A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Boyd family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 0924 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
What the shield shows
A blue background. Across the middle runs a band checkered in silver and red, with a narrow red stripe above it and another below.
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Az. a fess chequy ar. and gu. betw. two barrulets of the second”
EdinburghEdinburgh, c. 1672
Where the Boyd Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Boyd arms are recorded
The Boyd arms were recorded in Edinburgh, c. 1672.
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.
Charles II of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles II of England
1660–1685
Reigning in Scotland when the Boyd 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 Edinburgh.
Origin & History of the Boyd Family in Scotland
The surname Boyd is deeply rooted in the history of southwestern Scotland. The name is widely believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "buidhe," which translates to yellow or fair-haired. This suggests that the earliest members of the family were likely identified by their physical appearance. By the late 14th century, the family had established a significant presence in the region of Ayrshire. Historical records confirm that members of the Boyd family were active participants in Scottish society by 1382, often serving as prominent landowners and local leaders.
As the family grew in influence, they became closely tied to the political landscape of the Scottish Lowlands. They were known for their loyalty to the crown and their involvement in the complex power struggles of the medieval period. The Boyds held extensive lands near Kilmarnock, which served as their primary base of operations for generations. Their rise to prominence was marked by strategic marriages and service to the monarchy, allowing them to shape the development of their local communities. Through these efforts, the family name became synonymous with the history of the Scottish borders and the governance of the region.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
What the shield shows
A blue background. Across the middle runs a band checkered in gold and red. Three red stars sit along the top and a gold crescent moon sits at the foot.
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Az. a fesse chequy or and gu. in chief three mullets of the second, in base a crescent gold”
KentDanson · Kent, c. 1620
Where the Boyd Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of England showing where the Boyd arms are recorded
The Boyd arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in Scotland when the Boyd arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Kent.
Origin & History of the Boyd Family in England
The family name Boyd has deep roots that stretch across the British Isles. While the name is most famously associated with Scotland, historical records confirm that members of the family were well established in the county of Kent by 1620. During this period, England was undergoing significant social changes, and families often moved between regions to pursue new opportunities in trade, agriculture, or local administration. The presence of the Boyd family in Kent suggests they were part of a mobile population that helped shape the local economy and community life in the early seventeenth century.
Life for families like the Boyds in 1620s England was defined by the transition from the Elizabethan era into the early Stuart period. Records from this time often appear in parish registers, which tracked baptisms, marriages, and burials. These documents show that the family was integrated into the fabric of Kentish society, living through a time of religious reform and economic growth. By settling in this region, the family became part of the long history of migration that defined the English landscape, leaving behind a trail of names in local archives that allow us to trace their presence back four centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bòid
Buidhe
Bute, yellow-haired.
This name
BoydThe name refers to a person from the island of Bute or someone with yellow hair.
also spelled
Boid
Related arms
Shawrecorded with Boyd, 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
Barrow, G.W.S., The Kingdom of the Scots: Government, Church and Society from the eleventh to the fourteenth century, 1973
National Records of Scotland, Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum), 1306–1424
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
