Nature of Source
Genealogical information contained on coats of arms (shields or escutcheons) and heraldic seals of the armigerous (those entitled to bear arms). Coats of arms evolved from the battlefield as a means of identification and were later displayed at jousting tournaments. As the military use declined, coats of arms became the new status symbol for the wealthy and well-connected. In modern times they are mostly confined to ceremonial use.
By the time of Henry III of England, the use of coats of arms had gained in popularity and had also become inheritable, so the need to regulate the system became a necessity. The Lyon Court in Scotland was established in 1318 and The College of Heralds in England in 1484 to create rules concerning the displaying and inheritance of arms and the registration of arms.
The complete display of armorial bearings such as the shield, helmets, crests, mottos and supporters is known as an Heraldic Achievement. Please note the crest forms a part of the Achievement and should not be, as is often the case, described as the coat of arms or shield. Companies, organisations and corporations also have the right to display arms. In Scottish arms, the motto is at the top and in English arms the motto is under the shield.
The various sections of a shield can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shield_points.svg .The shield or coat of arms is made up of a field of colours (known as tinctures), metals or furs. The shield can then be geometrically divided with an ordinarie such as a cross and finally charges such as animals and shapes can be placed on the shield. The description of the components of a coat of arms has its own heraldic language and is known as blazoning. To do so, first describe the field i.e. the colour, then the ordinarie i.e. the geometrical division and lastly the charges. Drawing a coat of arms from a description or blazon is known a tricking.
Seals were used by members of an armigerous family to seal documents such as charters. The seal would contain the coat of arms and the owners name and are useful for medieval identification of a person.
Arms are inherited through the male line and the heir or heirs to the arms must prove direct decent from the armiger. In Scotland, all arms must be matriculated (registered) with the Court of the Lord Lyon and differentiated from those of the original armiger, except where they pass to the eldest heir. The head of the family is entitled to wear the arms undifferenced but sons known as cadets must difference his arms to show his position in his generation. The eldest son charges his arms with a temporary mark of cadency known as a label of three points. Other sons charge their arms through the use of bordures. This ensures that no two living men share the same arms.
Sometimes arms are altered through a process called marshalling in the following circumstances. If a heraldic heiress (an armigerous woman without brothers) whose father has died marries an armigerous man, the arms of the wife’s family are represented as an escutcheon of pretence (a small shield) placed in the centre of the husband’s arms. The shield of a son of this couple represents his mother’s family shield in the form of quartering (the son’s shield is divided into four quarters). Further quartering takes place if further heraldic heiress are introduced into the family. If a man already in possession of arms with each quarter occupied by different arms marries an heiress he can vacate an existing quarter and replace the space with the arms of the heiress thus saving space. Alternatively he can create a quarter which is itself quartered and known as a Grand Quarter. If the wife was not a heraldic heiress but from an armigerous family, the marital coat should bear her arms impaled with those of her husband (split down the middle). Beware that marshalling is often inaccurate as are works such as Burke’s The General Armory.
The coat of arms belongs to an individual and the legal heirs and not a family name, it is unique to that person and not the general surname. They can be handed down from the person granted the arms through the generations to the legitimate male line. It is therefore possible to trace a person and his family through the generations.
See also
Heraldic Coats of Arms & Seals (England)
Inquisitions Post Mortem
Pedigrees and Family Histories
Other Scotland Resources
Census Returns
Clan & Tartan Records
County & Local Histories
Court Records
Directories, Trade, Professional, Telephone & Street
Electoral Registers or Burgess Rolls
Emigration Records
Hearth Tax
Kirk/Church Sessions
Land Tax Assessments & Returns
Maps & Gazetteers
Militia Lists
Monumental/Memorial Inscriptions
Newspapers, magazines & journals
Old Parish Registers-Baptisms (OPRs)
Old Parish Registers-Burials (OPRs)
Old Parish Registers-Marriages & Proclamations (OPRs)
Passenger Lists
Pedigrees and Family Histories
Poor Law Records
Registers of Deeds (Books of Council and Session)
Retours of Services of Heirs
Sasines, Registers of
Statistical Accounts of Scotland
Statutory Registration-Birth
Statutory Registration-Death
Statutory Registration-Marriage
Surname Origins and Distribution
Valuation Rolls & Stent Rolls
Wills/Testaments and Inheritance
Where Found
The Court of the Lord Lyon
The Court of the Lord Lyon, established in 1318, is the heraldic authority for Scotland and is responsible for regulating heraldry and maintaining the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings. The court oversees the granting and registration of coats of arms and ensures the lawful use and inheritance of heraldic symbols, with the Lyon Court also having judicial powers to prosecute unauthorised use of arms. The Court contains records of the Lord Lyon’s legal proceedings and decisions. It also has the Public Register of Genealogies and Birth Briefs and publications and manuscripts documenting the history of arms and bearings in Scotland. The Court also adjudicates over clan succession disputes and determines which septs belong to which clan. Digital images from the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland from 1672 until 1923 are searchable at Scotland’s People.
