Map of Scotland showing where the Templeton arms are recorded
The Templeton 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 Templeton 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 Templeton Family in Scotland
The surname Templeton is a locational name, meaning it originated from people who lived in a place called Templeton. These places were typically named after the Knights Templar, a famous medieval military order that held land across Scotland and England. By the time the family was firmly established in Edinburgh in 1748, the name had been in use for several centuries across the Scottish Lowlands. Families with this name were often involved in trade, agriculture, or the skilled crafts that defined the growing urban economy of eighteenth-century Scotland. Because the name is tied to specific geographic locations, it suggests that early ancestors were likely tenants or landowners who became identified by the name of the village or estate where they resided. As the family moved into cities like Edinburgh, they carried this history with them, transitioning from rural roots to the professional and merchant classes of the Scottish Enlightenment.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Templum and Tun
Latin for sacred sanctuary and Old English for an enclosed settlement.
This name
TempletonRefers to a settlement or farmstead associated with the Knights Templar.
also spelled
Templetonne
Related arms
Templetown, Viscountvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Black, George Fraser. The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History. 1946
National Records of Scotland. Edinburgh Register of Marriages, 1701–1750. Record Series OPR 685/1
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
