Clan Insignia
Personal Arms of the Marquis of Huntly
(Pictured right)
Quarterly (means shield divided into four sections)
1st Azure (Upper left quadrant colored blue background),
three boars’ heads couped Or (severed in a straight line and
colored gold), Proper langued Gules (in natural color, tonque
out colored red) (Gordon)
2nd, Or (right upper quadrant colored gold) three lions heads
erased Gules langued Azure (3 lions heads torn jagged edge
colored red with blue tongues )(for Lordship of Badenoch)
3rd, Or, (Lower left quadrant colored gold) 3 crescents within
a Royal Tressure, flory counter flory, Gules (3 red cresents
within a double border ornamented with fleur-de-lis on both
sides, the flowers being reversed alternately) (for Seton)
4th, Azure (last quadrant colored blue) three fraises Argent (3
strawberry flowers colored silver) (for Fraser, acquisition of
the Aboyne lands)
CREST: Issuant from a ducal coronet or a stag's head and neck affrontee
proper attired with ten tynes of the first, all encircled within a chaplet of rock
ivy proper.(Note the crest on the Clan Standard below shows issuent from a
crest coronet and ensigned with the coronet of a marquis) MOTTO: Bydand
(see below left for illustration)
On a compartment (mound upon which the supporters stand) embellished
with rock ivy, two deerhounds argent (silver) collared gules, charged three
buckels (red collar with three buckles) are the usual supporters for the
Huntly arms, as seen in the carvings at Huntly Castle. (See left above for a
representation of the arms depicting the supporters.)
Since these are the personal arms of the chief, they are NOT for use by the
Clansmen and women. Scottish heraldry permits the use of the Clan
Chief's crest belted to differentiate it as a clansman's insignia and all who
are eligible to become members of the House of Gordon are allowed the
use of the Clansman's Badge. The Gordon Clansman Badge (also known
as a cap badge) is pictured at the top of each page in this site. There is no
description for the color of the belt and therefore it may be depicted proper,
or, argent, or in any of the prominent colors of the clan. In the case of the
Gordons it is often green or blue. Below are alternate depictions of the
Clansman's Badge. Traditionally a piece of the plant badge (Rock Ivy for
the Gordons) would be worn on the hat to identify a clansman. Those men
with more wealth would wear a cap badge mounted over a piece of tartan
to identify their clan affiliation.
Bydand is the current clan
motto and means abiding or
remaining. Possible origin is
the term Byde and Fecht
meaning to stand and fight.
The Fecht was dropped
because it was understood
that if one was going to
stand one would fight!
The older clan motto is
Animo non Astutia, which
means By courage not craft.
These arms are NOT for use
by clansmen.
The Standard of the Gordon Clan consists of a pennant shaped flag. On the hoist is the St. Andrew's Cross.
The fly is divided horizontally in azure and or (blue and gold). Upon the fly immediately following the hoist is
the Crest of the Marquis of Huntly and then two oblique red sashes emblazoned or the Clan War Cry
'AnGordonach' and finally the Clan Motto 'Bydand'. Interspersed are five leaves of rock ivy Proper 1, 2 and 2
respectively. The Standard was used as a rallying point for the Clan in battle and contained the Clan Insignia
which were readily recognizable to the clansmen. All Scottish Standards contain the St. Andrew's Cross on
the hoist.
ABOVE: The Marquis of
Huntly's Crest.
LEFT: The Gordon Clansman's
Badge in three differing
depictions.
