Duncan Crest Badges, Clan Duncan Society

Duncan Crest Badges (Scotland)

Per records from the Lyon Court of Scotland

by John A. Duncan of Sketraw, FSA Scot

Illustrated below are the Duncan Crests as recorded in the Register of all Armorial Bearings in Scotland (the Lyon Register). The crests have been illustrated within the Scottish traditional 'Belt and Buckle' also known as the 'Crest Badge' or 'Clansmans Badge'. The list of armigers has been kept the same as that of the Duncan Armorial Roll the full achievement (including the arms & crest etc.) will eventually be shown along with perhaps a short biography on individual pages dedicated to each armiger.

For some considerable time it has been a misconception, fuelled by commercial concerns and 'Bucket Shops' that the crest; A ship under sail. Motto; Disce Pati, is the Clan Duncan Clansmans Crest Badge and Motto, it is not. Nor is it the crest of the Chief of a Clan Duncan because at the moment there is no known Chief. The only crests similar but not exactly the same are that of Capt. Andrew Charles Duncan registered in the Public Register of all Arms Scotland, Court of the Lord Lyon 1963.

Crest Badge Said to be that of Cala Duncan

Crest Badge of Admiral Adam Duncan, 1s Viscout Camperdown

The same crest 'a ship under sail' is also said to be that of Admiral Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Camperdown but again it is not. Admiral Duncan's crest is 'on waves of the Sea a Dismasted Ship proper'. Likewise the crest does not seem to be registered in the public register of all arms in Scotland (the Lyon Register) until 1882, when the arms and crest were then registered by his grandson Robert Dandas Haldane-Duncan, Baron Lundie, Earl of Camperdown. It is known however that the crest 'a dismasted ship' was in use over 200 years earlier by William Duncan of Seaside a direct ancestor.

Admiral Duncan was indeed elevated to the peerage as Baron Duncan of Lundie. Lundie as part of his reward for the victory at Camperdown. He took the name of his title from the long held family lands of Lundie on the Perthshire & Angus border; he was the great grandson of Alexander Duncan of Seaside and the second son of Provost Alexander Duncan of Lundie. The eldest son and heir to the armorial bearings of Duncan of Seaside was Lt. Colonel Alexander Duncan who died without issue.

The Armorial Bearings of Admiral Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount of Dundee.

Note: The Lord Lyon of Scotland is a Minister of State and member of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Royal Household. He is Head of the Heraldic Executive and the Judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, which has jurisdiction over all heraldic business in Scotland and maintains the Scottish Public Registers of Arms and Genealogies. The position of lord Lyon in Scotland dates from around 1437 with the present 'Register of Arms' at Lyon Court dating from 1672.

A Scottish Armiger is a person who has a coat of arms granted & recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland in the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh. The Crest is a part of the Coat of Arms (above the helm) that has also been granted to the individual. In Scottish Tradition anyone wearing a crest within a 'Belt & Buckle' as depicted here, displays he or she's allegiance to that particular Duncan.

Click on link or image for larger rendition.

	1592	Duncane: Crest: not known Motto: not known Details: The Hague Roll of Arms 1592
	1624	Duncan of Mott: Crest: not known Motto: not known Details: Pont's Manuscripts 1624
	1672	William Duncan of Seaside: Crest: A ship dismasted (Ancient User) Not recorded Lyon Register. Motto: Disce pati Matriculated: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1672
	1673	Alexander Duncan of Seaside (provost of Dundee) impaling Anna Drummond of Megginch: Crest: A ship dismasted (Ancient User) Not recorded Lyon Register Motto: Disce pati Matriculated: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1673
	1673	John Duncan, Bailzie of Aberdein: Crest: none Motto: Quod Tibine Alteri Matriculated: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1673 Vol. 1 Folio 287
	1692	Major Robert Duncanson, Argyll’s Foot: Crest: A dextor hand appaumes Motto: Mens et Manus. Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1692 Information: Maj Duncanson (Glencoe Massacre)
	1698	Duncan of Ardownie: Crest: A grey-hound issuing from the wreath, proper, collared or Motto: Vivat Veritas Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1698
	1786	George Duncan, Comptroller of Taxes: Crest: A dexter hand grasping a scymitar ppr. hilted and pommelled or. Motto: Deo Juvante Vinco
	1809	Alexander Duncan of Parkhill: Crest: A ship in Distress on the Sea. Motto: Disce Pati Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1809
	1817	Beveridge-Duncan of Damside: Crest: 1st A Ship under sail in the sea ppr. the main top sail and the fore top sail charged with a sinquefoil gu. and the fore tack with a hunting hornof the last stringed az, for Duncan: 2nd out of a mural crown or. a demi beaver ppr. for Beveridge Motto: Disce Pati : Perseverando Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1817
	1853	Adam Alexander Duncan-Morison of Naughton: Crest Dexter: Three Saracens heads conjoined in one neck erased and wreathed about the temples with Laurel all proper. One looking upwards, the others to the dexter and sinister sides. Motto: Prætio Prudentia Præstat Crest Centre: A ship in distress in the sea proper. Motto: Disce Pati Crest Sinister: An Eagles head erased Or. Motto: Suffer Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1853 Vol. 5 Folio 45
	1876	Capt. Catherine Henrietta Adamina Morison-Duncan of Naughton: Crest: no crest Motto: no crest Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1876 Vol. 9 Folio 93
	1882	Robert Dandas Haldane-Duncan, Baron Lundie, Earl of Camperdown: Crest: on waves of the Sea a Dismasted Ship proper. Motto: Disce Pati Motto Beneath: Secundis dubiisque rectus Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1882.
	1897	Lieut. Col. Alexander W. Anstruther-Duncan: Crest: two Arms in Armour holding in the gauntlets a Battle axe proper. Motto: Periisem ni Periisem Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1897.
	1904	William McDougall Duncan: Crest: a demi grey hound proper collared Gules Motto: Vivat Veritas Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 13th July 1904.
	1933	Gordon Stewart Duncan: Crest: a man’s hand erect holding the Scottish Crown proper Motto: Glori Duais Cruadail Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 25th June 1933.
	1954	Sir James Alexander Lawson Duncan of Jordanstone, Baronet: Crest: A demi Greyhound proper, about its neck a collar Gules embordured Or. Motto: Vivat Veritas Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 17th May 1954
	1955	Sir John McLean Duncanson: Crest: A couped arm naked proper grasping a galley vert, sail furled gules, flagged with a pennant Azure charged with a Saltire Argent. Motto: For Ever Hopeful Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 17th May 1955.
	1955	Thomas McLean Duncanson: Crest: A couped arm naked proper grasping a galley vert, sail furled gules, flagged with a pennant Azure charged with a Saltire Argent. Motto: For Ever Hopeful Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 17th May 1955.
	1956	Col. Sir Alan Gomme Gomme-Duncan of Dunbarney: Crest Dexter: A couped arm naked proper grasping a barrulet couped and embellished of three fleurs-de-lis Or. Motto: Animus Facit Nobilem Crest Sinister: Two Couped arms naked proper saltireways each hand grasping a sea-axe Argent, hilted Or, in pale. Motto: Per Constanza E Speranza Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 1956.
	1957	Charles Freeman Duncan (USA): Crest: An ancient boat Gules planked and nailed Argent and issuant there from a couped arm attired Sable, the hand naked and proper holding a book Argent, bindings and edges Sable. Motto: Veritas Vivens Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 24th May 1957 Vol. 42 Folio 61.
	1963	Capt. Andrew Charles Duncan: Crest: Ship under full sail per pale Gules & Or, sails and rigging Argent. Motto: Disce Pati Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland June 1963
	1981	Andrew A. Duncanson Crest: A dexter hand appaumé Or proper charged with an arrow head point upward Gules. Motto: Mens and Manus Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 2nd March. 1981
	1992	Robert Hugh Duncan: Crest: Dexter hand proper holding an antique crown Or all within two fronds of fern argent. Motto: Tempore beu uti Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 22nd Feb. 1992 73/77 (New Zealand)
	1995	Andrew Aitken Duncan: Crest: lymphad flagged sable the sail Or charged with a lion rampant gules and on a canton argent a dexter hand couped fessways holding a cross crosslet fitchee in pale gules. Motto: Fear nane but God. Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland, 4th Oct. 1995 77/85
	2005	Pearl Rose Duncan (USA): Crest: None Motto: None Grant: Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland 2006 Vol. 87 Folio 72
	2006	John Alexander Duncan of Sketraw, KCN, FSA Scot: Crest: On waves of the sea Argent a lymphad proper under sail Or flagged Gules the sail charged with a clarion Gules. Grant: The Court of the Lord Lyon, 14th December 2007. Register, volume 88, folio 7. Click here for full achievement of Arms.