Clan MacTaggart: A Legacy of Priests’ Sons, Ross Connections and Sacred Highland Memory
Introduction
Clan MacTaggart, also written McTaggart, Taggart, MacTagart, MacTeggart, Mac an t-Sagairt, and MacSagart, is best understood as a Scottish Gaelic surname and clan-associated family tradition, rather than a major independent Highland clan with one universally recognised chief, one ancient seat and one continuous chiefly line.
The name is associated especially with:
Argyll
Ross-shire
Clan Ross
Ulster
The western Highlands
The Scottish-Irish diaspora
The wider Scottish diaspora
The Gaelic form is:
Mac an t-Sagairt
meaning:
Son of the priest
or more literally:
Son of the cleric / son of the churchman
This meaning is central to the identity of the name. Clan.com gives the origin as Gaelic Mac an t-Sagairt, meaning son of the priest, and links the surname especially with Argyll.
MacTaggart is also strongly connected with Clan Ross. ScotlandShop lists MacTaggart as a sept of Clan Ross, whose motto is:
“Vi et Virtute”
“By strength and valour.”
Chapter I: Origins of the MacTaggart Name
The surname MacTaggart comes from the Gaelic:
Mac an t-Sagairt
This means:
Son of the priest
The word sagart means priest in Gaelic.
Related spellings and forms include:
MacTaggart
McTaggart
Taggart
MacTagart
MacTeggart
MacSagart
Mac an t-Sagairt
Mac an t-Saigart
Tagert
Tegart
Taggert
The name belongs to an older world of Gaelic Christianity, before surname spelling became fixed and before the modern form of church organisation fully replaced older Celtic customs. FamilyTreeDNA’s Taggart/MacTaggart background notes that the surname comes from Gaelic Mac-an-t’Saigart, commonly translated as son of the coarb or son of the priest, and connects this to the period before clerical celibacy became universally enforced in the Celtic Church.
That makes MacTaggart a surname of unusual spiritual meaning. It is not a name of a mountain, animal, battle weapon or castle. It is a name rooted in religious office, Gaelic learning, church families and sacred inheritance.
For professional heritage writing, the safest wording is:
MacTaggart is a Scottish Gaelic surname meaning “son of the priest,” strongly associated with Clan Ross and also found in Argyll, Ross-shire, Ulster and the wider Scottish-Irish diaspora.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Associations
Clan MacTaggart’s strongest Scottish and Gaelic associations include:
Argyll
Ross-shire
Easter Ross
Clan Ross country
The western Highlands
The north Highlands
Ulster
The Scottish diaspora
Because MacTaggart is a patronymic and occupational-style Gaelic surname, it may have arisen in more than one place.
Its strongest clan association today is with:
Clan Ross
ScotlandShop directly describes MacTaggart as a sept of Clan Ross.
This means many MacTaggart descendants may choose to identify through:
Clan Ross tartans
Clan Ross crest tradition
Clan Ross motto
Ross-shire heritage
The wider Ross clan network
However, MacTaggart is also found as a surname in Argyll and Ulster, so genealogy matters.
The key question is not simply:
What clan is MacTaggart?
It is:
Which MacTaggart line, from which region?
Chapter III: Important People and Family Traditions
Fearchar Mac an t-Sagairt — Farquhar MacTaggart
One of the most important historical figures connected with the name was:
Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt
often anglicised as:
Farquhar MacTaggart
He became Earl of Ross in the 13th century and is one of the most significant figures linking the MacTaggart name with the Ross tradition. Modern surname summaries list Fearchar mac an t-sagairt, anglicised as Farquhar MacTaggart, as a 13th-century Earl of Ross.
His name literally means:
Farquhar, son of the priest
This is one of the strongest historical anchors of the MacTaggart name.
The MacTaggarts and Clan Ross
The MacTaggart association with Clan Ross is especially important because Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt was central to the rise of the Ross earldom.
