The Kinnear clan traces its origins to the ancient lands of Balcanquhal in Fife, first documented in the 12th century when Radulphus de Kyner held lands from the Earl of Fife. The family established themselves as significant landholders in eastern Scotland, with their principal seat at Balcanquhal Castle. Early clan members served as vassals to the powerful Earls of Fife, wielding considerable influence in medieval Scottish politics. The Kinnears demonstrated fierce loyalty to Scottish independence, supporting the Bruce cause during the Wars of Scottish Independence and maintaining their prominence through strategic alliances.
Scottish Clans
Kinnear Tartans & Clan
The Kinnear clan tartan represents one of Fife's most distinguished families, whose legacy spans from medieval landholders of Balcanquhal to successful merchants and professionals across Scotland, North America, and the wider Commonwealth territories.
Clan Motto
Veritas Vincit
(Truth Conquers)
Heritage & Identity
Who Wears Kinnear Tartan?
Worn by Kinnear descendants worldwide, sept families including Kinear, Kynnear, and MacKinear bearers, Scottish heritage enthusiasts, and clan members across America, Canada, and Britain.
Associated Names
Kinear
Kynnear
Kynear
MacKinear
McKinear
Kinneir
Kinnair
Kennear
Kinnere
Kynnere
Chinneir
Kynneir
Chinear
MacKinnear
McKinnear
Military Heritage
Associated Regiments
Kinnear clan members served with distinction in Fife regiments, Scots Guards, colonial forces, and British Army units, particularly excelling in North American campaigns and Scottish frontier service throughout the Empire.
Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
Royal Scots Fusiliers
Scots Guards
Black Watch
Canadian Scottish Regiment (Canada)
Nova Scotia Highlanders (Canada)
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Shop Kinnear Tartan Products
Discover authentic Kinnear clan products including traditional kilts, Highland dress accessories, clan crests, tartan scarves, ties, and ceremonial items crafted for descendants across North America and Britain.
- All Categories
- Accessoires pour vêtements traditionnels
- Bandanas pour animaux de compagnie
- Bandeaux
- Barrettes, pinces et épingles à cheveux
- Bas de Noël
- Bas de pantalon
- Bas pour bébés et tout-petits
- Besaces
- Bodies bébés
- Bonnets
- Bottes
- Boucles de ceinture
- Boucles d’oreilles
- Boutons de manchette
- Breloques et pendentifs
- Bretelles
- Broches et épinglettes
- Cartables
- Casquettes de baseball
- Casquettes plates
- Chapeaux
- Chapeaux de cowboy
- Chapeaux d’hiver
- Chaussures
- Chemins de table
- Chemises
- Colliers et cravates pour animaux de compagnie
- Colliers standards
- Cordons
- Costumes et tailleurs
- Coussins et porte-alliances
- Couvertures
- Cravates
- Drapeaux et manches à air
- Décorations
- Décorations de Noël
- Ensembles pour bébés et enfants
- Ensembles pour bébés et tout-petits
- Foulards
- Fournitures de mariage
- Gilets et vestes sans manches
- Grande cornemuse des Highlands
- Hauts de vêtements
- Housses de coussin pour chaises et canapés
- Jarretelles
- Jupes
- Lits pour animaux de compagnie
- Manteaux bouffants
- Manteaux et vestes
- Masques faciaux de mode
- Nappes
- Pochettes de costume
- Porte-monnaies
- Robes
- Rubans et galons
- Sacs fourre-tout
- Sacs pour cadeaux
- Sacs à bandoulière
- Sacs à dos
- Sacs à main
- Serviettes en tissu
- Shorts
- Tabliers
- Tapis de sapin de Noël
- Vestes boléro
- Vestes universitaires
- Vêtements traditionnels et de cérémonie
- Écharpes
- Écharpes, foulards et châles
- All Styles
- 16 oz
- 3 Piece
- 5 Yards - Casual
- 8 Yards - Traditional
- 9 Yards - Traditional
- A Line
- All Round Pleated
- Argyll
- Bias Cut
- Bow
- Dinner
- Double Breasted
- Dresses
- Golf
- Great Kilt
- Horseshoe Neck
- Infinity Scarf
- Kate Coat
- Kilt Shoes
- Mini
- Narrow Heel
- Pencil
- Pet Accessories
- Prince Charlie
- Quilted
- Ring
- Rosette
- Shirt
- Single Breasted
- Sleeveless
- Slim Cut
- Straight Cut Bottom
- Striped
- Tie
- Wrap
- All Products
- Accessoires pour cheveux
- Accessoires tartan
- Bandeau
- Bowties
- Braces
- Broche tartan
- Ceintures en cuir tartan
- Chapeaux et casquettes en tartan
- Chemises kilt
- Coats & Jackets
- Costume
- Court
- Cravates en tartan
- Dog Rug
- Embrayages
- Fly Plaid & Broches
- Ghillie Brogues
- Grand Kilt - Tous Tartans
- H-Bar Set
- Instruments de musique
- Kilt 9 Yards - Tous les tartans
- Kilt Flashes
- Kilt Flashs
- Kilt de 5 mètres - Tous les tartans
- Kilt végétalien - Tous les tartans
- Kilted/Plissé
- Kilts en cuir
- Kilts en jean
- Kilts féminins
- Kilts hybrides
- Lanyards
- Neckwear
- Pantalon tartan
- Pince à cheveux
- Plaid Fly
- Ring Cushion
- Robes tartan
- Romper Suit
- Ruban tartan
- Sacs à bandoulière
- Sacs à main
- Serape
- Sporrans
- Stoles
- Tabliers en tartan
- Tartan Beret
- Tartan Capes
- Tartan Decoration
- Tartan Dresses
- Tartan Knickerbockers
- Tartan Pants
- Tartan Poncho
- Tartan Ribbon
- Tartan Scarf
- Tartan Shawl
- Tartan Skirts
- Tartan Ties
- Tartan/Cargo
- Tenue kilt
- Trew
- Vestes
- Vestes et gilets kilt
- Vêtements pour chiens
- Waistcoat
- Wedding Garters
- Women Shoes
- kilt pour enfants
- masque
- Écharpe en tartan
- Écharpe tartan
- All Prices
- Under $50
- $50 - $100
- $100 - $200
- $200 - $500
- $500+
Associated Tartans
Your Selected Tartan
Other Associated Tartans
Kinnear Tartans
0 Variations
Each tartan can feature several variations, with the most common being Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress.
