Tartan Samples

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Brief History of Clan Davidson

The Davidson’s are a highland clan with their motto being ‘Sapienter si sincere’ (‘Wisely if sincerely’).

The name itself began as the Gaelic name Dhai and had been inherited from their first leader David Dubh. Clan Davidson, along with the MacKintoshes, became part of clan Chattan’s confederation, which caused rivalry within. This was due to favouritism for the MacKintoshes from the Chattan captain. The Davidsons became involved in many skirmishes surrounding this bias towards Clan MacKintosh.

In 1370, several branches of the Chattan clan joined forces to fight the Camerons. However, due to an ongoing dispute with the Davidsons, the MacPhersons, who were also a part of Clan Chattan, withdrew from battle whilst still within sight of the enemy. This resulted in the Camerons defeating the remaining Chattan forces, with the Davidsons suffering heavy losses in the conflict.

The most prominent branches of the family became the Davidsons of Tulloch in Ross-shire and the Davidsons of Cantray in Inverness. A branch of this family settled in France, where the Livre d’Or records six generations of nobility by 1629.

The Davidson tartan features a combination of deep green, dark blue, black, and red stripes in a bold pattern. It is available in ancient, modern and muted variants.