For many descendants, the MacTaggart story is therefore inseparable from:
Ross-shire
The Earls of Ross
Clan Ross
The northern Highlands
The motto “By strength and valour”
The MacTaggarts of Argyll
MacTaggart is also associated with Argyll, where Gaelic religious and kindred names were common.
Clan.com identifies the surname as Scottish, deriving from Mac an t-Sagairt, and says it is primarily associated with Argyll, where it emerged in the medieval period.
This gives the name a western Highland route as well as a Ross route.
The Taggarts of Ulster
The surname Taggart and MacTaggart also became widespread in Ulster.
This reflects the movement of Gaelic and Scottish families across the North Channel, especially between western Scotland, the Highlands, the Hebrides and north-east Ireland.
FamilyTreeDNA’s background note states that the name is widespread throughout Ireland, especially in Ulster.
Chapter IV: Historic Sites and Research Places
Ross-shire
Ross-shire is one of the strongest heritage regions for MacTaggart descendants because of the connection with Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt and Clan Ross.
For MacTaggart descendants, Ross-shire represents:
Clan Ross association
the Earls of Ross
northern Highland identity
the “son of the priest” tradition
a strong clan route for the name
Argyll
Argyll matters because modern surname references associate MacTaggart strongly with the region.
For some MacTaggart families, especially those with west Highland roots, Argyll may be the strongest research path.
Ulster
Ulster is important for Taggart, McTaggart and MacTaggart descendants whose families moved between Scotland and Ireland.
Research here should include:
Presbyterian records
Catholic parish records
Church of Ireland registers
tenant records
wills
gravestone inscriptions
emigration records
Clan Ross Country
Where a MacTaggart family identifies through Clan Ross, the wider Ross heritage landscape becomes important:
Tain
Dingwall
Easter Ross
Balnagown
Ross-shire parish records
Clan Ross history
The Archive as Stronghold
Because MacTaggart is a surname with more than one regional route, documentation is essential.
Useful research sources include:
Old Parish Registers
civil registration records
kirk session records
land records
military records
Ulster parish registers
census records
emigration records
DNA surname projects
Chapter V: Clan Status and Clan Associations
MacTaggart should be treated carefully.
It is not usually presented as an independent major clan with:
a current recognised chief
one ancient clan seat
one universal plant badge
one continuous chiefly line
Instead, it is best described as:
A Scottish Gaelic surname and clan-associated tradition, strongly linked with Clan Ross, with additional Argyll and Ulster traditions.
This is accurate and still gives the name a strong heritage identity.
The main clan route is:
Clan Ross
The main meaning route is:
Mac an t-Sagairt — son of the priest
The main historical figure is:
Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt, Earl of Ross
The main diaspora route is:
Taggart / MacTaggart in Ulster and beyond
Chapter VI: Crest, Motto and Badge Traditions
Clan Ross Crest Route
Because MacTaggart is commonly treated as a sept or associated name of Clan Ross, many MacTaggart descendants may use the Ross crest tradition where appropriate.
The Ross motto is:
“Vi et Virtute”
meaning:
“By strength and valour.”
This motto fits the Ross connection and the rise of Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt.
MacTaggart Heraldic Caution
MacTaggart may appear in family-specific heraldry, but in Scottish heraldry a crest belongs to a specific armiger, not automatically to everyone with the surname.
The safest wording is:
MacTaggart has surname and clan-associated heraldic traditions, especially through Clan Ross, but there is no single universal MacTaggart chiefly crest belonging to every bearer of the name.
Spiritual Symbolism of the Name
The strongest MacTaggart symbol is not a beast or weapon.
It is the name itself:
Son of the priest
This suggests:
spiritual inheritance
clerical family memory
Gaelic Christianity
sacred learning
old church lands
a name born from religious office
Plant Badge
A distinct plant badge for MacTaggart is not consistently recorded in major Scottish clan references.
For accuracy, the strongest MacTaggart symbols are:
the meaning “son of the priest”
Clan Ross association
Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt
the MacTaggart tartan
Ross-shire and Argyll roots
Ulster diaspora memory
Chapter VII: Clan MacTaggart Tartans
MacTaggart Tartan
The MacTaggart tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2766.
