Kilts and Crests

[wackycelticdude]

I'm trying to find my families colors, but have not been able to yet. My ancestors names were Meachum and Morrison. I know that the crest for Morrison has 3 heads on it from the crusades, but have no idea what the Meachum crest looks like, and would like to know if anybody out there would be able to help me. Thank you for your time!

[macwilkin]

I'm trying to find my families colors, but have not been able to yet. My ancestors names were Meachum and Morrison. I know that the crest for Morrison has 3 heads on it from the crusades, but have no idea what the Meachum crest looks like, and would like to know if anybody out there would be able to help me. Thank you for your time!

WCD:

There is "no such animal" as a "family crest"; the coat-of-arms you mention for the Morrisons is actually the arms of the Chief, which belongs to the Chief and cannot be used by anyone else as their "personal arms". In Scottish heraldry, clansmen and clanswomen of a particular clan may display the crest (the top device in the arms) of the Chief as a badge displaying their loyalty to him (as "father" of the clan).

This is the Morrison badge:

http://houseoftartan.co.uk/clan/badge/smline/cb117.gif

Basically, in the Scottish heraldic traditions, arms belong to an individual, and not to a family, as many have been lead to believe by the so-called "bucket shops" that sell "family crests" and generally bogus family histories. You might be able to find the arms of someone named Meachum, perhaps even in your own genealogy, but you would need to prove lineage and then seek either a grant of arms from heraldic authority, or "assume" arms (as many do in the U.S.) and then register with the American College of Heraldry or a similar organization.

Are the colours you refer to your "livery colours", i.e. the two primary colours of the Chief's arms? At one lime, livery colours were worn by the household of a noble to denote their service to said noble. Tartans and livery colours are not the same thing, though a clan tartan today can denote loyalty to your Chief or clan, if the latter does not have a recognized Chief.

I did a quick search on the Tartan Authority's "Tartan Ferret" seach engine and turned up no tartans associated with Meachum -- do you know where they hail from -- Scotland? England? Wales? Ireland? -- There are other options open to you, though, in the district tartan:

www.district-tartan.com


Please don't take offence at my "stern" sounding post. I am an amateur student of heraldry and live, breathe and sleep this stuff at times! :mrgreen: I'll be happy to answer any more questions you might have.

Cheers,

Todd

ps: moved thread to "heraldry & tartans" section.

[MacWage]

I hate to say it,


BUT Cajunscot is right.


WARNING: be VERY CAREFUL around heraldry. It is VERY alive and well in MANY nations, who DO NOT look well at Americans "stealing" arms and "impersonating" a persons identity. Yes, to use arms that are not yours is seen as Identity Theft in some nations, and is prosecutable as such.

[macwilkin]

I hate to say it,


BUT Cajunscot is right.


WARNING: be VERY CAREFUL around heraldry. It is VERY alive and well in MANY nations, who DO NOT look well at Americans "stealing" arms and "impersonating" a persons identity. Yes, to use arms that are not yours is seen as Identity Theft in some nations, and is prosecutable as such.

What's that supposed to mean -- "you hate to say it?"

Most scholars of heraldry today would rather see Americans "assume" arms (i.e. ones not "granted" by a heraldic governmental authority like the Lord Lyon or the Canadian Heraldic Authority) than "usurp" the arms of someone with the same surname. And Americans can always register arms -- with the American College of Heraldry, and at one time, Spain, Russia and South Africa would register arms as well -- though Spain and Russia's current status is in question at the moment. The New England Genealogical and Historical Society will also register American arms.

Cheers,

Todd