A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Con family of Scotland.
Reg. 9048 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cinquefoilHope and joy
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Gu. a fesse engr. betw. a cinquefoil in chief, and a crescent in base ar”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Con Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Con arms are recorded
The Con 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 Con 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 Con Family in Scotland
The surname Con has deep roots in Scotland, with historical records confirming that members of the family were well-established in Edinburgh by 1748. The name is often considered a shortened form of longer Gaelic or Irish surnames, though it also appears as a distinct name in various Scottish parish registers from the eighteenth century. During this period, Edinburgh was a bustling center of trade and intellectual growth, and families like the Cons were part of the urban workforce that helped shape the city’s expansion. Because the name is short and phonetically simple, it was often recorded by clerks exactly as it sounded, which allowed it to persist in local documents throughout the Lowlands. By the mid-1700s, individuals bearing this name were integrated into the social fabric of the capital, working in trades and contributing to the local community long before the industrial changes of the following century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Conn
Derived from the Gaelic word for chief or head.
This name
ConA Scottish surname signifying a leader or a person of high status.
also spelled
Conne
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers of Edinburgh, 1748
Black, George Fraser, The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, 1946
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