The Court of the Lord Lyon
Acquisition of Grant and Matriculation of Scottish Arms

ACQUISITION OF GRANTS AND MATRICULATIONS OF SCOTTISH ARMS
Notes for the guidance of non-British subjects

Grants of Scottish Arms by Letters Patent are not made to non-British subjects.

A non-British subject can, if he is able to trace his ancestry back to a direct or, in some cases, collateral armigerous ancestor, petition for a cadet-matriculation, and will be given a duly differenced version of the armigerous ancestor’s arms showing the Petitioner’s own place within the family.

It is possible, however, for a non-British subject to obtain a cadet-matriculation off a grant made under the following alternative circumstances to:-

(a) a relative now resident in Scotland or in one of Her Majesty’s realms overseas, and who is a British subject; or

(b) a deceased ancestor born in Scotland; or

(c) a Scottish ancestor settled in the United States of America prior to 1783.

Inconnection with (b) above, here it is important that information, where available, concerning the deceased Scottish-born ancestor should be supplied on:

(i) his place of parish of birth;

(ii) date of birth, if known;

(iii) residence, or the name of the parish in which he was residing prior to emigration;

(iv) occupation, rank or profession;

(v) parentage, if known;

(vi) place within the family (e.g. eldest or third son) if known;

(vii) wife’s name, if he was married prior to emigration; also date and place of marriage, if known;

(viii) issue, if any.

The Petitioner will require to produce proofs avouching the above founded on evidence contained in Parish records, etc.