A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fullarton family of Scotland.
Reg. 8542 · Scottish, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
otterOne who lives life to the full
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Ar. three otters' heads erased gu”
AyrAyr, c. 1748
Where the Fullarton Arms Were Recorded
Ayr
Map of Scotland showing where the Fullarton arms are recorded
The Fullarton arms were recorded in Ayr, c. 1748.
Ayrshire was farming country along Scotland's south-west coast, held in a great many small estates. Its lairds were numerous rather than rich, and each holding brought its own claim to arms.
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 Fullarton 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 Ayr.
Origin & History of the Fullarton Family in Scotland
The surname Fullarton is a locational name that originated in Scotland, specifically referring to people who came from the lands of Fullarton in the parish of Dundonald in Ayrshire. The name is derived from the Old English words for "fowler" and "town," suggesting that the earliest members of the family were likely involved in bird catching or managing land for hunting. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a firm presence in the town of Ayr, where they participated in the local economy and civic life. Records from 1748 confirm that the family was well-integrated into the community of this historic coastal burgh. Over time, the family name spread from these rural roots into the urban centers of the region, reflecting the broader patterns of migration and social development in southwestern Scotland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fowlertoun
A settlement or farmstead associated with a bird catcher or fowler.
This name
FullartonDerived from a Scottish place name meaning the town or estate of the fowler.
also spelled
Fullerton
Foularton
Related arms
Fullertonvariant spelling
Fairholmrecorded with Fullarton, same area
Hoperecorded with Fullarton, same area
Inverarityrecorded with Fullarton, same area
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, Ayr Burgh Records, B6/11
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otterOne who lives life to the full
otterOne who lives life to the full
