Not every Scottish surname will have a tartan, so often people wear the tartan of their mother’s maiden name or the tartan of a Scottish district. Tartans have become popular for sporting teams and businesses too.

The commonest are Government 1, Black Watch; Government 1A, a slightly lighter form of Black Watch worn by the Royal Regiment of Scotland; and Royal Stewart. The following list includes those Government tartans worn by UK military units as from the creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006 onwards.

Today, anyone can wear the Black Watch tartan. It is clear that for at least 270 years, the Black Watch tartan has been worn by Scottish soldiers.

Recorded as MacLaren, McLaren and the patronymic McLarens, this is a famous Scottish surname. It originates from the pre 10th century “Mac Labhruinn” translating a the son of Labhrunn, the latter being a Gaelic form of the ancient Roman baptismal name Lawrence.

Falkirk

Scottish tartans are a representation of a Scottish clan, and each Scottish family has their own tartan, distinguished by their surname. There are over 25,000 registered Scottish tartans. However, Irish tartans are designed to represent the districts and counties of Ireland.

26 years

Number one is Clan Campbell of Breadalbane. The feud between the MacGregors and the Campbells is well documented but Sir Malcolm said this strand of the Campbells was particularly feared given its dominance over a large swathe of Scotland – and its will to defend it at all cost.

MacDonell or MacDonald of Clanranald: The largest of the Highland clans, the Norse-Gaelic Clan Ranald was descended from Ranald, son of John, Lord of the Isles.