Milestone reached as 10,000th tartan design registered with database

The Scottish Register of Tartans has reached a significant milestone after adding the 10,000th tartan design to the official database.

The latest design to be added to the register, which was established by the Scottish Parliament in 2008, was the 131 Argyle tartan, registered by the Diocesan Boys’ School of Hong Kong.

The tartan celebrates the Anglican boys’ school’s long history since its founding in 1869.

Other designs registered in the past year include a new Rangers FC tartan, one of many football club tartans registered over the years.

It also includes the Balmoral Glen Gelder tartan, registered by the Scottish Tartans Authority on behalf of the King’s Aberdeenshire estate.

The Edinburgh 900 tartan celebrates the city’s 900th anniversary year, and a Witches of Scotland tartan was dedicated in memory of those persecuted as a result of the Witchcraft Act.

The Scottish Register of Tartans is managed by National Records of Scotland (NRS) and acts as a single independent record to promote and preserve information about historic and contemporary tartans.

Hundreds of new tartan designs are registered every year for families, cultural organisations, sporting clubs, companies, movies and television shows.

NRS chief executive Alison Byrne said: “National Records of Scotland is proud to administer the Scottish Register of Tartans on behalf of the country.

“Registering our 10,000th design demonstrates that people all over the world love tartan and want to ensure their designs are preserved as part of the historic record.

“You don’t have to be Scottish or have Scots heritage to register a design.

“Everyone can apply to register a new tartan. You can search our website to find out more about existing tartans and maybe discover the design that would be most appropriate for you.”