Scotland’s tutor! He had eight sons and eight daughters, so his bloodline provided many more Chiefs for the clan, until the title was abandoned in 1672, according to Lyon Court records.
Where does the name Young come from?
The name ‘Young’ originally served a very specific purpose. Boys were routinely named after their fathers, which understandably caused a lot of confusion and frequent cases of mistaken identity!
The use of ‘Young’ worked to combat this and distinguished child from parent when the two shared the same Christian name. It likely formed as an off shoot of the similar Scottish name, ‘Younger,’ which was given to heirs of feudal titles.
It is unknown how exactly the name came to Scotland in the first place, but it is generally thought to be of either Anglo or Norman origin.
Royal Connections
Clan Young has some impressive royal connections! As mentioned before, the first Clan Chief, Sir Peter Young, worked as King James VI of Scotland’s tutor, before being awarded the title of Ambassador to Denmark, where he arranged a marriage between the King and a Danish Princess!
Peter’s son James also held royal favour, as he was knighted at birth, and was later appointed a Gentleman of the King’s Bedchamber.
A Small Family
Clan Young was a relatively small family, but even so they could easily gather between 200 and 400 armed men when they needed to defend their land.
Auldbar Castle
Built in the 16th century and demolished in 1965, Auldbar Castle near Brechin, in Angus, passed from Clan Lyon to the Youngs and then to the Chalmers of Balnacraig.
Do Clan Young have a Plant Badge?
Clan Young’s plant badge is the mighty yew, an ancient and imposing tree which can grow as tall as 20 metres! A fitting pick for such a strong and enduring family!
This choice also reflects the Young’s prowess in combat, as in the Middle Ages, wood from yew trees was often used to make longbows and crossbows.
What’s more, in Celtic mythology, the yew was seen as an omen of doom - so perhaps the Young’s plant badge served as a subtle warning to any plucky potential rivals who fancied their chances in a fight!
Border Reivers
The first recorded Border Reiver of Clan Young was Roger Yung, who was released from the Tower of Berwick in 1335, after having been imprisoned by the English.
Do Clan Young have a Clan Crest?
Clan Young’s crest features a ‘lion rampant issuant Gules,’ or a red lion standing upright, holding a sword.
We’re sure this regal image was a potent reminder to any enemies of the family’s fearsome reputation!
The crest is framed by the clan’s motto, ‘Robore Prudentia Praestat,’ meaning Prudence Excels Strength.
The Clan Young Society
If you are a descendant of Clan Young, why not consider joining The Clan Young Society to learn more about your heritage and connect with other members?
The Society was formed in 1987 by the ambitious Edward Young the 3rd, from Orlando in Florida. Edward was deeply passionate about promoting the Youngs, even going as far as to contact the Court of the Lord Lyon to reauthorize Clan Young as officially Armigerous.
The organization describe their goals as ‘cultivating a global spirit of kinship among those of the name Young,’ ‘providing opportunities to learn more of the proud heritage of Clan Young,’ and ‘encouraging the giving of aid and hospitality to members of the clan.’ If any of these appeal to you, check out their website here!
Clan Young War Cry
One surprising fact about Clan Young is that their war cry was not established in the Middle Ages, as you might expect, but was instead created in the 1990s by a man named Russell A. Smith.
Smith was greatly enthusiastic about the Young family and their history, helping Edward A. Young the 3rd to form the Clan Young Society in 1987.
He is also credited with inventing the Young’s war cry, ‘We Ride,’ an economical but effective choice that evokes the Clan’s bravery and willingness to dive into battle at a moment’s notice!
What is featured on Clan Young's Coat of Arms?
Clan Young’s coat of arms is described as Argent, three piles Sable, on a chief of the Last as many annulets Or. This means that there are three black downward facing triangles against a silver shield, adorned with three golden rings.
Do Clan Young have a plaid?
Clan Young’s plaid is mostly green, striped with red and blue lines. We stock two variations: Young modern and Young weathered. The modern variety features vibrant and strong colours, whereas the weathered variety is unsurprisingly a more muted and subtle shade.
