The English and Scots word tartan is possibly derived from French tiretaine meaning 'linsey-woolsey cloth'. Other hypotheses are that it derives from Scottish Gaelic tarsainn or tarsuinn, meaning 'across' or 'crossing … See more

Pre-medieval origins
Classical Roman writers made various references to the continental Gauls, south of Britain, wearing striped or variegated clothing; Latin seems … See more

With an exception dating to 1618 and another to c. 1703–1715 (neither of which appear to have survived), it is generally regarded that tartans associated by name with Scottish clans mostly date to the early-to-mid 19th century, some few to the late 18th at the … See more

One of the most popular tartans is the royal Stewart, ostensibly the personal tartan of the British monarch, since George IV declared it his own (though it was probably designed by the Sobieski Stuarts, albeit based on mid-18th-century pattern called "Prince … See more

Weaving construction
The Scottish Register of Tartans provides the following summary definition of tartan:
Tartan (the design) … See more

After the period of the early clan militias and the Independent Highland Companies (IHCs), over 100 battalions of line, fencible, militia, and … See more

Aside from regimental and clan usage, tartan has seen broad (and sometimes highly politicised) use by the general public in the … See more