A Scottish crest badge is a

heraldic badge A heraldic badge, emblem, impresa, device, or personal device worn as a badge indicates allegiance to, or the property of, an individual, family or corporate body. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance. They are ...

worn to show allegiance to an individual or membership in a specific

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure recognised ...

. Crest badges are commonly called "clan crests", but this is a

misnomer A misnomer is a name that is incorrectly or unsuitably applied. Misnomers often arise because something was named long before its correct nature was known, or because an earlier form of something has been replaced by a later form to which the name ...

; there is no such thing as a collective ''clan'' crest, just as there is no such thing as a ''clan''

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

. Crest badges consist of a heraldic crest and a

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. M ...

slogan A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan, political slogan, political, Advertising slogan, commercial, religious, and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the publi ...

. These elements are heraldic property and protected by law in Scotland. Crest badges may be worn by anyone, but those who are not legally entitled to the heraldic elements wear a crest badge that incorporates a strap and buckle, which indicates that the wearer is a follower of the individual who owns the crest and motto. An

armiger In heraldry, an armiger is a person entitled to use a heraldic achievement (e.g., bear arms, an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be armigerous. A family or a cl ...

who is entitled to the heraldic elements may wear a crest badge that incorporates a

circlet A circlet is a piece of headwear that is similar to a diadem or a corolla. The word 'circlet' is also used to refer to the base of a crown or a coronet, with or without a cap. Diadem and circlet are often used interchangeably, and 'open crowns' ...

. Crest badges are commonly worn by members of Scottish clans. These badges usually consist of elements from the

clan chief The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard c ...

's coat of arms. Clan members who wear their chief's crest and motto surrounded by a strap and buckle show they are members of the chief's clan (family). There are established clans that do not have chiefs recognised by the

Lord Lyon King of Arms The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants ...

. In such cases, clan members sometimes wear the crest badge of the last known chief. Some clans wear crest badges derived from the arms of individuals who were never recognised as clan chiefs. Although so-called "clan crests" are commonly bought and sold, the heraldic crest and motto belong to the chief alone and never to the individual clan member. Crest badges, much like clan tartans, do not have a long history and owe much to

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwa ...

romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

, having only been worn on the bonnet since the 19th century. The original badges used by clans are said to have been specific plants worn in bonnets or hung from a pole or spear.

Introduction

Although the term "clan crest" is most commonly used, it is a misnomer. There is in fact no such thing as a ''clan'' crest. Although it is possible to purchase "clan crests", and the crest badge itself can be owned by a clan member, the heraldic crest and motto of the badge belong to the chief alone and ''never'' the clan member. The crest and motto are the sole property of the chief, and clan members are only permitted to wear the badge in a show of allegiance to their clan and clan chief. It is illegal for a clan member to misappropriate the chief's crest and motto in acts such as decorating

silverware Silverware may refer to: * Household silver including **Tableware **Cutlery **Candlesticks *The work of a silversmith * Silverware is also a slang term for a collection of trophies A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievem ...

or inscriptions on

signet ring A seal is a device for making an impression in wax, clay, paper, or some other medium, including an embossment on paper, and is also the impression thus made. The original purpose was to authenticate a document, or to prevent interference with a ...

s and jewellery. In short,

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in i ...

, crests and mottos are the personal property of one person only, and in terms of "clan crests", they are the property of the clan chief. Crest badges are specifically used for people to wear, and they are made out of

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

or white metal. When illustrated, crest badges should only be printed in

monochrome A monochrome or monochromatic image, object or palette is composed of one color (or values of one color). Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale (typically digital) or black-and-white (typically analog). In physics, monochr ...

, and they should not be coloured. Women are entitled to wear a crest badge as a

brooch A brooch (, also ) is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments, often to fasten them together. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold or some other material. Brooches are frequently decorated with enamel or with g ...

