The Unicorn Coat of Arms: Meaning and Design

What a unicorn means in heraldry

Purity, courage and a strength that cannot be tamed. In medieval stories the unicorn was fierce and impossible to capture by force, so it came to stand for something noble and free. Heraldic meanings come from later tradition rather than strict rules, but the unicorn's has stayed remarkably steady for five hundred years.

The heraldic unicorn is not quite a horse with a horn. Heralds traditionally draw it with a goat's beard, cloven hooves and a lion's tail, which is why it looks wilder and more ancient than the unicorns of modern cartoons.

Scotland and the unicorn

The unicorn is Scotland's national animal, and its place in Scottish royal heraldry goes back centuries. James I of Scotland, who reigned from 1406 to 1437, used a unicorn, and from James V onward a pair of unicorns supported the royal arms. Scotland even had a gold coin called the unicorn, first issued under James III and in circulation from 1484 to 1525.

The royal unicorns are shown crowned and wearing gold chains. A popular explanation is that only a Scottish king was strong enough to tame such a wild creature, so the chain shows power held in check rather than a prisoner.

The lion and the unicorn

In 1603 James VI of Scotland also became James I of England and Ireland. His royal arms put the English lion on one side of the shield and the Scottish unicorn on the other, and that pairing still supports the royal arms of the United Kingdom today. In the version used in Scotland, the unicorn takes the place of honor on the left as you look at it.

Designing your unicorn crest

Colors

A silver unicorn on blue is the most Scottish look, echoing the saltire flag's white on blue. Silver on red is bright and dramatic, gold on green feels like an old forest tale, and silver on purple or black looks elegant and a little mysterious. All keep the rule of tincture: a metal against a color.

Unicorn supporters

Crest Studio lets you add a pair of unicorns as supporters on either side of any shield, so you can keep a family emblem on the shield and still have unicorns standing guard.

Scottish families

If your family has Scottish roots, the unicorn is a natural choice. Pair it with a thistle or a saltire division for a design that clearly says Scotland. The Scottish family crest guide explains clan crest badges and how they differ from personal arms.

For schools, houses and storytellers

The unicorn suits school houses, book clubs and fantasy settings that want an emblem of wonder rather than war. See school house crests and the D&D coat of arms generator. For a house of wisdom instead, the owl coat of arms guide covers heraldry's great emblem of learning.

Mottos

Try Lux et Veritas (light and truth), Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (no one provokes me with impunity, the motto long associated with Scotland and the Order of the Thistle) or plain English such as "Gentle, Never Tame". The Latin motto generator has more with translations.

Design a unicorn crest

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