A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Thane family of Scotland.
Reg. 6763 · Scottish, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
helmetWisdom and security in defence
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Gu. three helmets ar”
Scotlandc. 1748
Where the Thane Arms Were Recorded
Edinburgh
Map of Scotland showing where the Thane arms are recorded
The Thane 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 Thane 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 Thane Family in Scotland
The surname Thane is deeply rooted in the history of Scotland and carries a strong connection to the ancient social structures of the region. Historically, the term was used as a title for a man who held land from the king or a high-ranking nobleman, acting as a local administrator or chief. By the time the family was recorded in Edinburgh in 1748, the name had transitioned from a formal title of rank into a hereditary surname used to identify specific family lines. During the mid-eighteenth century, Edinburgh was a bustling center of trade and intellectual growth, and families carrying this name were likely integrated into the professional or merchant classes of the city. As the family established itself in the capital, they became part of the broader social fabric of Lowland Scotland, moving away from the rural feudal duties associated with the original title and toward the urban life of a rapidly modernizing nation.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Thegn
An Old English term for a servant, attendant, or retainer.
This name
ThaneA title of nobility in medieval Scotland granted to a man who held land from the king.
also spelled
Thayne
Theyn
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 Testaments, 1748
Skene, William Forbes, Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alban, 1876
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helmetWisdom and security in defence
helmetWisdom and security in defence
