For Scottish families and the Scottish diaspora

Design a Scottish Family Crest

The thistle, the unicorn, the lion and the saltire of Saint Andrew: design a crest that celebrates Scottish roots, and learn how Scottish heraldry really works. Designing is free and needs no account. When you love it, $9 gets the whole set: print-ready art (4000 px PNG and SVG), a certificate of arms explaining its meaning, a profile picture and a phone wallpaper. For a family gift or a wax seal, the $19 Heirloom set adds an engraving, seal, bookplates and a house banner. For a club, team or business, the $29 Logo Kit adds logo, icon, banner and brand files.

Design a Scottish crest

Coat of arms of The Anderson Family: a blue shield with a silver X-shaped cross, motto "Stand Fast and True" — The Anderson Family

Coat of arms of The Reid Family: a purple shield and a gold thistle, motto "Courage and Kindness" — The Reid Family

Coat of arms of The Paterson Family: a blue shield and a silver unicorn's head, motto "Strength and Purity" — The Paterson Family

Coat of arms of The Mitchell Family: a red shield and a gold rampant lion, motto "Ever Faithful" — The Mitchell Family

Coat of arms of The Duncan Family: a green shield and a gold stag's head with antlers, motto "Ever Onward" — The Duncan Family

How Scottish heraldry really works

Scotland takes heraldry more seriously than anywhere else. Coats of arms there are regulated by the Court of the Lord Lyon, and each one belongs to a single person. A clan chief's arms belong to the chief alone.

What clan members may wear is the crest badge: the chief's crest (the figure that sits above the shield) inside a strap and buckle bearing the chief's motto. The badge shows that you belong to the clan; it is not your own coat of arms.

So a Crest Studio design is decorative art for your home, gifts and gatherings, not a grant of arms, and it should not copy a chief's arms or crest. If you want official arms of your own, you can petition the Lord Lyon.

Scottish symbols for your crest

Thistle: the national flower of Scotland, standing for courage and defiance. Legend says a barefoot Norse raider stepped on one and cried out, warning the Scots.
Unicorn: Scotland's national animal, a symbol of purity and strength, and the supporter of the Scottish royal arms.
Saltire: the X-shaped cross of Saint Andrew, Scotland's patron saint. Choose the Saltire division in the Studio.
Lion: the beast of Scotland's royal arms. Use your own colors, because the red lion rampant on gold belongs to the Crown and flying it without authority is technically an offense.
Stag: the red deer of the Highlands, a symbol of peace and harmony.

Colors with a Scottish feel

Blue and silver echo the saltire flag, and in heraldry blue (Azure) stands for truth and loyalty. Gold on red, green or purple feels royal and Highland. If your family has a clan tartan, you can pick crest colors that echo it.

Mottos

Choose words your family lives by rather than copying a clan chief's motto, which belongs to the chief. Plain English works well, such as "Stand Fast and True" or "Courage and Kindness", or pick a Latin line from the Latin motto generator.

Celebrating more than one heritage? See the Welsh family crest guide for red dragons, leeks and daffodils, or the Irish family crest guide.

Design a Scottish crest

Questions

Is there a coat of arms for my Scottish clan?

The clan chief has arms, but they belong to the chief alone. Clan members can wear the crest badge: the chief's crest inside a strap and buckle with the chief's motto.

Is it legal to design my own coat of arms in Scotland?

Designing decorative art is fine. Scottish law treats coats of arms as property regulated by the Court of the Lord Lyon, so do not copy anyone else's arms or present a design as official arms. You can petition the Lord Lyon for a real grant.

Why is the unicorn the national animal of Scotland?

The unicorn was a symbol of purity and power in medieval legend, and Scottish kings used it from the 1400s. Two unicorns supported the royal arms of Scotland.

Can I use a saltire on my crest?

Yes. The saltire, an X-shaped cross, is a common heraldic shape. In the Studio, choose the Saltire division; silver on blue echoes the flag of Scotland.