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)“Ar. a lion ramp. vert”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Roseberry 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)“Ar. a lion ramp. vert”

The Roseberry 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 Roseberry is deeply rooted in the history of Scotland, with significant records placing family members in Edinburgh by the year 1748. The name is generally considered a locational surname, which means it likely originated from people who lived near a specific landmark or a place known for wild roses. In the mid-18th century, Edinburgh was a bustling center of the Scottish Enlightenment, and families living there were often involved in the city’s growing trade, legal professions, or academic circles. As the family established itself in the capital, they became part of the social fabric of a city undergoing rapid modernization. While the name may have evolved from older regional dialects, its presence in 18th-century Edinburgh suggests that these early ancestors were likely part of the urban middle class who helped shape the city during a time of great cultural change.
Old Germanic elements meaning horse and mountain or fortified hill.