The MacNab clan tartan represents one of Scotland's most ancient Highland families, whose legacy spans from medieval abbey lands in Perthshire to distinguished military service across the British Empire and Scottish settlements in North America.
Clan Motto
Timor Omnis Abesto (Let Fear Be Far From All)
Heritage & Identity
Who Wears MacNab Tartan?
Worn by MacNab descendants worldwide, sept families including McNab, Abbot, and Dewar bearers, Highland regiment veterans, and Scottish heritage enthusiasts across America, Canada, and Britain.
Associated Names
MacNab
McNab
Nab
Abbot
Abbott
MacNabb
McNabb
Dewar
MacIndeor
MacIndewar
Napier
Napper
Gilfillan
MacGilfillan
Kilpatrick
MacKilpatrick
Abson
Napson
Military Heritage
Associated Regiments
MacNab warriors served with honor in Highland regiments, Canadian militia forces, and Scottish units, particularly excelling in North American campaigns and frontier service throughout the Empire's expansion.
42nd Regiment of Foot (Black Watch)
79th Cameron Highlanders
93rd Sutherland Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (Canada)
Lorne Scots Regiment (Canada)
Toronto Scottish Regiment (Canada)
King's Own Scottish Borderers
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Discover authentic MacNab clan products including traditional Highland kilts, clan crest accessories, tartan scarves, ceremonial ties, and heritage items crafted for descendants across North America.
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MacNab 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.
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 MacNab Story
Four centuries of history woven into every thread
Sacred Highland Lords
The MacNab clan traces its origins to the ancient Abbey of St. Fillan in Glendochart, Perthshire, where they served as hereditary lay abbots from the 12th century. Abrach MacNab, the first recorded chief, held lands granted by King David I around 1124. The clan established their stronghold at Eilean Ran Castle on Loch Tay, controlling strategic Highland passes between the Lowlands and western Highlands. Early MacNab chiefs wielded both spiritual authority over the abbey lands and temporal power as Highland warriors, making them unique among Scottish clans for combining ecclesiastical and martial traditions in medieval Scotland.
Warrior Blood Feuds
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, the MacNabs demonstrated fierce loyalty to Robert the Bruce, with Chief Angus MacNab fighting at Bannockburn in 1314. The clan's strategic position in Perthshire made them guardians of crucial Highland routes, leading to conflicts with neighboring clans including the Campbells and Neishes. The infamous Massacre of the Neishes occurred when MacNab warriors pursued their enemies to an island on Loch Earn, eliminating the entire clan in revenge for cattle raids. Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, MacNab chiefs expanded their territories through conquest and marriage, establishing cadet branches across central Scotland.
Where does the name MacNab come from?
MacNab derives from Gaelic 'Mac an Aba' meaning 'son of the abbot,' reflecting the clan's ancient connection to the Abbey of St. Fillan in Glendochart, Perthshire. The name originates from their hereditary position as lay abbots of this sacred Highland monastery, where MacNab chiefs held both spiritual and temporal authority from the 12th century, making them unique among Scottish clans for their ecclesiastical origins.
Turbulent Power Shifts
The 17th century brought religious and political upheaval to MacNab lands during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The clan supported the Royalist cause under Montrose, with Chief Smooth John MacNab leading clan warriors in Highland campaigns against Covenanter forces. Following defeat, MacNab lands faced confiscation and the family endured financial hardship. During the Jacobite period, the MacNabs initially supported the Hanoverian government, but later chiefs showed sympathy for the Stuart cause. The clan avoided major involvement in the 1745 uprising, preserving their estates while many Highland clans faced destruction and exile after Culloden.
Wild Legacy Era
The 18th and 19th centuries marked significant changes for the MacNab clan as Highland society transformed. Chief Francis MacNab, known as the 'Wild MacNab,' became legendary for his eccentric lifestyle and financial difficulties, eventually losing much of the ancestral estates. His colorful personality inspired Sir Walter Scott's Highland novels and cemented MacNab reputation in Scottish folklore. Economic pressures led many clan members to emigrate to North America, with substantial MacNab communities establishing in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and the American frontier. These emigrant MacNabs maintained clan traditions while adapting to colonial life, serving in militia forces and founding Scottish settlements.
The MacNab tartan embodies centuries of Highland warrior tradition, from Perthshire strongholds to global Scottish communities, in patterns worn with fierce clan pride.
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