Nobles are granted a Coat of Arms that is unique to them. In Scotland, this process is overseen by Lord Lyon, King of Arms. The Arms are described in the Blazon as:
Azure, a bend Or between a lion rampant and three cross-crosslets fitched all Or. Above the shield an Helm befitting his degree with a Mantling Azure doubled Or, and on a Wreath of the Liveries is set for Crest issuant from three maple leaves an eagle wings expanded all Or, and in an Escrol over the same this Motto “LUX FIDES FAMILIA”
The shield follows the design of the first Baron, John Erskine, with the addition of the lion rampant to reflect the family’s royal Stewart ancestry. The Helm indicates the holder is a noble, with the rank of a Baron. On the Helm are three maple leaves, indicating our Canadian heritage, and a Scottish Golden Eagle, indicating our Scottish heritage (and tying to the current Baron’s American home). The motto translates to light, faith and family, reflecting our duty to bring light to the world, our faith in God, and our loyalty to family who have come before and those who will follow.
Younger of Cowie
The Coat of Arms is unique to an individual. Only the current Baron can display the Coat of Arms because it uniquely identifies the person as the Baron (or Baroness). Each child and grandchild in a noble family has his or her own Coat of Arms, that starts with the “plain coat” and adds a distinctive mark of cadency (called a label or a brisure) to indicate his or her position in the family. In Scotland (like England), a label of three points placed on the shield is used for the eldest son and heir apparent. The arms below, are for the Baron’s only son, Alec Dennis, Younger of Cowie.
Interesting Links
Heraldry in general: https://www.internationalheraldry.com/
Scottish heraldry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_heraldry
Lord Lyon background information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Lyon_King_of_Arms
Official site of Lord Lyon: https://www.courtofthelordlyon.scot/