Clan Gunn

Clan Gunn, in Gaelic Na Guinnich, is a Caithness and Sutherland clan of Norse-Gaelic character. The standard origin account — descent from Gunni, whose wife Ragnhild inherited estates from her brother Harald Maddadsson, Earl of Orkney, at the end of the twelfth century — comes from the Orkneyinga saga tradition and clan historians rather than from charter record, and should be read as tradition. The first firmly historical Gunn is George Gunn, crowner of Caithness in the fifteenth century, styled Am Bràisdeach Mòr, the Great Brooch-wearer, after the badge of his office, who held court at Clyth.

The clan’s lands lay in Caithness and Sutherland, with strongholds at Clyth, Halberry, Dirlot, Latheron and Kinbrace. The Gunn chiefship was dormant for 230 years. The last recognised chief died in 1785; numerous rival claims followed and none was settled. The clan was led instead by Commanders — William Gunn of Banniskirk from 1967, then Iain Alexander Gunn of Banniskirk from 9 June 1972, who served for over forty years. A family convention was held in July 2015, and on 25 September 2015 the Lord Lyon issued an interlocutor recognising him as Chief of Clan Gunn, the first fully recognised chief since 1785. He died on 9 October 2024, aged 91, and was succeeded by his son John Gunn of Gunn.

The Gunn tartan

Gunn is the clearest example on this site of a retail range far wider than the documented record. The Scottish Register of Tartans holds only two Gunn clan setts. The first, registered simply as Gunn, is the familiar dark blue, green and black pattern — and the Register records no designer and no date for it, so its origin is genuinely undocumented. The second, Gunn (VS), is credited to the Sobieski Stewarts, meaning it comes from the Vestiarium Scoticum of 1842, whose supposed source manuscript was never produced and was shown in 1895 to have been chemically treated to fake age.

A note on honesty: Gunn Modern, Ancient, Weathered and Muted are dye shades of that single threadcount, not four tartans. There is no separately registered Gunn Hunting or Gunn Dress sett. If you are offered one, it is a colourway or a trade name. We would rather tell you that than sell you a story.

Clan facts

References

1. Gunn tartans — The Scottish Register of Tartans
2. Chiefship Investiture — Clan Gunn Society
3. Death of the Chief of Clan Gunn — COSCA