Clan Matheson
A Wester Ross clan whose name is said to mean son of the bear, long centred on Lochalsh. Its chief today is Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, 8th Baronet of Lochalsh.
History
The name Matheson is traditionally derived from the Gaelic Mac Mhathain, meaning son of the bear. According to the clan society, the MacMathans had made their home in Lochalsh, in Wester Ross, by a very early date, and their stronghold is placed at the head of Loch Achaidh na h-Inich. The name should not be confused with Mathieson and Mathewson, which can also mean son of Matthew, and not every bearer of the name has a Lochalsh ancestor.
The earliest Matheson who can be identified from documents is Kenneth MacMathan. His name turns up in the Chamberlain Rolls, and also in the Norse saga telling of King Haakon IV's 1263 campaign against Scotland. Tradition makes him constable of Eilean Donan Castle, though the evidence for that is thin.
By the fifteenth century the Mathesons had grown into a significant clan, and the society holds that every one of its branches descends from the Lochalsh stock. Clan histories of this period lean on tradition more than on documents, so figures from that time are best read with care.
That standing faded in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Mathesons of Lochalsh came under the influence of their neighbours, the Mackenzies and the MacDonells of Glengarry. It was an unsettled time, and many families moved from Lochalsh to Skye, Lewis and other parts of the mainland, which is one reason the name is now found so widely.
The clan's fortunes turned again in the nineteenth century through Alexander Matheson, born in 1805. He went to China to join his maternal uncle James Matheson, a founding partner in Jardine Matheson. He returned to Scotland in 1840 and began buying land in Ross-shire. In 1851 he recovered the Lochalsh estate. He built Duncraig Castle at Plockton and Ardross Castle in Easter Ross. He was made a baronet, of Lochalsh, in 1882.
The chiefship later passed through his line, and the baronetcy and chiefship went together. Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, 8th Baronet, succeeded on the death of his father in January 2017 and is named as 28th chief by the clan society, and as the clan's representative by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. The clan now has societies in Scotland, North America, Australia and New Zealand, reflecting how widely Matheson families emigrated.
Clan Matheson tartans
Names and reference numbers follow the Scottish Register of Tartans. Mills sell most setts in modern, ancient and weathered colourways. The pattern is the same; only the shades change.
Matheson DressDress tartan · Register ref. 860The Register calls this the design usually worn by Mathesons, and dates it to about 1850. It notes a structure close to the Glengarry sett, which fits the Mathesons' shared history in Lochalsh with the MacDonells of Glengarry and the Mackenzies.
Matheson HuntingHunting tartan · Register ref. 693The Register gives this as the Matheson Hunting sett, taken from W & A K Johnston in 1906. It uses blue and black in place of the red and blue of the dress tartan.
Matheson Hunting (Highland Society of London)Hunting tartan · Register ref. 5061A second hunting sett, green with dark blue and red. The Register records it from D C Stewart's NOMINDEX, which gives its origin as the Highland Society of London collection, and dates it to 1810.
Get the kilt
When you order a kilt, ask for the tartan by its full name — for example “Matheson Dress” — and say which colourway you want. “Modern” is dark and strong, “ancient” is lighter, “weathered” is muted. The sett is the same in each.
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Wear the colours
Our own Matheson range is on its way: the name, the tartan and the motto on a heavyweight tee, a hoodie and a mug. About the shop.
Lands and seats
- Loch Achaidh na h-Inich. The historic chiefly seat is placed at this loch in Lochalsh, where a crannog is all that remains of an island castle once held by the Mathesons.
Surnames
The clan name and its spellings
- Matheson
- Mathieson
- Mathison
- Mathewson
- Matteson
Names associated with Clan Matheson
- MacMath
- MacPhun
- Mathie
- McBurney
- MacMath: Named as a sept by the clan society.
- MacPhun: Named as a sept by the clan society.
- Mathie: Named as a sept by the clan society.
- McBurney: The clan society records it as a sept. Also found in other families.
“Associated” means the name appears in published sept lists for this clan. It does not prove descent, and many names are linked to more than one clan. Where your family lived is often the better clue.
Questions people ask
What is the Matheson tartan?
The Scottish Register of Tartans lists Matheson Dress (ref. 860), a red and green sett, and Matheson Hunting (ref. 693), in blue, green and black. A third, older hunting sett from the Highland Society of London collection is ref. 5061.
What is the Matheson clan motto?
The motto is Fac et spera, Latin for 'do and hope'. The crest is a hand holding a scimitar, rising from an eastern crown. The plant badge is broom.
What surnames are linked with Clan Matheson?
The clan society names MacMath, MacPhun, Mathie and McBurney as septs, and treats Mathieson, Mathison and similar spellings as variants. Some of these also have other origins, so a name alone does not settle a family's clan.
Where do the Mathesons come from?
The clan is associated with Lochalsh in Wester Ross. The name is traditionally said to mean son of the bear, and a Kenneth MacMathan is recorded in the Highlands in 1263.
Sources
- Matheson Dress (ref. 860) — Scottish Register of Tartans
- Matheson Hunting (ref. 693) — Scottish Register of Tartans
- Matheson Hunting (Highland Society of London) (ref. 5061) — Scottish Register of Tartans
- History — Clan Matheson Society
- Information — Clan Matheson Society
- Members of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs — Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
- Matheson baronetcies and chiefship — Clan Matheson New Zealand
- 28th Chief of Clan Matheson — Clan Matheson New Zealand
Clan histories are contested and sources disagree. If you can correct something here with a source, write to hello@tartanflag.com. Last updated 3 October 2026.