Based on Hamilton tartan in honour of Alexander Hamilton, the first US Secretary of the Treasury and founder of the US Coast Guard, the original blue has been altered to that of modern Coast Guard Blue, symbolic of the seas and skies plied by cutters and aircraft of the Coast Guard as they carry out their missions to serve and protect. Red symbolizes the courage and sacrifice of the men and women of the Coast Guard and its predecessor services, and their families, in war and peace for more than 200 years. And the 10 threads of white are representative of the original 10 Revenue Cutters commissioned by Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton in 1790. They were: the Massachusetts, Scammel, Active, Eagle, Diligence, Argus, Vigilant, Virginia, South Carolina and General Greene.

From the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band's site: The idea of a tartan for the Coast Guard began in 1997 when JoAnne Pendleton and her Husband, CWO Mike Pendleton, saw the West Point Pipe Band playing at a Scottish festival in New Hampshire. CWO Pendleton remarked, 'Wouldn't it be great if the Coast Guard had a tartan? I'd love that.' JoAnne decided then and there that she would take on the project and the USCG Kilt would be Mike's retirement gift in 1998. While researching as to whether such a Tartan existed, Joanne called the Academy and someone at one of the offices begged her to proceed with the project as pipers at the Academy simply wore whatever kilt they could find. Further research showed that no tartan existed for the U.S. Coast Guard. In April 1999, Joanne went to Admiral James Loy, Commandant of the Coast Guard, with the idea. He strongly endorsed it and thus began the journey to making this idea a reality. Such an undertaking could not be accomplished by one person; many people contributed. One of the largest contributors in making the Coast Guard tartan become a reality was Andrew Anderson, CDR, USCG (Ret). On May 1, 2002, then-Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral James Loy, approved the U.S. Coast Guard tartan.