A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Crookshank family of Scotland.
Reg. 5617 · Scottish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
boars headA fierce fighter who battles to the end
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, a quarter sa. three boars' heads couped counterchanged”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Crookshank Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Crookshank arms are recorded
The Crookshank 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 Crookshank 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 Crookshank Family in Scotland
The surname Crookshank is a descriptive name that originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Norse and Middle English words for a crooked or bent leg, likely serving as a nickname for an ancestor who had a distinct physical gait or a noticeable injury. By the time the family was firmly established in Edinburgh in 1748, the name had become a permanent fixture of the local community. During this period, the city was a bustling center of trade and intellectual growth, and families like the Crookshanks were often involved in the skilled crafts or professional guilds that defined urban life in the eighteenth century. As the family grew, they integrated into the social fabric of the Scottish capital, moving from their origins as a descriptive label to a recognized lineage within the city records.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Croc Hanc
Old Norse and Old English terms for hooked or bent leg.
This name
CrookshankA descriptive nickname for a person with a crooked or bent leg.
also spelled
Cruikshank
Cruickshank
Related arms
Cruickshankvariant spelling
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, 1748
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
boars headA fierce fighter who battles to the end
boars headA fierce fighter who battles to the end
