Clan

Clan (Gaelic clann,”offspring”), group of families in a tribe who claim common ancestry. Although clans have existed for many years in all parts of the world, the term came to refer to those groups originating in Scotland and Ireland about ad1000 and today is applied almost exclusively to communities in Scotland living in specific areas and distinguishable by their surnames. Generally the members of a Scottish clan assume the same surname and adopt a tartan, a distinctive plaid pattern used in socks, kilts, and capes. Clans like the Campbells figured prominently in the history of Scotland and Ireland. Rebellions caused the British government to break up the clans. Their members were disarmed, and they were forced to discontinue wearing distinctive costumes.

Anthropologists sometimes use the term clan when referring to various groups of indigenous people throughout the world. Anthropologists use the word to describe a group of people who can trace their descent from a common ancestor, or who identify with a common totem or animal.