Loading tartans…
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860, all fabric dyes came from nature — plants, berries, bark, and insects. The colours they produced were softer and more muted than what we're used to today: think mossy greens, dusty sky blues, and reds with a warm, orangey tone. A lot of people actually prefer Ancient tartans for this reason — the gentler contrasts let the pattern breathe and stand out in a way that bolder colours sometimes don't. Worth knowing: the pattern itself, called the sett, is exactly the same across all variations of a tartan. It's only the colours that change.
Modern Tartan
Modern tartans came about after 1860, when chemical dyes replaced natural ones. The difference is pretty striking. Those soft, earthy greens became deep bottle green. Pale blues turned into rich navy. Reds went from warm and muted to full-on scarlet. If you're after something bold and vivid, Modern is usually the one to go for. It's the version most people picture when they think of a classic tartan.
Weathered Tartan
Weathered tartans take their inspiration from what happens to fabric left out in the elements — faded by sun, softened by rain, worn in by time. The colours shift towards olive greens, warm browns, and very pale blues, with reds that fade down to something close to a dusty pink. It's a more rustic, lived-in look, and honestly a really beautiful one. If you want something that feels a little more understated and natural, Weathered is worth a look.
Hunting Tartan
Hunting tartans are essentially the camouflage version of a clan's tartan — greens and browns brought forward so the wearer could move through the landscape without standing out. Not every clan has one, and that's by design. If a tartan is already mostly green or brown (like the Black Watch or Gunn), there's no need to adapt it. But a tartan like the Fraser, which is predominantly red, would make someone very easy to spot in the field — so a Hunting version makes a lot of sense for clans like that.
Dress Tartan
Dress tartans were made for the big occasions — Highland games, celebrations, and traditional dance. The pattern stays the same, but the main colour is swapped out for white, or extra white is woven in to give it a lighter, more formal feel. As you'd expect from the Scots, the rules get bent every now and then — yellow has been used instead of white in some cases, which is exactly how the famously bold MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came to be.
The Kinnear Story
Four centuries of history woven into every thread
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Kinnear clan expanded their influence beyond Fife through strategic marriages and royal service. Notable clan members included Sir John Kinnear of Balcanquhal, who served as Sheriff of Fife, and his descendants who established cadet branches throughout eastern Scotland. The family weathered the religious conflicts of the Reformation while maintaining their Protestant faith and Scottish traditions. Kinnears distinguished themselves in royal service, with several clan members holding positions at the Scottish court and serving in diplomatic missions throughout Europe.
Where does the name Kinnear come from?
Kinnear derives from Gaelic 'Ceann Iar' meaning 'western headland' or 'head of the west.' The name originates from the ancient lands of Balcanquhal in Fife, Scotland, where the clan held territories from the 12th century. This geographical surname reflects the Highland tradition of naming families after their ancestral lands along Scotland's distinctive coastal features and strategic positions.
The 17th and 18th centuries marked significant changes for the Kinnear clan as they adapted to the Union of Crowns and later the Act of Union. Clan members diversified from traditional landowning into commerce, law, and military service. Several Kinnears served as advocates and judges in Edinburgh, while others pursued military careers in Highland regiments. The family weathered the Jacobite period while maintaining their Scottish identity, and began the first significant emigrations to North America, establishing Kinnear settlements in Nova Scotia and later the American colonies.
Throughout the 19th century, Kinnears continued their traditions of professional excellence while embracing new opportunities in the expanding British Empire. Clan members served as colonial administrators in India and Canada, military officers in Highland regiments, and pioneers in Australia and New Zealand. The family produced distinguished lawyers, doctors, and educators, including several who served in the Indian Civil Service. In Scotland, the clan adapted to industrial changes while maintaining their Fife connections, with many members becoming successful merchants and professionals in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The Kinnear tartan weaves together centuries of Fife heritage, from ancient Balcanquhal estates to global Scottish diaspora, in distinctive patterns worn with pride.
Featured Collections
Craftsmanship defined by tradition, designed for the modern era.
Quick View
Featured Item
Men's Highland Wear
From $120.00