This gives modern MacTaggart descendants a recognised tartan identity.
MacTaggart Johnstons Tartan
The MacTaggart (Johnstons) tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 2767.
This gives another tartan option for descendants and family-history projects.
Clan Ross Tartan Option
Because MacTaggart is commonly associated with Clan Ross, many descendants may also choose a Ross tartan where family tradition supports that connection.
ScotlandShop identifies MacTaggart as a sept of Clan Ross.
MacTaggart Ancient and Modern Tartan Options
Modern suppliers may offer MacTaggart tartans in:
Ancient
Modern
Weathered
Muted, where available
The usual distinction is dye tone:
Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
Weathered colours are muted and aged.
Muted versions are more restrained.
The Meaning of MacTaggart Tartan Today
For modern MacTaggart descendants, tartan represents:
Gaelic surname pride
the meaning “son of the priest”
Clan Ross association
Argyll and Ross-shire roots
Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt
Ulster and diaspora identity
family pride and ancestral memory
The MacTaggart tartans give this sacred Gaelic surname a visible Scottish heritage identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Family Tradition
Clan MacTaggart represents a Scottish identity built on Gaelic naming, church memory, Ross-shire power, Argyll roots and diaspora survival.
Its story includes:
Mac an t-Sagairt
son of the priest
Gaelic church traditions
Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt
the Earls of Ross
Clan Ross association
Argyll traditions
Ulster Taggart and McTaggart families
MacTaggart tartans
family-history research across Scotland and Ireland
Associated names include:
MacTaggart
McTaggart
Taggart
Tagert
Tegart
MacTagart
MacTeggart
MacSagart
Mac an t-Sagairt
Mac an t-Saigart
This is not a single-castle Highland saga.
It is a Gaelic surname story: sacred in meaning, powerful through Ross history, and carried widely through Scotland, Ulster and the world.
Chapter IX: Clan MacTaggart Today
Today, MacTaggart is best described as a Scottish Gaelic surname and clan-associated tradition.
Modern MacTaggart identity can be found through:
family history research
MacTaggart tartan wearing
Clan Ross association where supported
research into Ross-shire records
research into Argyll records
research into Ulster Taggart / McTaggart families
Scottish heritage events
diaspora family networks
For MacTaggart descendants, the best first step is to trace the family’s region:
Ross-shire?
Argyll?
Easter Ross?
Ulster?
Ireland?
Canada?
Australia?
New Zealand?
The United States?
That will determine whether the strongest heritage path is MacTaggart surname identity, Clan Ross, Argyll Gaelic tradition, Ulster Taggart heritage, or another regional line.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan MacTaggart
The story of Clan MacTaggart begins with a sacred title:
Mac an t-Sagairt — son of the priest.
From the Gaelic church came the name.
From Ross came the great historical figure:
Fearchar mac an t-Sagairt.
From Clan Ross came one of the strongest clan associations.
From Argyll came another west Highland route.
From Ulster came a powerful diaspora branch.
Its associated Ross motto gives the clan route a voice:
Vi et Virtute — By strength and valour.
But the deepest MacTaggart meaning remains older and more spiritual:
Son of the priest.
That phrase captures the MacTaggart spirit: born from Gaelic Christianity, carried by families of learning and faith, and preserved through centuries of migration and change.
From Ross-shire to Argyll, from Ulster to descendants across the world, Clan MacTaggart continues to carry its heritage forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, Gaelic names, church memory, Ross history, old records, family stories and the pride of those who still honour the name.
Tartan Time Machine Closing Paragraph
At Tartan Time Machine, we bring Scotland’s past into the present by exploring the clans, surnames, castles, kirkyards, tartans, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan MacTaggart is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Gaelic priests’ sons, Ross-shire power, Argyll roots, Clan Ross links, Ulster migration, tartans and the sacred name meaning: Son of the priest.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com