Bowie
Bowie Tartan Collection
Honour a fair-haired old name with the Bowie collection — a kindred of Kintyre and the Isles, a sept of Clan MacDonald, that carried its blood to the Alamo and to the world's greatest stages.
- Featured
- Most relevant
- Best selling
- Alphabetically, A-Z
- Alphabetically, Z-A
- Price, low to high
- Price, high to low
- Date, old to new
- Date, new to old
About the Bowie Tartan
The Bowie name comes from the Gaelic buidhe, meaning "fair" or "yellow" — a nickname for a fair-haired ancestor — and is also found as Buie. An old kindred of Kintyre and the Western Isles, the Bowies are recognised as a sept of Clan MacDonald, and so members traditionally wear the MacDonald tartan, while a distinctive Bowie tartan also exists. The family held a seat in Kintyre from very early times.
This collection celebrates the Bowie and Buie name and its Highland and Island heritage, bringing the MacDonald and Bowie tartans into apparel, accessories, home decor and heritage gifts for those who carry the name or trace their line to Kintyre and the Isles.
Bowie & MacDonald Tartan Colours
Worn through the MacDonald connection, the collection draws on the great MacDonald tartan — a bold sett of deep green and blue with strong black bands and bright lines of red — one of the most recognisable of all Highland patterns, fitting for a sept of the mighty Clan Donald.
Who Is This Collection For?
The Bowie collection is a meaningful choice for the Bowie and Buie family, members and septs of Clan MacDonald, descendants of Kintyre and the Isles, and anyone drawn to a name that runs from the Hebrides to legend.
- Bowie & Buie family
- Clan MacDonald kin
- Kintyre & Island roots
- Clan gatherings
- Birthday & Christmas gifts
- Everyday tartan style
Bowie Family Heritage
Settled in Kintyre and the Isles among the lands of Clan Donald, the Bowies appear in record from the late medieval period. In 1489 John Bowey is said to have held Dumbarton Castle against the armies of James IV before being pardoned, and Jerome Bowie served as master of the royal wine cellar to James VI from 1585. The name spread through the west and, with the great migrations, to Ulster and America.
Across the sea the name became legend: James Bowie, of Scottish descent, was the American frontiersman who gave his name to the Bowie knife and died at the defence of the Alamo in 1836. In a different age, the singer David Bowie — born David Jones — made the name one of the most famous in modern music. The MacDonald motto is Per Mare Per Terras, "by sea and by land," and the crest a hand holding a cross.
Bowie Tartan FAQ
Quick answers about the Bowie name, the tartan its members wear, and why Bowie products make meaningful Scottish heritage gifts.
Does Bowie have its own tartan?
Yes. There is a distinctive Bowie tartan, and as Bowie is a sept of Clan MacDonald, members also traditionally wear the MacDonald tartan.
What clan is Bowie a sept of?
Bowie is recognised as a sept of Clan MacDonald, particularly for those from Islay, Kintyre or Jura, the heartland of Clan Donald South.
What does the name Bowie mean?
It comes from the Gaelic buidhe, meaning "fair" or "yellow" — a nickname for a fair-haired ancestor. It is also found as Buie.
Is the Bowie knife connected to the name?
Yes. James Bowie, the American frontiersman of Scottish descent who died at the Alamo, gave his name to the famous Bowie knife.
Who can wear the Bowie (MacDonald) tartan?
Anyone of the Bowie or Buie name, or with MacDonald kinship, can wear the MacDonald tartan — as can those with Kintyre or Island roots.
Is Bowie tartan a good gift?
Yes. Bowie products make a great gift for the Bowie family, MacDonald kin and anyone celebrating Highland or Island Scottish heritage.
Celebrate the Bowie Name and MacDonald Kinship
Discover MacDonald and Bowie tartan apparel, accessories and gifts for the Bowie family — honouring Kintyre, the Isles and a name woven into Clan Donald.
View Bowie Tartan Products