[ Main Page ]   [ Surname ]   [ Coat of Arms ]   [ Tartans ]   [ My Ancestors ]   [ Genealogy Resources ]   [ Online Stores ]

 

During the course of my research over the years I have discovered that there are no tartans for the Firth surname.  The Firth surname is considered to be a place name but I have discovered that there are no rules governing what type of tartan you can wear.  In his book, Tartan For Me! Suggested Tartans for Scottish, Scotch-Irish, Irish, and North American Surnames with Lists of Clan, Family and District  Tartans, Philip D. Smith suggests that those who bear the Firth surname should wear the one of Roxburgh District Tartans if they desire to wear a kilt.  I would also consider wearing the Scottish Borders Tartan, the Caledonia Tartan, your country's Tartan (in my case the Maple Leaf Tartan), your provincial/state (in my case one of the official New Brunswick Tartans), or the Orkney Islands' tartan if your ancestors originated from there.  Below are a few tartan examples I collected in my internet journeys.

 


This is an example of the Roxburgh Red District Tartan.  It is commonly know as the Roxburgh Modern Tartan.

 


This an example of the Scottish Borders Tartan.

 


This is an example of the Caledonia Tartan.

 


This is an example of the Maple Leaf Tartan.  It is the unofficial tartan of Canada.

 


This is one of New Brunswick's official Tartans.

 


This is the Orkney Island's official Tartan.

 

Please Note: The color of these Tartan images on this web page vary depending on the monitor and video card your system is currently using.

There are various versions of Tartans which you can purchase from stores that sell these products.  Here is an explanation of terms you will encounter if you plan to purchase products that are made of Tartan fabric:

  • Ancient - This term describes Tartan fabric that is colored with natural dyes similar to the dyes used in the 1800 century.

  • Modern - This term describes Tartan fabric that is colored with modern dyes.

  • Weathered - This term describes Tartan fabric that is colored with lighter dyes to simulate a weathered or faded look.  This is an attempt to mimic what Tartan fabric would look like if worn daily.

I became interested in tartans mainly because of where I am from.  I am from Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland) which had a large influx of immigrants from the British Isles and France.  These immigrants fostered a Celtic culture that is still very vibrant to this day.  It is not uncommon to see someone walking around in a kilt especially in Nova Scotia.  Nobody gives it a second thought.  There is still a population of Gaelic speakers located on Cape Breton Island and in scattered pockets throughout Nova Scotia.  I worked with a woman at my last job who raised her children to speak Gaelic and English.  It was quite a thing to listen to her arguing in Gaelic with her children over the telephone!

For more information on tartans, please explore these websites: