Map of Scotland showing where the Any arms are recorded
The Any 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 Any 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 Any Family in Scotland
The family name Any carries a distinct history rooted in the urban landscape of eighteenth-century Scotland. By 1748, records confirm that members of the family were established residents of Edinburgh, a city then undergoing a period of intense intellectual and social transformation known as the Scottish Enlightenment. During this era, families with this surname were likely integrated into the bustling trade and professional life of the capital, navigating a society defined by rapid growth and the expansion of the New Town. While the name is relatively rare, its presence in the heart of Scotland suggests that early ancestors were part of the demographic shifts that shaped modern urban life. These early individuals lived through a time when Edinburgh was becoming a global center for medicine, law, and philosophy, providing a backdrop of academic rigor and civic development for the family name.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Aeneas
Derived from the Greek word for praise or praiseworthy.
This name
AnyA Scottish surname originating as a diminutive or anglicized form of the Gaelic name Aonghas.
also spelled
Anney
Anni
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers, Births and Baptisms, Edinburgh, 1748
National Records of Scotland, Register of Testaments, Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1748
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