SEPTS, TARTAN AND BADGES OF CLAN LOGAN

Sept is the Irish word for family. Like many things now associated with the modern clan system, it came into use during the Victorian age. This was done mainly in an effort to "find" clans for all of those names which had no clan of their own. Sept is used as the word to represent the sub-groups or families bearing different surnames within a clan. Most of the listed names on the below list are spelling variations, but the inclusion of MacLennan is through the story of Gilligom Logan. There are several ways that such a sept name could become associated with a clan:

• A man from outside the clan marries a woman in the clan, and they live on land that has passed to her through inheritance;

• A smaller surnamed group is given lands to support themselves, and pledge allegiance to the Chief;

• A man within the clan becomes known by a by-name (nick-name) and his children continue to use the by-name rather than the original surname;

• Some members of the clan choose to follow a particular member of the chiefly family, and adopt his baptismal name as their surname;

• A "natural" child could be given the father’s name, rather than the clan name;

• The original family name was proscribed (banned, and made illegal) by the Crown, and other names were taken up;

• And lastly, the names are associated or connected together through early stories and myths.

The following is a partial list of the surnames associated with Clan Logan.

Lagan

Loben

Loggans

Lopan

Laggan

Logane

Loghane

Lowgan

Leonerd

Logen

Loghyn

Lyndon

Loban

Loggan

Login

MacLennan

Lobban

Loggane

Logyn

Tartans

Tartan is the living breathing art form that is Scotland. Nothing in the world is as recognizable as tartan. The world over tartan gets recognized as something that could only be Scottish, what other native cloth could claim such a feat. Tartan means many things, and can inspire just as much. Tartan is a symbol. It has been fought over and the men who wear it have been feared. The pride one feels while wearing a kilt, is something that no one can take from you. So when you wear your kilt remember that you are part of something bigger than yourself, you are part of a clan, you are part of Scotland.  

This is the Modern tartan of  Clan Logan

The Modern Logan tartan is one of the oldest recorded tartans still in use. The thread count for our tartan was first recorded in 1831 by James Logan (1794-1872), in his ground breaking, and much celebrated book "The Scottish Gael" (ISBN 0 85976 021 9). His book was the first major attempt to record the history and habits of the Highland people. Our tartan would appear once again in 1848 as a large water colour by R.R. McIan (1803-1856) in his book "The Clans of The Scottish Highlands" (ISBN 0 907486 38 X), which was co-authored by James Logan . This tartan can also be seen in its different forms; "ancient" and "muted/weathered". These tartans, "ancient" and "muted/weathered" are terms created by the tartan industry. Coined during the early 20th century, they are said to represent tartans made with the ancient dyes used by the earl Gael (the Celtic people of the Scottish Highlands). However, as it has been pointed out by the likes of D.C. Stewart,  the late J. Charles Thompson and a host of other tartan experts, this is just simply not the case. The dyes used by  the Highlanders of old, were in fact very bold. The blacks were quite black, and the blues a brilliant indigo blue. With the use by the tartan industry of these so-called vegetable dyes to recreate tartans in their "original colours", a whole new market was opened. The same with the "muted/weathered" tartans. These are said to show a tartan which has faded with age, to give that "it's been handed down though my family" look. This is also a clever marketing ploy, as tartan samples have been unearthed, with just as fine colours as the day the came off the loom. Remember that when you wear your tartan, you want to be recognized, and the best way to insure that is by wearing the most excepted form of your clan tartan. Remember, whichever tartan you choose wear, wear it with pride as you are a member of the clan Logan.

Logan  Modern  TS No.1429      as recorded by James Logan, 1831 

Thread Count  R12, B6 R4, B4, R4, B32, K24, G32, R2, K2, Y4

B: Blue
G: Green
K: Black
R: Red
Y: Yellow

Clan Plant Badge

Long before the use of the now very common clansman's badge with the belt and buckle design, the Clan that a person belonged to was represented by a sprig of plant. This sprig was normally carried or placed in the clansmen’s bonnet. This has long been the established and practiced form of identification within the Clans. There is much evidence to the fact that it was the sprig of plant that helped to identify your Clan, not the tartan that you wore. Tartan was something of a fashion statement when it came to sett (pattern), and what you wore said more about the currant fashion of the day, the money you had and lastly, the weavers imagination and materials. The evidence for this was never more evident than during the last Jacobite rising, known to us as The '45. Many works of art were painted of this most famous of battles; and last to be fought on British soil, the Battle of Culloden or Battle of Drumossie Moor, as it was known during those times. David Morier had perhaps the most famous. Morier, was someone who had the perfect opportunity to paint this battle in a very realistic way. The models he had at his disposal were the actual Jacobite solders, who were at this point prisoners. His now famous painting shows an orgy of tartan on each man as many are wearing more than one sett. With Highlanders also fighting for the Crown, how was a fellow combatant to know whom to dismember? We now know that your plant badge could have saved your neck in the heat of battle not the sett of your tartan. To illustrate this point there is the now famous exchange between a group of Campbell's where one was almost run through by other of his clan. The Campbell's were not looking for tartan while swinging their broadsword, it was that very small sprig of plant contained within their potential victims bonnet. With his bonnet lost, he quickly told them to hold as he was a Campbell. They replied that they did not know as he had no bonnet. The plant badge for Clan Logan, is furse. Furse is also known as gorse, conis and whin. Ulex europaeus; it's scientific name, is a very hardy plant and is common to the British Isles, and some parts of Western Europe. It has become a problem in other parts of the world as it is an extremely invasive species. It is a spiny evergreen shrub, and produces small yellow flowers during the summer months, which give off a pleasant coconut scent.

Clansman's Badge

Within the heraldic symbols of the world, the system of Scottish Heraldry is unique. It is the only system where the members of a family/group or more correctly a clan, can all display a symbol which unites them. It is wrong and disrespectful (as well as illegal in some countries) to usurp the Arms of another man, and the Scottish heraldry system avoids this with the use of the clansman's badge. The clansman's badge is also sometimes known as a belt and buckle, or more incorrectly a garter. The badge itself is made up of the Crest of the Chief upon a wreath, with the Motto of the Chief emblazoned round a buckled strap, with the end of the belt being looped over the top, not through. The use of the clansman's badge can be traced back to the early to mid 1800's, and was based on the crest for the Order of The Garter; hence the origin for the nickname, and the incorrectly drawn versions. The badge may not be coloured, and should only be represented as a black and white line drawing; as the badge is only meant to be a white or silver metal cap badge. The use of the badge to mark property is officially illegal as it proclaims the Chief of your clan as owner of all which bears his crest. It has however become excepted practice in today's modern consumer driven world, within a continually evolving Clan System. The use of the clansman's badge as letterhead is accepted so long the crest is accompanied with the phrase; Member of The Clan (accompanied with the clan name), or the Gaelic version; An Cirean Ceann Cinnedh, which translates as The Crest of The Clan Chief.