A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cleghorn family of Scotland.
Reg. 3207 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Per pale indented sa. and ar. on the last a mullet of the first”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Cleghorn Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Cleghorn arms are recorded
The Cleghorn 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 Cleghorn 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 Cleghorn Family in Scotland
The surname Cleghorn is a locational name that originated from the lands of Cleghorn in the parish of Lanark, Scotland. The name is derived from the Old English words for a stony or rocky place, which accurately describes the rugged terrain where the family first settled. By the mid-eighteenth century, members of the family had established themselves in Edinburgh, where they became active participants in the city’s growing commercial and professional life. Records from 1748 show that individuals bearing the name were well-integrated into the urban society of the Scottish capital during a time of significant cultural and economic change. Over the generations, the family transitioned from their rural roots in Lanarkshire to become notable figures in the administrative and civic history of Edinburgh.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cleghorn
Derived from the Old English words for clay and a horn-shaped land.
This name
CleghornRefers to a dweller at a stony or clay-filled corner of land.
also spelled
Cleghornie
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 Sasines, 1748
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
