This is a list of tartans from around the world. The examples shown below are generally emblematic of a particular association. However, for each clan or family, there are often numerous other official or unofficial variations. There are also innumerable tartan designs that are not affiliated with any group but were simply created for aesthetic reasons (and which are not within the scope of this list).
Tartans in this section are those that are (at least ostensibly) of the current or former British royal family or of individual British nobility members.
Another "royal" tartan of the House of Stuart/Stewart. It was referred to by George V as "my personal tartan",[This quote needs a citation] though it appeared in the Vestiarium Scoticum at least 23 years before his birth. While the work's historical claims have been shown to be spurious, it described the design as the "clanne Stewart tartan", and the work was popular, so the tartan would have been familiar before George's birth in 1865. It is worn officially today by the regimental pipers of the Scots Guards, and remains in common civilian use as a Stewart/Stuart clan tartan.
For additional Stuart/Stewart tartans, see the Clan Stuart entry below.
The individual tartan of the Duke of Rothesay, a dynastic title of the heir-apparent to the British (and formerly separate Scottish) throne; currently Prince William.
Essentially the Royal Stewart tartan but with a much-reduced red square. William Wilson & Sons of Bannockburn included it in their 1819 Key Pattern Book[1]
UK military or government tartans
A number of tartans, worn by UK military units, are known as government tartans, and are defined in a standard[2] currently maintained by Defence Equipment and Support within the Ministry of Defence. They are known by a number, a name, or both. The commonest in regimental use today are royal Stewart (to which a number was not assigned); Government 1, Black Watch; and Government 1A, Sutherland district (a slightly lighter form of Black Watch, and specifically with a lighter green– general-public fashion use often has a lighter blue instead or in addition).
For military wear, there are official specifications for the size of the full repeat (tile) of the sett (tartan pattern), which vary by tartan (e.g. 34.5cm× 34.5cm for Governemtn 1A).[2] In kilt form, the tartans are worn with the central vertical line of the sett on the kilt's front apron running in-line with the buttons of the jacket and with the belt buckle; and the sett horizontally centred between the top of the sporran and the bottom of the belt buckle.[3] Exactly how the kilt is pleated (knife or box pleats, and presenting which colour at the pleat edge) varies by unit.[3]
The following table includes those government tartans worn by UK military units as from the 2006 creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland onwards. Some other units may wear a named clan tartan without it being defined by this standard; these are covered in a second table below. For the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the pipes and drums in each battalion wear the uniform of their antecedent regiment (as listed below) for ceremonial dress purposes, but the Royal Regiment's standard Government 1A for non-ceremonial (and non-combat) undress purposes.[3]
Image
Number
Name
Current units worn by; notes
1
Black Watch or "Government"
Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 Scots) drummers and drum major; inherited in succession from Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), and 42nd Regiment of Foot.
The tartan is also among the most common in civilian use, under various names like old Campbell, hunting Grant, hunting Munro, etc. (often somewhat lightened).
Highlanders (4 Scots) pipers, pipe major, drummers, and drum major;[3] inherited from the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) pipers and drummers.
A number of other tartans are, since 2014, no longer listed as official uniform material by the Defense Clothing (DC) division of the Ministry of Defence, and "DC do not purchase or hold any of the cloth",[2] but remain in use by some units' pipe bands and may be permitted for some other uses, such as uniform cap cockades, though are "unfunded" (must be provided by the units out of their own budgets). No. 1A was listed among these no-longer-official tartans in 2014,[2] but in 2019 was included in the official tartans of the entire Royal Regiment of Scotland,[3] so something clearly changed during that period.
154 (Scottish) Regiment RLC pipers and drummers; also used for the diamond-shaped cockade backing the badge on the regular uniform cap.[5]
The regimental version of this tartan differs somewhat from the clan version.