ScotlandsPeople Centre
The ScotlandsPeople Centre located in central Edinburgh includes search rooms for in-person visits. The centre provides access to various historical records including the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland from 1672 until 1923, the official statutory register of Scottish birth, marriage and death dating back to 1855, the Adopted Children’s Register from 1930, census records, Catholic parish registers, valuation rolls, wills and testaments. It is run by the National Records of Scotland, a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government. Many of the records are available via ScotlandsPeople which is the official government website for searching government records and archives related to Scottish family history research.
Period Covered
1318 – Onwards
Genealogical Value
- Family names and relationships.
Further References
General Heraldry Books
- Boutell, Charles & Brooke-Little, J.P. Boutell’s Heraldry: Warne Publishers, 1978
- Brooke-Little, J. P. An Heraldic Alphabet: Robson Books, 1997 (Available online at the Internet Archive)
- Elvin, Charles Norton. A Dictionary of Heraldry: Heraldry Today, 1969 (1889) (Online edition available from the Internet Archive)
- Fearn, Jacqueline. Discovering Heraldry: Shire Publications, 2006
- Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. The Art of Heraldry: an Encyclopedia of Armory: Bloomsbury Books, 1986 (1904)
- Fox-Davies, Arthur, Charles. A Complete Guide to Heraldry: Skyhorse Publishing, 2007 (1909) (Available online at the Internet Archive)
- Franklyn, Julian, and John Tanner. An Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Heraldry: Pergamon Press, 1970
- Friar, Stephen. A New Dictionary of Heraldry: A & C Black, 1987
- Friar, Stephen. Heraldry for the Local Historian and Genealogist: Sutton, 1996
- Friar, Stephen & Ferguson, John. Basic Heraldry: A & C Black, 1999
- Friar, Stephen. Companion to Heraldry: Sutton Publishing, 2004
- Friar, Stephen. The Sutton Companion to Heraldry: The History Press, 2004
- Innes of Learney, Thomas, Sir. Scottish Heraldry: A Practical Handbook on the Historical Principles and Modern Application of the Art and Science: Oliver and Boyd 1956
- Moncreiffe, Iain & Pottinger, Don. Simple Heraldry: Cheerfully Illustrated: Bartholomew & Son, 1979
- Oliver, Stefan. Introduction to Heraldry: Apple Press, 1986
- Oliver, Stefan & Croton, Guy. Heraldry: Understanding Signs and Symbols: Park Lane Books, 2013
- Pastoureau, Michel & Garvie, Francisca. Heraldry: Its Origins and Meaning: Thames & Hudson, 1997
- Slater, Stephen. The Complete Book of Heraldry: Lorenz Books, 2002
- Slater, Stephen. The History and Meaning of Heraldry: Southwater, 2004
- Slater, Stephen. The Story and Language of Heraldry: The Development of Coats of Arms and Heraldic Symbols, with 575 Illustrations: Southwater, 2013
- Slater, Stephen. The Illustrated Book Of Heraldry: An International History of Heraldry and Its Contemporary Uses: Lorenz Books, 2013
- St John Hope, W.H. An Introduction to Heraldry: David & Charles, 2001
- Woodcock, T & Robinson, J.M. The Oxford Guide to Heraldry: Oxford University Press, 1988
Publications that match an individual to a coat of arms, listing families in alphabetical order with descriptions (blazons) of the arms they used (armorials)
- Burke, Bernard. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales: Heritage Books, 2009, (1884) (Available online at the Internet Archive)
- Burke, John. A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, vol 1: Henry Colburn, 1832 (Available to download from the Internet Archive)
- Burke, John. A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, vol 2: Henry Colburn, 1832
- Burke, John A General And Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerages of England, Ireland, and Scotland: Extinct, Dormant, and in Abeyance: H. Colburn and R. Bentley, 1831 (Available to download from the Internet Archive)
- Burke’s Family Index: Burke’s Peerage, 1976 (Listing of all families that appeared in Burke’s publications between 1826 and 1976)
- Fairbairn, James. Fairbairn’s Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1993 (1800) (Volume I and II available from the Internet Archive)
- Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. Armorial Families 1890-1929: David & Charles, 1905 (Some volumes are available at the Internet Archive, a database version is available online at ancestry and the CD at S & N Genealogy Supplies)
- Humphrey-Smith, Cecil. Anglo-Norman Armory: Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, 1986
- Humphrey-Smith, General Armory Two: Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, 1974 (Includes A W Morant’s additions and corrections to Burke’s)
Indexes of arms by design (ordinaries) with the names of families to whom they have been attributed
