We have compiled a listing of some of the grants made to Davidsons, Davisons and Dawsons by the Lyon Court in Edinburgh and the College of Arms in London.

  • Do you know if any of your ancestors used arms?
  • Do you know how to find out?

Explore this section to view pictures of Davidson arms. Try to spot similarities and differences in the use of symbols by Davidsons from the sixteenth century to the present day.

We have listed, in date order, the arms we’ve found in the records at the Lyon Court, Edinburgh, and the College of Arms, London.

Arms from members of the same family are grouped together. We’ve included full details of Davidson arms, together with some of the many Davison and Dawson records.

Note: we have yet to complete research on many Davisons and Dawsons who were granted arms after 1880.

Click on either list to view each individual set of arms, with supporting detail and blazons.

The following 3 items are from the same family:

  1. Vol 1.666 & 1.667 William Davidson of Muirhouse, Edinburgh 1786
  2. Vol 1.665 Thomas Davidson of Muirhouse, Edinburgh 1795
  3. Vol 28.17 The Most Revd & Rt. Hon Archbishop Randal Thomas Davidson,Baron of Lambeth & Archbishop of Canterbury 1929

The following 4 items are all from the Davidson of Tulloch family:

  1. Vol 18.62 Duncan Davidson of Tulloch, 6th Laird of Tulloch 1906
  2. Vol 54.58 Charles Dermot Davidson of Washington State, USA 1970
  3. Vol 78.77 Duncan Hector Davidson, 1st Davidson of Davidston 1996
  4. Vol 83.13 Alister Guthrie Davidson, 2nd Davidson of Davidston 1998

The following 3 items are from the same family:

  1. Vol 57.7 James Sylvar Butchart Davidson PhD, BSc 1971
  2. Vol 56.59 James Cresey Davidson, DFC 1973
  3. Vol 76.65 David Falconer Davidson 1996

The following 5 items are from the same family:

  1. Vol 56.114 John Stirton Davidson PhD BSc 1974
  2. Vol 57.49 George Marshall Davidson 1973
  3. Vol 58.79 Alexander Fraser Davidson OBE 1977
  4. Vol 70.82 Susan Elizabeth Davidson, 1990
  5. Vol 72.35 Robert Tiller Davidson 1990

The following 2 items are from the same family:

  1. Vol 68.111 Mistress Jean Davidson [married name Randall] 1987
  2. Vol 71.51 Alexander Leith MacFarlane Davidson 1987

The following 2 items are linked to the same family.

  1. Vol 82.84 Alexander Henderson Davidson 2000
  2. Vol 80.95 Alan Neil Ramsay Davidson C.A., Lt Royal Regiment of Wales 2001

Arms of Australian Davidsons at the Lord Lyon’s Court, Edinburgh

The following 17 items all relate to the descendants of William Davidson 1807-1878 of Alva, Stirlingshire, and Walcha, New England, Australia:-

  1. Vol 67.35 Douglas Graham Davidson 1985
  2. Vol 68.57 Jack Sutherland Davidson 1985
  3. Vol 68.61 David Ross Davidson 1985
  4. Vol 68.62 Ian James Davidson 1985
  5. Vol 68.63 Pamela Joan Davidson 1985
  6. Vol 68.70 Bruce Thomas Davidson 1986
  7. Vol 68.73 Frank Sutherland Davidson 1986
  8. Vol 68.74 Donald Raymond Davidson 1986
  9. Vol 68.68 Grahame William Davidson 1986
  10. Vol 68.75 Dorothy Ann Davidson 1986
  11. Vol 68.81 Heather Dawn Davidson 1986
  12. Vol 68.84 Charles John Davidson 1986
  13. Vol 70.4 Duncan Maurice Davidson 1986
  14. Vol 68.85 Norman Keith Davidson 1986
  15. Vol 72.33 David James Davidson 1990
  16. Robert William Davidson 2008
  17. Madame Camilla Davidson

Arms of Dawsons at the Lyon Court, Edinburgh

The following 7 matriculations are all linked to the same family

  1. Vol 27.51 Bruce Rupert George Dawson of Orchil, Braco 1927
  2. Vol 28.20 Alexander Thomson Dawson of Rubislaw Den, North Aberdeen 1929
  3. Vol 36.121 James Mearns Dawson, son of Alexander Dawson of Foxhill 1948
  4. Vol 36.122 Peter Michael Dawson, son of Alexander Dawson 1948
  5. Vol 36.123 Alistair Benedict Dawson, 4th son of Alexander Dawson 1948
  6. Vol 37.147 Christopher Dawson of Ardo, 5th son of Alexander Dawson 1948
  7. Vol 56.56 Peter Dawson, son of Rupert John Dawson 1973