List of tartans

This is a list of tartans from around the world. The examples shown below are generally emblematic of a particular association. However, for each clan or family, there are often numerous other official or unofficial variations. There are also innumerable tartan designs that are not affiliated with any group but were simply created for aesthetic reasons (and which are not within the scope of this list).

British royal and noble tartans
Tartans in this section are those that are (at least ostensibly) of the current or former British royal family or of individual British nobility members.

UK military or government tartans
A number of tartans, worn by UK military units, are known as government tartans, and are defined in a standard currently maintained by Defence Equipment and Support within the Ministry of Defence. They are known by a number, a name, or both. The commonest in regimental use today are royal Stewart (to which a number was not assigned); Government 1, Black Watch; and Government 1A, Sutherland district (a slightly lighter form of Black Watch, and specifically with a lighter green – general-public fashion use often has a lighter blue instead or in addition).

For military wear, there are official specifications for the size of the full repeat (tile) of the sett (tartan pattern), which vary by tartan (e.g. 34.5 cm × 34.5 cm for Governemtn 1A). In kilt form, the tartans are worn with the central vertical line of the sett on the kilt's front apron running in-line with the buttons of the jacket and with the belt buckle; and the sett horizontally centred between the top of the sporran and the bottom of the belt buckle. Exactly how the kilt is pleated (knife or box pleats, and presenting which colour at the pleat edge) varies by unit.

The following table includes those government tartans worn by UK military units as from the 2006 creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland onwards. Some other units may wear a named clan tartan without it being defined by this standard; these are covered in a second table below. For the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the pipes and drums in each battalion wear the uniform of their antecedent regiment (as listed below) for ceremonial dress purposes, but the Royal Regiment's standard Government 1A for non-ceremonial (and non-combat) undress purposes.

A number of other tartans are, since 2014, no longer listed as official uniform material by the Defense Clothing (DC) division of the Ministry of Defence, and "DC do not purchase or hold any of the cloth", but remain in use by some units' pipe bands and may be permitted for some other uses, such as uniform cap cockades, though are "unfunded" (must be provided by the units out of their own budgets). No. 1A was listed among these no-longer-official tartans in 2014, but in 2019 was included in the official tartans of the entire Royal Regiment of Scotland, so something clearly changed during that period.

It is unclear from available official documentation what tartans (ones apparently no longer in British military use at all) correspond to the serial numbers now missing from the specifications: 5, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, and 25.

Scottish clan tartans
The tartans in this list are those ascribed to particular clans of Scotland, including Highland, Lowland, Isles, and Borders clans. Their status varies widely; armigerous clans generally accept them, while some have been officially adopted or rejected by a clan chief.

Scottish non-clan family tartans
Tartans in this list are ascribed to specific families or surnames, though not to Scottish clans; they range in date from 21st century to considerably older.

Welsh family tartans
Beginning in the 21st century, tartans were created in Wales to mainly represent traditionally Welsh family surnames, also through the traditional wearing of "cilts", as the letter k is non-existent in the Welsh alphabet.

Organisational tartans
Tartans in this list are modern ones pertaining to particular commercial and non-profit organisations.

Regional tartans
Tartans in these lists were created (mostly in modern times) for particular national and sub-national jurisdictions, most often officially, though with some exceptions.

Ireland
The most traditionally associated tartan worn in Ireland is the plain saffron tartan, however, additional Irish tartans were created to represent its provinces and counties.

United States
The United States of America has tartans for certain states, as well as tartans that represent each branch and select units of the U.S. Armed Forces, in a similar manner to the British government.