- Balfour Paul, James, Sir. An Ordinary of Scottish Arms: An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland: Green & Sons, 1893 (Available online at the Internet Archive)
- Balfour Paul, James, Sir. An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. 2d ed: W. Green & Sons, 1903
- Fairbairn, James. Fairbairn’s Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1993 (1800) (Volume I and II available from the Internet Archive)
- Foster, Joseph. The Dictionary of Heraldry, Feudal Coats of Arms and Pedigrees, Bracken Books, 1989 (1902) (Includes arms from heraldic rolls)
- Garter’s Ordinaries (Collection of manuscript volumes held at the College of Arms arranged by the design of the crest or arms)
- Papworth, John. Ordinary of British Armorials: Heraldry Today, 1874
- Woodcock, Thomas (eds). The Dictionary of British Arms, (Vol.1 & Vol.2) Heraldry Today, 1996 (Concentrates on pre-visitation arms recorded prior to 1530)
Compilation of pedigrees
- Barrow, Geoffrey B. The Genealogist’s Guide: Research Publishing Co., 1977 (Whereabouts of printed pedigrees extracted from various sources containing post-1903 pedigrees and some missed by Marshall)
- Ferguson, Joan. Scottish Family Histories: National Library of Scotland, 1986 (Whereabouts of Scottish printed pedigrees post-1930)
- Marshall, George. The Genealogist’s Guide: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1981 (1879) (Whereabouts of printed pedigrees extracted from various sources pre-1903. Browsable images of printed edition available at www.ancestry.co.uk)
- O’Hart, John. Irish Pedigrees: The Origin of the Irish Nation: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1989 (1892) (Available from the Internet Archive)
- Squibb, George Drewry. Visitation Pedigrees and the Genealogist: Phillimore, 1964 (Whereabouts of printed pedigrees)
- Stuart, Margaret. Scottish Family History: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994 (Whereabouts of Scottish printed pedigrees up to 1930)
- Thomson, Theodore Radford. Catalogue of British Family Histories: Society of Genealogists, 1980 (Whereabouts of printed pedigrees, 1975-1980)
- Whitmore, John Beach. A Genealogical Guide: Walford Brothers, 1953 (Whereabouts of printed pedigrees extracted from various sources containing some missed by Marshall and others post-1903)
Websites
www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/coats-of-arms (National Records of Scotland: Research Guides: Coats of Arms)
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-guides/coats-arms (ScotlandsPeople Record Guide: Coats of arms)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_7zVm7LPuI&t=869s (Findmypast: Coats of Arms, Clans & Tartans. Join resident genealogist Myko Clelland as we delve into the history and use of heraldry, clan symbols, and tartans, dispelling a few myths along the way. If you have Scots or even nobility in your family tree, this context will be useful for your family history research)
www.scotclans.com/pages/all-about-scottish-heraldry (ScotClans: All About Scottish Heraldry. A complete guide to Scottish heraldry)
www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk (Heraldry Society of Scotland. The Society was founded in 1977 with the objective of promoting the study of heraldry and encouraging its correct use in Scotland. The web site includes illustrated articles compiled by members of The Heraldry Society of Scotland. in the use of heraldry, its history, heraldic flags, bookplates and its modern use)
www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/mitchell-rolls.html (Heraldry Society of Scotland. The Mitchell Rolls: Various Scottish rolls of arms from different collections and private ownership)
www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/lyon-court.html (The Court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms)
www.electricscotland.com/webclans/lordlyon6.htm (Differencing: Information Leaflet from the Court of the Lord Lyon)
www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/armorial.html (Beginners Heraldry, by Mark Harden of Cowdenknowes)
www.electricscotland.com/webclans/lord_lyon.htm (Scanned copies of the informational leaflets available from the Lord Lyon’s office)
www.theheraldrysociety.com (The Heraldry Society)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_heraldry (Scottish Heraldry)
www.burkespeerage.com (Burke’s Peerage. Definitive guide to the genealogy and heraldry of the Peerage and Landed Gentry of the United Kingdom, the historical families of Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations. Online resources include free access to Burke’s Family Index, Burke’s General Armory and Burke’s Colonial Gentry and a Glossary of Heraldry)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_7zVm7LPuI&t=869s (Findmypast: Coats of Arms, Clans & Tartans. Join resident genealogist Myko Clelland as we delve into the history and use of heraldry, clan symbols, and tartans, dispelling a few myths along the way. If you have Scots or even nobility in your family tree, this context will be useful for your family history research)
