Clan Cameron (Cameron Tartan)

1. About Clan Cameron (Cameron Tartan)

2. Clan Cameron History (Cameron Tartan)

The Clan Cameron is one of the oldest Scottish clans, and is considered to be "fiercer than fierceness itself." According to one theory, they are derived from a son of the Danish King Camchron.

Many names that were in use in the 13th century seem to have been the ancestors of the name Cameron, all deriving from the Gaelic phrases for a crooked hill and a crooked nose.

The more likely theory holds that their first chief, Donald Dubh, who may have been the 11th by 1411, was an ancestor of either the MacGillonies or the Cambrun dynasty of Ballegarno in medieval Fife.

He united the alliance of tribes that would, by the end of that century, be known as the Clan Cameron, and Lochaber their domain, thanks to his respected leadership and strengths and his marriage to an heiress of the MacMartins of Letterfinlay.

'Captain of Clan Cameron' had his holdings elevated into the barony of Lochiel in 1528 thanks to a charter issued by King James V. We had a Captain of Cameron of Lochiel starting at this point.

Sir Ewen, 17th of Lochiel, constructed Achnacarry Castle to serve as the family residence for the Camerons of Lochiel. Sir Ewen was the one who constantly waged war against Cromwell's soldiers and was a constant thorn in his side.

Finally, the Camerons were given permission to keep their weapons on Sir Ewen's promise to live in peace.

A 19th century depiction of a Cameron clansman by R.R. McIan

Donald, 19th of Lochiel, known as "The Gentle Lochiel," exhibited such gallantry during "the '45" that he is regarded as the most honorable of the Highland Chiefs.

According to legend, he prevented Glasgow from being destroyed by the 1745 occupying Jacobite army. However, his descendants lacked his honor and mistreated their clansmen throughout the Highland clearances.

3. Clan Cameron Tartans

The Sobieskis Vestiarium Scoticum is where this Cameron tartan was found. They tried to make it sound authentic by describing it as "fovr stryppis of grein upon ane scarlatt field, and throughovt ye red sett ain strypp" in their own version of medieval English.

While "modern" refers to deeper colors, "ancient" relates to dye tones, which are typically lighter.

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Cameron Ancient

Cameron Modern

The lady of Donald Cameron created the Cameron of Erracht tartan in 1793 for the 79th regiment that her son General sir Allan Cameron had established.

She objected to the Black Watch tartan being used by their unit. According to legend, her family's MacDonell of Keppoch and Cameron ancestors combined to create her tartan.

While "modern" refers to deeper colors, "ancient" relates to dye tones, which are typically lighter.

The term "weathered" relates to the dye colours that were developed in the 1950s to imitate a tartan fragment that was allegedly discovered buried on a historic battlefield.

G/16 R4 G4 R8 G32 K32 R4 B32 R8 B16 Y/8 Threadcount

Cameron of Erracht Ancient

Cameron of Erracht Modern

Cameron of Erracht Weathered

Among the Cameron tartans, the Cameron of Lochiel tartan is most likely the oldest. The tartan was inspired from a 1764 painting of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, often known as Gentle Lochiel (c. 1700–1748).

The sett in the painting has been discovered to be slightly different, although we are unsure if the painter made a mistake or if the one he portrayed is accurate. In the early 1800s, Wilsons discovered the design we are familiar with today.

'Modern' refers to the dye hues, which are typically deeper colors, whereas 'ancient' colors are lighter.

Cameron of Lochiel Ancient

Cameron of Lochiel Modern

4. Clan Cameron Crest & Coats of Arms

4.1 Clan Cameron Crest

Worn by all of the name and ancestry

4.2 Clan Cameron Coat of Arms

Note on Coats of Arms: A coat of arms is given to an individual under Scottish heraldic law (with the exception of civic or corporate arms). A 'family coat of arms' does not exist.

With the exclusions listed above, the weapons depicted below are personal weapons. The only person authorized to use these weapons is the grantee.

5. Clan Cameron Places & People

5.1 Clan Cameron People

5.1.1 John Cameron of Corriechoille (1780-1856)

At Spean Bridge, where he started his life as a barefoot drover's child, "Corry" would grow his flock, herds, and estates until they were the largest in Britain by the 1840s.

He eventually was able to rent the land at Corriechoille from Cameron of Lochiel by using the money he had been earning since he was a young child to invest sometimes in bulls. He kept growing until he eventually controlled grazing area from Falkirk to Skye.

Under his scruffy exterior, he was known for his amazing energy and astute business sense. He lost his fortune later on, but he was still employed at the age of 75 when he passed away.

5.1.2 Donald Cameron, Younger of Lochiel (c.1695 - 23 October, 1748)

Donald Cameron (shown above), a man who made long-term investments by enhancing his estate and investing in his clansmen, saw even lower chances of success for the 1745 rising when Bonnie Prince Charlie arrived in Scotland with only seven men and no weapons or money.

He declared after meeting the Prince, "I shall share the fate of my Prince and so shall any man whom nature or fortune has given me power." His viewpoint had since altered.

After gallantly battling at Edinburgh and stopping the Highlanders from taking over Glasgow, he was wounded at Culloden and fled the country with his home and lands ruined before passing away in French Flanders.

5.1.3 Sir David Young Cameron (1865-1945)

DY Cameron, who was up in Glasgow and enrolled in Edinburgh's Royal Institution in 1884, rose to prominence as one of Scotland's greatest artists.

His well-known landscape paintings covered a variety of locations, including Paisley, the Highlands in the center, Holland, and Paris. His etchings broke previous auction-room records.

He served as a war artist for the Canadian government in about 1917. He began focusing on the vast, empty spaces of Scotland's Highlands at this point, creating paintings that would earn him much more recognition than his etchings.

6. Associated Names

The following names are thought to be septs of Clan Cameron of Lochiel's linked names:
Chambers, Chalmers, Clark, Clarke, Clarkson, Cleary, Clerk, Dowie, Gibbon, Grimesey, Kennedy, Krywonis, Leary, Lokcick, Lonbie, Lonie, MacAldowie, MacAlonie, MacChlerich, MacChlery, MacClair, MacClerie, MacElhaney, MacGillery, MacGillonie, MacIldowie, MacKail, MacKell, MacLear, MacLeary, MacLerie, MacMartin, MacOnie, MacOstrich, MacOurlic, MacPhail, MacSorley, MacUlric, MacUlrig, MacVail, MacWalrick, Martin, Paul, Sorley, Sorlie, and Taylor