Another tartan was created in 2018 (approved in 2020) in honour of the Royal Logistic Corps,[6] but it is for civilian use and is a fundraiser for the RLC's MoD Benevolent fund; it is not used for regimental uniform.[7]
It is unclear from available official documentation what tartans (ones apparently no longer in British military use at all) correspond to the serial numbers now missing from the specifications: 5, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, and 25.
The primary Buchanan tartan is known for its asymmetrical design dominated by yellow and red. A symmetrical version called "Buchanan old sett" exists (the asymmetrical version being blamed on an error Logan & McIan's Clans of the Scottish Highlands, 1843).[40] Several other tartans are recognised by the clan association, which also rejects a number of others that have been invented by weavers or which originated in the Vestiarium Scoticum of 1842.[41]
Image is the so called "Old Campbell" which is a lighter form of the Black Watch regimental tartan, adopted by Clan Campbell, and shared with clans Bannatyne, Lyon and Paterson[43]
Based on Mackintosh Chief,[50] shared with clans Davidson, Farquharson, MacBean, MacGillivray, MacIntyre, MacKintosh, MacLean, MacPhail, MacPherson, MacQueen, MacThomas, and Shaw as its members[51]
Shared with clans Aikenhead, Blane, Clephane, Horsburgh, Newlands, McGeachie, Pringle and McKerrell, and second set of tartans shared with Clan Boyle[84][85][86]
"Graham of Montrose" variant shared with Clan Allardice,[94] "Graham of Menteith" variants shared with Clan Haldane, and both shared with Clan Pitcairn[95]
Also known as "Perthshire District", shared with Clan Butter, and second set of tartans shared with clans Arnott, Balfour, Mercer, Maule and Spens[183]
Tartans in this list are ascribed to specific families or surnames, though not to Scottish clans; they range in date from 21st century to considerably older.
Registered with SRT in 2012 (no. 10575). A fresh and contemporary tartan design woven and manufactured as an alternative to the Menzies clan tartan for family & corporate purposes. The chosen colours are intended as a nod to Scottish-Irish familial links.[202]
Beginning in the 21st century, tartans were created in Wales to mainly represent traditionally Welsh family surnames, also through the traditional wearing of "cilts", as the letter k is non-existent in the Welsh alphabet.[205]
Tartans in these lists were created (mostly in modern times) for particular national and sub-national jurisdictions, most often officially, though with some exceptions.
The most traditionally associated tartan worn in Ireland is the plain saffron tartan, however, additional Irish tartans were created to represent its provinces and counties.[207]
Adopted by the band in the early 1990s. Although it has no official US Military recognition, it has been widely accepted by US servicemen with Air Force connections. Originally created in 1988 as Lady Jane of St Cirus. A variation of this is named US Forces Thurso.
A kilt is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill-woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish Highland dress for men, it is first recorded in the 16th century as the great kilt, a full-length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak. The small kilt or modern kilt emerged in the 18th century, and is essentially the bottom half of the great kilt. Since the 19th century, it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland, and more broadly with Gaelic or Celtic heritage.
Tartan is a patterned cloth with crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming simple or complex rectangular patterns. Tartans originated in woven wool, but are now made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland, and Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns. The earliest surviving samples of tartan-style cloth are around 3,000 years old and were discovered in Xinjiang, China.
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan, known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid and the Clan MacLeod of Lewis Assynt and Raasay, known in Gaelic as Sìol Torcaill. Both branches claim descent from Leòd, a Norse-Gael who lived in the 13th century.
Tartan Day is celebration of Scottish heritage and the cultural contributions of Scottish and Scottish-diaspora figures of history. The name refers to tartan, a patterned woollen cloth associated with Scotland. The event originated in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1987. It spread to other communities of the Scottish diaspora and Scotland itself in the 1990s to 2000s.
Clan Keith is a Highland and Lowland Scottish clan, whose Chief historically held the hereditary title of Marischal, then Great Marischal, then Earl Marischal of Scotland.
The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The Royal Stewart or Royal Stuart tartan is the best-known tartan retrospectively associated with the royal House of Stewart, and is also the personal tartan of the British monarch, presently King Charles III. The sett was first published in 1831 in the book The Scottish Gaël by James Logan. Officially, the tartan is worn by the pipers of the Black Watch, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, and the Scots Guards, as well as a select few civilian groups like the Glasgow Police Pipe Band and the Winnipeg Police Pipe Band. The 5th Bolton Scout Group and the 5th Potters Bar Scout Group wear the scarf (neckerchief) officially, with permission from the Queen, and the Queen's Bands wear the tartan as part of their official uniforms. The tartan may also be worn by members who took part in a patrol leaders training course. In 1968, the pipes and drums of the 3rd battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, were also given permission to wear the Royal Stewart tartan.
Clan MacDuff or Clan Duff is a Lowland Scottish clan. The clan does not currently have a chief and is therefore considered an armigerous clan, which is registered with the Lyon Court. The early chiefs of Clan MacDuff were the original Earls of Fife, although this title went to the Stewarts of Albany in the late fourteenth century. The title returned to the MacDuff chief when William Duff was made Earl Fife in 1759. His descendant Alexander Duff was made Duke of Fife in 1889.
Highland dress is the traditional, regional dress of the Highlands and Isles of Scotland. It is often characterised by tartan. Specific designs of shirt, jacket, bodice and headwear may also be worn. On rare occasions with clan badges and other devices indicating family and heritage.
Clan Menzies ; Scottish Gaelic: Clann Mèinnear; a member is a Mèinnearach) is a Highland Scottish clan.
The history of the modern kilt stretches back to at least the end of the 16th century. The kilt first appeared as the belted plaid or great kilt, a full-length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak draped over the shoulder, or brought up over the head as a hood. The small kilt or walking kilt did not develop until the late 17th or early 18th century, and is essentially the bottom half of the great kilt.
The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS) is the senior and only current Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an individual regiment. However, three regular battalions maintain their former regimental pipes and drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments.
The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland was a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The battalion formed on 1 August 2006 when its antecedent regiments - the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers - amalgamated just after the formation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006.
The personal name Duncan can be found in Scotland’s oldest records in its Gaelic form Dunchad/Donchadh/Donachie/Donnchadh and other spelling variants.
154 (Scottish) Regiment is a regiment of the British Army's Royal Logistic Corps. It forms part of the Army Reserve. Its role is to provide general transport support at 'third line' for the British Army.
Clan Little is a Scottish clan of the Borders. The clan does not currently have a chief and is therefore considered an armigerous clan. The Clan Little Society had a Guardian in place of a clan chief but, since his death in 2007, no suitable successor has appeared.
Carruthers, a Scottish Lowland clan and family from Annandale in Dumfriesshire.
Clan Ralston is a Scottish clan. The clan is recognized as such by the Court of the Lord Lyon, but as it does not currently have a chief recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms it is considered an Armigerous clan.
Regimental tartans are tartan patterns used in military uniforms, possibly originally by some militias of Scottish clans, certainly later by some of the Independent Highland Companies (IHCs) raised by the British government, then by the Highland regiments and many Lowland regiments of the British Army, and eventually by some military units in other countries. The earliest evidence suggesting militia uniform tartans dates to 1691, and the first certain uniform tartan was that of the Royal Company of Archers in 1713. The IHCs raised 1725–29 by the British government appear to have had one or more uniform tartans, though some later ones did not. The first true Highland regiment of the British Army was the 42nd Regiment of Foot formed by amalgamation of the IHCs in 1739, and had its own consistent uniform tartan by 1749 or 1757 at the latest. Some later Highland units also wore this tartan, while others developed minor variations on it, usually by adding bright-coloured over-checks. Some few regiments developed their own tartans not based on Black Watch, including the 75th, 79th, Fraser Fencibles, and Loyal Clan Donnachie Volunteers. Some units developed special tartans for bandsmen and grenadiers.
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