www.family-history.co.uk/research-heraldry (Achievements of Canterbury. Heraldry Research. The experts in establishing whether a coat of arms is associated with your family and identifying coats of arms)
www.sog.org.uk/leaflets/arms.pdf (SoG Information Leaflet: The Right to Arms)
www.rarebooks.nd.edu/digital/heraldry/index.html (Heraldic Dictionary and Guide. This dictionary has been created with the goal of aiding people new to the field of heraldry in understanding written descriptions of armorials)
www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/guide/her.shtml (Heraldry and genealogy includes links and bibliography)
www.heraldica.org (Beginners guide to heraldry)
www.heraldica.org/biblio/annotate.htm (Annotated Heraldry Bibliography)
www.heraldry.ws (Free coats of arms for over 8,000 surnames)
https://cuhags.soc.srcf.net/misc/whatis_h.html (Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society: What is heraldry and why might it interest me?)
www.civicheraldry.co.uk (Civic Heraldry of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The website is an ongoing project to collect together in one place information about the coats of arms of local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland both current and obsolete)
www.ngw.nl (Heraldry of the World: Coats of arms of cities, states, municipalities, countries)
www.heraldsnet.org/saitou/parker/index.htm (A glossary of terms used in Heraldry, by James Parker. First published in 1894)
http://elizabethan.org/heraldry/primer.html (A Primer of Blazonry: A Visual Introduction to Heraldry)
www.harnmaster.us/blazon.html (Blazon: Heraldic design software)
www.digiserve.com/heraldry/clipart.htm (Heraldic Clipart: Heraldry clipart collections)
www.heraldryclipart.com (Heraldic clipart, symbolism, dictionary and how to blazon)
www.dsl.ac.uk (Dictionaries of the Scots Language: DSL Online brings together the two major historical dictionaries of the Scots language: Modern Scots after 1700 in The Scottish National Dictionary; Older Scots before 1700 in A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue)
www.scots-online.org/dictionary (Translate from Scots to English)
Online Databases
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk (ScotlandsPeople. Search Coats of Arms indexes from the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland from 1672 to the present day. An image of the full registry entry can be downloaded from the site at a cost)
www.burkespeerage.com (Burke’s Peerage & Gentry: Access to genealogical records containing 1 million plus names from various Burke’s publications. Entries include Coat of Arms plus the image where available)
https://www.cuhags.cam/gen/tng (Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society: Database of Genealogy and Heraldry. Search genealogical and heraldic entries for royalty, landed gentry and titled aristocracy although anyone is eligible to be included in the database if they are either armigerous or related to an armiger collaterally or by descent)
https://thepeerage.com (The Peerage: Place index and surname index containing information on European royal families and on the British Peerage compiled by Darryl Lundy)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Scotland, Scottish Peerages. Explore this comprehensive history of the Scottish peerage 1716-1914. The collection includes nine volumes of The Scots Peerage along with six other titles including a single-volume Jacobite peerage)
Findmypast
Red Books of Scotland. The collection details the lineages and histories of the families and individuals who held power, property, or legal status from as early as 1100 through to 2016. This collection is brought to you with thanks to the work of Gordon MacGregor, who has researched and compiled the Red Books of Scotland over a span of more than 30 years.
CD Roms
S & N Genealogy Supplies (Complete guide to Heraldry & The Art of Heraldry; Burke’s Landed Gentry, 1914; Fox Davies Armorial Families; Neve’s Pedigrees of the Knights)
Genealogical Publishing Company (CD publications include British and American Coats of Arms and other heraldic related items including Burke’s The General Armory, Fairbairn’s Book of Crests and An Ordinary of Scottish Arms by Sir James Balfour Paul)
GenFair (Browse tens of thousands of family history products from hundreds of suppliers. The largest range of products covering the British Isles. Various titles are available dealing with coats of arms and grants of arms)
