Map of Scotland showing where the Greenleaf arms are recorded
The Greenleaf arms were recorded in Berwick, c. 1748.
Berwickshire was Scottish border country, raided and fought over for three centuries. Families held their land in return for defending it, and a defending household carried a shield.
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 Greenleaf 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 Berwick.
Origin & History of the Greenleaf Family in Scotland
The surname Greenleaf is an English locative name, meaning it was originally used to describe people who lived near a prominent green-leafed tree or a specific patch of forest. By the time the family established a presence in Berwick, Maine, in 1748, the name had already been rooted in New England for over a century. Early members of the family were typically industrious settlers who helped clear the dense wilderness of the frontier to establish farms and mills. Because the name was associated with nature, it often suggested that the original ancestors were stewards of the land. These early settlers in Berwick were part of a growing community that relied on timber and agriculture to survive in the rugged landscape of colonial Maine. Their transition from coastal settlements into the interior reflects the broader movement of families seeking new opportunities and fertile soil during the mid-eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grenelef
Old English words for green and leaf.
This name
GreenleafA topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent green-leafed tree or forest.
also spelled
Grienlaw
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Banks, Charles Edward, History of York, Maine, 1931
Greenleaf, James Edward, Genealogy of the Greenleaf Family, 1896
Maine State Archives, York County Deeds, 1748
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bordureA difference between branches of one family
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
bordureA difference between branches of one family
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
