Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Paly of six ar. and sa. a chev. gu”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Crosson family of Scotland.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Paly of six ar. and sa. a chev. gu”
The Crosson 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.
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.
The family name Crosson has deep roots in Scotland, with historical records confirming that members of the family were established in Edinburgh by 1748. The name is often considered a variation of names derived from the Gaelic word for a cross, which suggests that early ancestors may have lived near a prominent stone cross or served as guardians of a religious site. During the eighteenth century, Edinburgh was a hub of rapid intellectual and social growth, and families like the Crossons were part of the urban expansion that defined the city at that time. As the family settled into the capital, they became integrated into the local trades and professional life of the region. This transition from rural origins to city living reflects the broader movement of Scottish families seeking new opportunities during the mid-1700s.
A Latin term referring to a cross or a wooden frame.