, generally worn on the left side, and as such the crest badge may be made of gold. There are established clans which do not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. In such cases, clan members usually wear a crest badge which contains the crest and motto of the last known chief. However, there are instances where such clans wear crest badges which are based upon the arms of someone who was never a recognised clan chief. For example, Clan Macfie, which current does not have a chief, uses a crest badge which is derived from the arms of one of the first two Macfies who registered Arms at Lyon Court. Another clan —

Clan MacEwen Clan MacEwen or Clan MacEwan is a Scottish clan recorded in the fifteenth century as Clan Ewen of Otter. Historically, there have been several different MacEwen clans and septs, with some distinct, and some interrelated, origins for the modern ...

— whose chiefly line has been untraced since the 15th century, has a crest badge containing the crest and motto of a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14t ...

bearing the

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

'' McEwen''. Oddly enough, the McEwen Baronets may not have any actual link with the main Clan MacEwen at all. Another instance is the crest badge of Clan MacInnes. This crest badge is based upon a modern coat of arms of an

ous clan member, not a clan chief. According to the English

officers of arms An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions: * to control and initiate armorial matters; * to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state; * to conserve a ...

John Martin Robinson John Martin Robinson FSA (born 1948) is a British architectural historian and officer of arms. He was born in Preston, Lancashire, and educated at Fort Augustus Abbey, a Benedictine school in Scotland, the University of St Andrews (graduating ...

and Thomas Woodcock, crests have played a relatively insignificant role in

Scottish heraldry Heraldry in Scotland, while broadly similar to that practised in England and elsewhere in western Europe, has its own distinctive features. Its heraldic executive is separate from that of the rest of the United Kingdom. Executive The Scottish he ...

when compared to

English heraldry English heraldry is the form of coats of arms and other heraldic bearings and insignia used in England. It lies within the so-called Gallo-British tradition. Coats of arms in England are regulated and granted to individuals by the English kings o ...

. In consequence, many Scottish armigers, including clan chiefs, have comparatively similar crests to one another. Because of this, crest badges can sometimes show an obvious association with another clan. For example, clans associated with the Chattan Confederation share very similar crest badges bearing wild cats. Clans associated with

Clan MacTavish Clan MacTavish is an Ancient Highland Scottish clan. History Origins Notwithstanding several and varied origin traditions, the MacTavishes may have come from Ireland to Scotland during the years of the Scoto-Irish settlement era. Very old Iri ...

—Clan Campbell of Breadalbane, Clan MacIver and

Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The ...

— use a crest badges which contain similar crests and mottoes that allude to that of the chief of Clan MacTavish.

Who is entitled to wear a crest badge?

A person does not need to be a member of a clan society to be able to wear a crest badge. Any clan member has a right to it, not just clan societies and clan society members. According to the

Court of the Lord Lyon The Court of the Lord Lyon (the Lyon Court) is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All ...

, clan membership goes with the surname. However, some people who do not bear a clan surname wear the crest badge of their mother's clan, and anyone who offers allegiance to a clan chief is a member of that clan (unless the chief decides to refuse that person's allegiance). Many people bear names that, while not actual clan surnames, are

sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ...

names or associated names of certain clans. Surnames such as ''

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

'', ''

Wright Wright is an occupational surname originating in England. The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word 'wryhta' or 'wyrhta', meaning worker or shaper of wood. Later it became any occupational worker (for example, a shipwright i ...

'', ''

Fletcher Fletcher may refer to: People * Fletcher (occupation), a person who fletches arrows, the origin of the surname * Fletcher (singer) (born 1994), American actress and singer-songwriter * Fletcher (surname) * Fletcher (given name) Places United ...

'', and ''

Miller A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalent ...

'' are examples of names that are associated names of many clans (as every clan would have its own smiths, wrights, fletchers, and

miller A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalent ...

s). It is up to individuals to explore their personal ancestry and discovery the correct clan that they belong to.

Elements

Scottish crest badges may contain the following elements:

Wearing the crest badge

Clan chiefs, clan chieftains,

ous clan members, and un-armigerous clan members may wear crest badges. However, there are differences in the type of crest badge they wear.

