MacKellar Clan

Scottish Clans

MacKellar Tartans & Clan

The MacKellar clan tartan represents one of Scotland's distinguished Argyll families, whose heritage spans from medieval Highland strongholds to modern Scottish diaspora communities throughout North America and the British Isles.

Clan Motto

Perseverando
(persevering)

Heritage & Identity

Who Wears MacKellar Tartan?

Worn by MacKellar descendants worldwide, sept families including Kellar and Keller bearers, Highland society members, and Scottish heritage enthusiasts across America, Canada, and Scotland.

Associated Names

MacKellar

McKellar

MacCellar

McCellar

Kellar

Keller

MacKeller

McKeller

Collar

MacCollar

McCollar

Collier

MacCollier

McCollier

Military Heritage

Associated Regiments

MacKellar warriors served with distinction in Highland regiments and Scottish military units, contributing to colonial campaigns and British Army service across the Empire's frontiers.

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Highland Light Infantry

Royal Highland Regiment (Black Watch)

Cameron Highlanders

Seaforth Highlanders

Shop MacKellar Tartan Products

Discover authentic MacKellar clan products including traditional kilts, Highland dress accessories, clan badges, tartan scarves, ties, and ceremonial items for descendants across North America.

MacKellar Tartans

0 Variations

Each tartan can feature several variations, with the most common being Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress.

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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.

The MacKellar Story

Four centuries of history woven into every thread

Argyll Loyal Origins

The MacKellar clan traces its origins to ancient Argyll, where they held lands as vassals of the powerful Campbell chiefs. First documented in medieval records, the MacKellars established themselves in the rugged Highland territories around Loch Fyne and the western Scottish coast. Early clan members served as hereditary keepers of castle strongholds and administrators of Campbell lands, wielding significant local influence in Argyll politics. The MacKellars demonstrated unwavering loyalty to their Campbell overlords while maintaining their distinct clan identity, traditions, and Gaelic culture throughout centuries of Highland feudal service and territorial disputes.

Allied Power Era

During the 16th and 17th centuries, MacKellar fortunes became intertwined with Campbell expansion and Scottish clan warfare. The family provided warriors for Campbell military campaigns while maintaining their hereditary positions as castle keepers and land administrators. Notable MacKellars served in various capacities during the religious conflicts of the Reformation, generally supporting Presbyterian causes alongside their Campbell allies. The clan weathered the turbulent Jacobite period by maintaining allegiance to the Hanoverian government, though individual members may have harbored sympathies for the Stuart cause, reflecting the complex loyalties of Highland society during this transformative era.

Where does the name MacKellar come from?

MacKellar derives from Gaelic 'Mac Ceallchair' meaning 'son of Cellach' or 'son of the church warrior.' The name originates from ancient Argyll territories where the clan held lands from medieval times. This patronymic surname reflects Highland traditions of naming families after distinguished ancestors, with Cellach being an early Celtic personal name meaning 'strife' or 'bright-headed,' connecting MacKellars to Scotland's ancient Gaelic heritage.

New World Transition

The 18th century brought significant changes as MacKellars adapted to Highland transformations following Culloden. Many clan members emigrated to North America, establishing settlements in Nova Scotia, New York, and later Canada, where they contributed to frontier development and colonial society. Those remaining in Scotland transitioned from traditional Highland life to new economic opportunities in agriculture, commerce, and military service. MacKellar emigrants carried their clan heritage across the Atlantic, founding Scottish communities and maintaining Highland traditions in their new homelands while adapting to colonial and later American and Canadian societies.

Global Heritage Growth

Throughout the 19th century, MacKellars embraced opportunities across the expanding British Empire while preserving their Highland heritage. Clan members served in colonial administration, founded businesses in growing North American cities, and contributed to Scottish cultural societies worldwide. The family adapted to industrial changes in Scotland while maintaining connections to ancestral Argyll lands. MacKellar descendants established themselves as merchants, professionals, and community leaders across Canada, the United States, and Australia, carrying forward clan traditions through Highland games, cultural organizations, and family gatherings that celebrated their ancient Scottish roots.

The MacKellar tartan embodies centuries of Highland tradition from Argyll's ancient lands to global Scottish communities across America, Canada, and Britain.

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