A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Alan family of Scotland.
Reg. 0893 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Sa. a cross crosslet or”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Alan Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Alan arms are recorded
The Alan arms were recorded in Scotland, c. 1748.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh was the seat of Scotland's government, its courts and its heralds. Families with business there settled nearby, and being close to where arms were recorded is exactly why so many of them appear.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Scotland in this period.
George II of Great Britain
Sovereign of the period
George II of Great Britain
1727–1760
Reigning in Scotland when the Alan arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Scotland
Scottish heraldry is unique because it treats a coat of arms as a piece of personal property protected by law. Only one person can own a specific design at any given time. When a family grows, the head keeps the original shield while other relatives must apply for their own distinct version with slight changes to prove their specific identity.
Granting authority
The Court of the Lord Lyon acts as the official body that regulates and controls all heraldic matters throughout Scotland.
How they got arms
Individuals obtain a legal right to their arms through a formal petition process that confirms their identity and family connection.
Where arms were recorded
All valid coats of arms are officially entered into the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings starting from 1672.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Scotland.
Origin & History of the Alan Family in Scotland
The name Alan originates from the ancient Celtic word for a rock or a handsome person, and it gained significant popularity across Europe following the arrival of the Bretons in Britain during the eleventh century. As a given name, it became deeply rooted in Scottish culture through the influence of the powerful Alan lords of Galloway and the high stewards of Scotland. By the time your ancestors were documented in Edinburgh in 1748, the name had transitioned from a personal title into a stable family surname. During this era, Edinburgh was a bustling center of the Scottish Enlightenment, and families living there were often involved in the city's growing trade, legal, or artisanal sectors. The presence of the Alan family in the city at this time suggests they were part of the urban middle class that helped shape the modern identity of Scotland’s capital during a period of rapid social and economic change.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Alun
Derived from the Celtic word for rock or stone.
This name
AlanA name of Gaelic origin often interpreted as handsome, cheerful, or harmonious.
also spelled
Allen
Alen
Related arms
Alenvariant spelling
Allenvariant spelling
Garth, or M'Grathrecorded with Alan, same area
Stewartrecorded with Alan, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, 1946
National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers of Births and Marriages, 1748
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
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