"Stephen" <mcavoys_AT_aolDOT.com> wrote:
> "MichaelJF" <mi-### [at] t-onlinede> wrote:
> > BTW2: The entry for McAvoy is missing at
> >
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tartans
> >
>
> It is not missing, it is not there. McAvoy is an Irish name and the Irish don't
> really use tartans (unless it is to sell, "a little bit o' Ireland", to
> Americans. ;-) )
>
>
> > but can be found at:
> >
> > http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/
>
> That is personal tartan. Anyone can register a design.
> Again it is a way to sell "a wee bit o' Scotland" to whoever wants to prove his
> connections. Big business now compared to when it started. Walter Scott (the
> author) started a trend in England and Europe. Where Scotland was considered
> "Romantic". Queen Victoria built a castle there and everyone who was anyone had
> to have a link. So the clever burgers of Edinburgh, created a business model.
>
> The family or clan tartans, would be worn by whoever liked the colours,
> especially if you were rich and had a kilt for every day of the week.
>
> But don't tell anyone I told you. :-)

I've been wondering whether I have a family tartan.  I've been told all my life
that my surname is Scottish, but recently my sister told me that it is actually
Welsh.  (How can I not know?  Because my surname doesn't reflect my ancestry,
which is (mostly) African.)  My surname doesn't show up at either Web site.

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