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Stirling
Motto: Gang Forward
The name Stirling is of local origin from the place of that name in central Scotland. The name itself is probably of Celtic origin. It may be a version of Striveling, which was thought to be the ancient name of the plain which signified ‘the hill’ or ‘rock of strife’. In Old Irish and Gaelic the word ‘strith’ means ‘strife’, while in Irish ‘linn’ denotes a straight or narrow entrance. Another derivation may be ‘Strigh-lagh’, meaning ‘strife of the archery’. The first person of this name to have been recorded appears to have been one Gilbertus de Striuelin, who witnessed King David’s gift of Perdeye (Partick) to the church of Glasgow in 1136.
From then the name appeared continuously in many parts of southern Scotland and extended as far north as Aberdeen and Elgin upon occasions. The principle family of the name were the Stirlings of Keir, near Gleneagles, Perthshire, who claim descent from Walter de Strivilin who lived during the reign of King David I. In their family papers between the years 1160 and 1677, their surname is spelt no less than sixty four different ways.
The other major families of this name are the Stirlings of Glorat, Stirlings of Ardoch, Kippendavie, Carden and Faskine.
Tony Murray of Stirling designed some tartans for the Stirling Clan Society in 1998/1999. An internet poll voted on by over 8000 Stirling clan family members chose one of the tartans by a large majority as the the tartan recommended for Stirling family members.
There is also a district tartan for Stirling and Bannockburn.
Choose from one of the Stirling tartans listed below:
