A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Creich family of Scotland.
Reg. 7165 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Or, two bars sa. betw. six martlets az. two, two, and two”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Creich Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Creich arms are recorded
The Creich 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 Creich 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 Creich Family in Scotland
The surname Creich is deeply rooted in the geography of Scotland, originating as a locational name derived from the lands of Creich in Fife. Historically, the name is linked to the Gaelic word *criocha*, which refers to a boundary or an end, suggesting that the earliest families bearing this name lived near the edge of a specific territory or parish. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the Creich family had established a presence in Edinburgh. During this era, the city was undergoing a period of rapid social and economic transition as it expanded beyond its medieval walls. Families living in the capital at this time were often involved in the growing trade, legal, or craft sectors that defined the Scottish Enlightenment. While the name remains relatively rare, its presence in Edinburgh by 1748 places the family within the heart of Scotland’s intellectual and urban development during a pivotal century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Creich
Derived from the Gaelic word crioch meaning a boundary or end.
This name
CreichRefers to someone who lived near a boundary, border, or the end of a territory.
also spelled
Criech
Creych
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 Testaments, CC8/8/111
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martletA younger son, who must win his own land
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