Clan chiefs

A clan chief is the head of his or her clan/family, and is the representer of the family's founder. A clan chief must be recognised as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, and must possess the

undifferenced arms In heraldry, cadency is any systematic way to distinguish arms displayed by descendants of the holder of a coat of arms when those family members have not been granted arms in their own right. Cadency is necessary in heraldic systems in which ...

of their name. Clan chiefs may wear their crest ''simpliciter'', that is without being encircled by the motto and without any feathers. It is more common, however, for a clan chiefs to wear their own personal crest within a plain circlet inscribed with their motto or slogan (''pictured left''). The chief's crest badge does not contain the strap and buckle that other clan members are permitted to wear. Clan chiefs are also entitled to wear three eagle feathers behind the circlet of their crest badge. On certain occasions, such as clan gatherings, it may be appropriate to use real eagle feathers. Clan chiefs that are members of the

British Peerage The peerages in the United Kingdom are a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various noble ranks, and forming a constituent part of the British honours system. The term '' peerage'' can be used both c ...

or a feudal baron are entitled to wear the appropriate coronet or baronial chapeau above the circlet on their crest badge, though this is a matter of personal preference.

Clan chieftains

Clan chieftains are the representers of large branches of a Scottish clan. They are officially recognised as clan chieftains by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Clan chieftains, like clan chiefs, may wear their own personal crest within a plain circlet inscribed with their own motto or slogan. Clan chieftains may also wear ''two'' small eagle feathers (unlike the chief's ''three''). On certain occasions real eagle feathers may be worn behind the crest badge. If a clan chieftain is a member of the British Peerage or a feudal baron they are permitted to wear the appropriate coronet or baronial chapeau above the circlet on their crest badge. Clan chieftains may also wear the crest badge of their chief, in the same manner as an un-armigerous clan member (see '' Un-armigerous clan members'' below).

Feudal barons

Recently, feudal barons have taken to wearing two eagle feathers behind their armiger's badge, but there is no ancient tradition of this; it is solely based upon the fact that anciently feudal barons were most likely to have been chiefs or chieftains. If the feudal baron is a member of a clan, it is advisable to consult the clan chief on clan customs and traditions. The Lord Lyon only gives guidance and not governance on the wearing of feathers and recommends consulting with a clan chief, who approves the number of feathers worn by members of the clan for clan events.

Armigerous clan members

In terms of Scottish Heraldry, an armiger is someone who has registered his or her own coat of arms, or has inherited a coat of arms according to the Laws of Arms in Scotland from an ancestor who had arms recorded in the Lyon Register. Armigers, like clan chiefs and chieftains, may wear their own personal crest within a plain circlet inscribed with their own motto or slogan. Armigers are permitted to wear one silver eagle feather behind the circlet (or on certain occasions a real eagle feather). If an Armiger is a member of the British Peerage or a feudal baron they are permitted to wear the appropriate

coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. A coronet differs from other kinds of crowns in that a coronet never has arches, and from a tiara in that a coronet completely encircles the head, while a tiara doe ...

or baronial chapeau above the circlet on their crest badge. If an armiger is a member of a Scottish clan, they may wear the crest badge of their chief, however it must be encircled by a strap and buckle (see '' Un-armigerous clan members'' below).

Non-armigerous clan members

Members of Scottish clans are considered, by the

, to be relatives of their clan chief. They can be either immediate family or extended family. Clan members can also be people who only bear the "clan surname" or a

name associated with the clan. The Court of the Lord Lyon has also stated that anyone who professes allegiance to both the clan and its chief can be considered a clan member. All clan members may wear the chief's crest encircled by a strap and buckle inscribed with their chief's motto or slogan. The strap and buckle symbolises the membership to the clan and allegiance to the clan chief.

Footnotes

References

External links

The Court of the Lord Lyon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scottish Crest Badge Crest badge Crest badge