If you are feeling creative, you can order a reem of stunning, pure wool fabric and make your own, unique Young item, or if that’s not your thing, we have numerous well-made clothing pieces and accessories you can choose from. Whether it’s a kilt, a cushion, a pair of trousers, or a sweater, you’re sure to find the perfect pick to help you connect with your reiver ancestors!
Sir Robert Carey
The Youngs had a long-standing feud with the Border Wardens, English men who were appointed to guard the crossing into England.
In 1596 one of the most famous wardens, Sir Robert Carey, bemoaned the Reiver’s growing power, lamenting that ‘this country has become almost slaves to the Scots, and dare do nothing displeasing to them.’
Carey also name-checked Clan Young and their infamous appetite for revenge, explaining that ‘if the country rise upon them when they are stealing in England…it may pass unrevenged: but if he is of surname Younge…they will have his life or two or three of his nearest kinsmen.’
It seems you definitely didn’t want to cross Clan Young!
The Middle Marches
Clan Young had a large settlement right at the heart of border reiver territory: the infamous Scottish Marches, most specifically the Middle Marches.
The area came about as a result of a treaty between Henry III of England and Alexander III of Scotland in 1249. The idea was that this vast stretch of land would act as a buffer zone between the two warring countries, and ‘border wardens’ were employed to keep the peace.
However, this plan did not play out as hoped! The defining of a border simply gave bloodthirsty clans a clear point of attack, and frequent battles raged along the line for hundreds of years.
Border reivers, including the fearsome Clan Young, would cross over into England to pillage and plunder, stealing livestock, destroying villages, and spreading terror.
English farmers would often pay the most notorious clans small sums of money called ‘black mal’ in return for their land being left alone. As a result, the word ‘blackmail’ had become a common phrase by 1530!
The hey-day of the Scottish Marches came to an end in the early 17th century, when it was replaced with the ‘Middle Shires,’ another shaky attempt at uniting Scotland and England.
Image source: Geoff Holland / The English/Scottish border fence on White Law
Clan Battles
Interestingly, it seems that there were sometimes clashing beliefs within Clan Young. While large numbers of Young men joined the border reivers and were dedicated to asserting dominance over England and rival Scottish families, other members of the clan followed a very different path.
In 1725, following the Jacobite rebellion of 1715, the notorious Black Watch regiment was formed with the aim of preventing fighting between clans and stopping the use of violence and weapons.
Many Youngs served in the Black Watch with distinction, and their loyalty to the regiment remained strong for hundreds of years to follow. In the infamous Battle of Waterloo, Adjutant James Young was the 3rd in command, and in the early 20th century, Lord Michael Hughes-Young even commanded the troop.
Clan Young
Famous Faces
Clan Young are blessed with great talent and determination, and have made names for themselves in medieval international politics, the Scottish church, and even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Read our blog and explore the many achievements of the mighty Youngs.
The Castles of Clan Young
We explore some of the places Clan Young called home, from a tragic love story connected to Auldbar Castle to the commissioning of Harburn House, and the home of 'the world's first chemical engineer', Durris House!
Clan Young
Tartan Poll
There are two colourful Clan Young tartans to choose from - vote in our poll to let us know your favourite of the two!
TOP 5 FACTS
Clan Young
Learn about how the Young name came to be and what the clan’s plant badge is. Did you know the first clan chief had some impressive royal connections?
ScotlandShop On The Sofa
The Story of Clan Young
This month we are delving into all things Clan Young, a group of fearsome border reivers who exercised control over the Anglo-Scottish border for hundreds of years.
Join John and Carrie as they explore the Young’s illustrious history, complete with a tragic love story to rival Romeo and Juliet, impressive royal connections, and terrifying skills on the battlefield.
Clan Young
Quiz
How much do you think you know about Clan Young? Enough to get all 12 questions correct? Test your Young Clan Knowledge now!
Clan Motto: Robore Prudentia Praestat (Prudence Excels Strength)
