A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blackstock family of Scotland.
Reg. 2500 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Ar. three trunks of trees, couped under and above sa”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Blackstock Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Blackstock arms are recorded
The Blackstock 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 Blackstock 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 Blackstock Family in Scotland
The surname Blackstock is a locational name of Scottish origin, likely derived from a specific place name that combined the words "black" and "stock," which often referred to a tree stump or a wooden fortification. Families bearing this name were well-established in the Lowlands of Scotland by the mid-eighteenth century, with documented records confirming their presence in Edinburgh by 1748. During this period, the city was undergoing significant social and economic shifts as it transitioned into a center of the Scottish Enlightenment. Members of the Blackstock family were often integrated into the urban fabric of the city, participating in the trades and professional life that defined Edinburgh’s growing middle class. While the name is not as common as other Scottish surnames, its survival through centuries of migration and record-keeping highlights the enduring history of families who helped shape the local identity of Scotland’s capital.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blaec and Stocc
Old English for dark or black and a tree trunk or log.
This name
BlackstockRefers to a dweller near a dark-colored tree stump or a prominent wooden landmark.
also spelled
Blackstok
Blackstoke
Blackstuck
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, Edinburgh Register of Testaments, 1748
National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers of Edinburgh, 1748
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treeLife, endurance and deep roots
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
