The Ferguson Attributes
Our family coat of arms is registered in the register of family arms of the Central Bureau for Genealogy.
In blue there are three golden wild boar heads, accompanied by a silver buckle, the point up.
Helmet Mark: A red, green-leaved and stalked thistle flower, topped by a golden bee. Covers: blue, lined with gold.
This coat of arms was wielded by the Vice Admiral Henry Ferguson * (1796-1865) as evidenced by his lacquer print.
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*: II A 10
Ferguson Coat of Arms
Centraal Bureau Voor Genealogie
Learn about Scottish Heraldry
The crest of the Fergusons is the emblem within the family crest and consists of a bee that sucks honey from a thistle.
In the old days, a Clan Chief wore the badge on his helmet so that his followers could recognize him in the tumult of battle. This is known as the Crest of the Chief and is located at the top of the family crest.
Anyone who bears the same name as the Chief or is a descendant of it is a Clansman of the Chief and is thus privileged to wear his Crest. In that case there is a belt with a buckle around the crest itself, showing loyalty to the clan.
However, if the Crest is depicted without the belt and buckle, it may only be worn by the Chief himself.
The Clan Ferguson has no less than 4 different types of tartans, each of which is worn on different occasions:
Modern: This one is the most used and has bright colors. These come from chemical paint.
Ancient: The ancient tartan has dull, subdued colors, which should show discoloration over time.
Dress: This tartan has a different background and is mainly worn by women.
Hunting: These are subdued colors that are mainly used for hunting.
Modern
Dress
Ancient
Hunting
And then there is also a Plant Badge, which is worn on a beret, sash or on a stick or staff.
It is not clear what it was used for. In literature it is referred to by one as a talisman, while it is referred to by the other as a sign of recognition.
The origins of the plant badge go back to 1600 and for the Fergusons different Plant badges are described.
The most common is that of the “pine”, the Scots pine, but depending on the area, it is also called the Rock Rose, the Little Sunflower.
