A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Comb family of Scotland.
Reg. 5635 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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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)
“Sa. a chev. betw. three combs ar”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Comb Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Comb arms are recorded
The Comb 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 Comb 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 Comb Family in Scotland
The surname Comb is a locational and occupational name that likely emerged from the rugged landscapes of the Scottish Lowlands. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family was firmly established in Edinburgh, a city that served as a bustling center for trade and intellectual growth during the Scottish Enlightenment. Records confirm that members of the Comb family were living in the capital by 1748, where they were integrated into the urban life of a city rapidly expanding beyond its medieval walls. While the name itself may have roots in the Old English word for a valley or a ridge, families bearing this name in Edinburgh were often involved in the skilled crafts and mercantile activities that defined the city’s economy at the time. Their presence in the historical registers of the city suggests they were part of the hardworking population that helped build the foundations of modern Edinburgh.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
kambaz
A Proto-Germanic term referring to a curved or bent object.
This name
CombAn occupational name for a maker of combs or a topographical reference to a ridge.
also spelled
Coombes
Related arms
Coombesvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Register of Marriages, 1701–1750
National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh Register of Burials, 1701–1750
Black, George Fraser, The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, 1946
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