Map of Scotland showing where the Choden arms are recorded
The Choden 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 Choden 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 Choden Family in Scotland
The history of the Choden name begins to emerge in the historical records of Edinburgh during the mid-eighteenth century. By 1748, members of the family were established residents of this bustling Scottish capital, a city defined at the time by the intellectual growth of the Enlightenment and rapid urban expansion. While the name is rare, its presence in Edinburgh suggests that the family was likely involved in the city’s thriving trade, legal, or craft guilds that supported the local economy. During this period, families often lived in the dense tenements of the Old Town, where they navigated the social shifts of a changing Scotland. These early ancestors were part of a generation that witnessed the transition of Edinburgh into a center of modern commerce and culture, laying the foundation for the family's long-standing connection to the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Còdain
Gaelic term referring to a small, narrow valley or glen.
This name
ChodenDerived from a topographical feature describing someone who lived in a secluded or narrow valley.
also spelled
Cowdin
Cowdon
Coudon
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Burgh Register of Deeds, 1748
National Records of Scotland, Register of Testaments, Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1748
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
lionCourage, strength and royalty
