Taylor is a sept of Clan Cameron

Clan Cameron

Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...

, a Scottish clan

Scottish clan

Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...

. Present day members of the Taylor sept hold the Scottish surname Taylor

Taylor (surname)

Taylor is a surname in the English language which originated as an occupational surname in England The name is derived from the Old French tailleur, which is in turn derived from the Late Latin taliator, from taliare meaning "to cut"...

.

Sept namebearer

Members of the Taylor sept are descendents of Donald Cameron ('Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe')

Donald Cameron ('Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe')

Donald Cameron , also known as Black Taylor of the Axe , who lived in the Scottish Highlands during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, was an illegitimate son of Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, 14th chief of Clan Cameron, and the daughter of the chief of Clan MacDougall...

, who lived in the Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands

The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...

 Lochaber

Lochaber

District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...

 area ("Cameron country") circa mid 16th century. Though Donald's father was XIV Chief of Clan Cameron, Donald, born out of wedlock, could not inherit the title. Nursed by a tailor's wife, Donald received the nickname
An Taillear Dubh (an, a diminutive; Taillear, an occupational reference to the caretaker's husband; Dubh, translated as "black" in the context of meaning "swarthy" or "dark tempered") as an infant.
As a young man, Donald became skilled in battle with the Lochaber axe

Lochaber axe

The Lochaber axe was a halberd that came into use in Scotland around 1300. The name of the weapon derives from Lochaber, an area in the western Scottish Highlands, as the weapon was employed principally by the Scottish highlanders, who required armament against cavalry.The axe itself is similar to...

, and his nickname evolved to Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe ("Black Taylor of the Axe") because of his fighting prowess. Taylor and his family eventually found safety in Cowal

Cowal

thumb|Cowal shown within ArgyllCowal is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands.-Description:The northern part of Cowal is mostly the mountainous Argyll Forest Park. Cowal is separated from the Kintyre peninsula to the west by Loch Fyne, and from Inverclyde and North Ayrshire to...

. There, descendents of his family and followers became known as Mac-an-taillear ("son of the tailor").

Later history

In the 18th century, MacInTaillear, Macintaylor, Taylor, and Tayler families were still living on the Cowal peninsula. They referred to themselves as Clann an Taillear Dhuibh Chamronaich ("Children of the Black Taylor of the Camerons").(Mackenzie, 1875, pages 526-530)

Coat of arms and tartan

The Taylor sept bears the Cameron Clan coat of arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

, a depiction of a "wild man" with a Lochaber axe. Barring actual historical evidence, interpretations vary as to whether the depiction is the likeness of the Taylor sept patriarch, or if it denotes a character attribute and weapon of choice common amongst early Cameron.

In 1955, Lt.Col. Iain B. Cameron Taylor designed the Taylor sept tartan

Tartan

Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...

with double black lines, honoring Taillear Dubh ("Black Taylor").