Shaw Family Heraldry

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Shaw Rothiemurchus Macintosh

This page has been created to analyse the relationship between the highland and lowland Shaw Clan of Scotland.

---

Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of peerage, baronetage and knightage has the Shaw's of Rothiemurchus linked to Duncan, the 5th Earl of Fife aka Shaw of Greenock in Fife;^[1] as do others. This has not been proven or disproven.

One school of thought is that it is unlikely for two key reasons; 1) Why would someone who is a member of the Peerage in the Lowlands, migrate to the Highlands? 2) Why is there no linkage with their heraldry/arms? Also see the following for more information/analysis on this point:

• Clan Shaw
• Scots Heraldry - The Heraldry Society of Scotland, West Highland Heraldry
• Memorials of the Clan Shaw By William G. Shaw (1871) (pdf). Pages 8- 24 and 56. Electric Scotland. (https://electricscotland.com/webclans/stoz/memorialsofclans00shaw.pdf). Accessed 21 Jan 2023.

The only direct reference to this family's Arms I (Potter-10870 13:19, 22 January 2023 (UTC)) can find is according to Burke's Encyclopedia of Heraldry. They are said to have been:^[2]

Shaw (Rothiemurchus, Scotland). Quarterly, first and

fourth, or, a lion ramp. gu. armed and langued az.;

second and third, ar. a fir tree growing out of a

mount in base vert; on a dexter canton of the

field, a dexter hand fesseways couped, holding a

dagger, all ppr. Crest-A demi lion gu. holding in

the dexter paw a sword ppr. Motto-Fide et for-

titudine.

The Scots Heraldry - The Heraldry Society of Scotland, West Highland Heraldy, shows the Shaw of Tordarroch arms in colour. There is enough similarity, changing through differencing between the Shaw's of Rothiemurchus and Shaw's of Tordarroch, for the description by Burke to be accurate. Further, a new grant of arms was made on 1 May 2002 to William G.A. Shaw of Issaquah, Washington. The changes between these new arms, and the old, can also be explained by differencing (or cadency). William was confirmed as the Representer of the House of Shaw of Easter Lair by H.M. Court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms for Scotland. The description of these arms is again similar to that of Burke with the changes easily attributed to differencing. However I (Potter-10870 13:19, 22 January 2023 (UTC)) can't find any references here Mitchell Rolls - The Heraldry Society of Scotland to be certain that Burke's description and attribution for the Shaw's of Rothiemurchus is correct; although I conclude it to be accurate based on the surrounding armourial evidence. In any case, assuming it is accurate, it is unknown which Shaw of Rothiemurchus these arms would have been granted to and when. It's highly unlikely they were owned by this James. Moving on...

The arms of the SHAW-STEWART of Greenock and Blackhall have been recorded by Burke as:^[2]

SHAW-STEWART [Greenock and Blackhall, co. Ren-

frew, bart.) Quarterly, first and fourth, or, a fesse

chequy az. and ar.; over all a lion ramp. gu. for

STEWART of Blackhall : second and third, az. three

covered cops or. for SHAW of Greenock. Crests-

First, a lion's head erased gu. armed and langued

az. MOTTO-Spero meliora. Second crest-' A demi

savage wreathed about the head and middle with

laurel, and holding a club over the shoulder, ppr.

Motto- I mean well. Supporters- Dexter, a lion

ramp. gu. armed and langued az. gorged with a

collar chequy ar. and of the third; sinister, a

savage wreathed round the head and middle with

laurel leaves, and holding a club over the shoulder,

all ppr.

Although not 100% aligned to the description above, a visual depiction of these arms can be viewed here The Shaw-Stewart Baronets. It provides a reasonably good image which can be be compared with Shaw of Tordarroch.

As to the two questions;

1) Perhaps a member of the family was outcast? We will probably never know.

2) Apart from the use of the lion rampant, which was in common use owing it to being a common feature of the Sovereign, there is no obvious similarity. Perhaps it can be reasonably confirmed from this, that there is no direct relationship, other than perhaps by marriage, between the highland and lowland Shaw's.

Further research is required and analysis is required to evaluate the likelihood of them being connected. There is a lot of research which suggests they are descended from the Fife line!

To be continued...

Sources

1. ↑ Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of peerage, baronetage and knightage. London: Burke's Peerage Limited. V.047, 1885. Page 1253. HaithiTrust online Library. (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.d0001238385&view=1up&seq=1393). Accessed 22 January 2023.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Encyclopaedia of Heraldry or general Armory of England, Scotland and Ireland, comprising a registry of all armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time, including the late grants by the college of arms By John and John Bernard Burke By John Burke · 1847. Shaw (Rothiemurchus, Scotland), Page 255. Google Books online. (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Encyclopaedia_of_Heraldry_or_general_Arm/a_FBAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1). Accessed 22 January 2023.

• Electric Scotland:
  • Electric Scotland’s Classified Directory, Shaw. (https://electricscotland.com/webclans/stoz/shaw.html). Accessed 21 Jan 2023.
  • Antiquarian Notes, Historical, Genealogical and Social (Second Series) Inverness-Shire, Parish by Parish Chapter XXVII. Rothiemurchus. THE MACKINTOSHES, SHAWS, AND GRANTS. (https://electricscotland.com/history/inverness/chapter27.htm). Accessed 21 Jan 2023.
  • Mackintoshes and Clan Chattan; A Review. Electric Scotland. (https://electricscotland.com/history/articles/chattan.htm). Accessed 21 Jan 2023.
  • Rothiemurchus. (https://www.electricscotland.com/travel/rothiemurchus/chapter1.htm) Accessed 21 Jan 2023.
• The History of the Province of Moray by Lachlan Shaw. United Kingdom: J. Grant, 1827. The Parish of Rothiemurchus, The Family of Grant of Rothiemurchus and The Family of Shaw of Rothiemurchus. Pages 64-72. Google Books online. (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_History_of_the_Province_of_Moray/MfMHAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rothiemurchus&pg=PA64&printsec=frontcover). Accessed 26 January 2023.
• The Baronage of Scotland, Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Gentry of that Kingdom. Colected from the Public Records and Chartularies of this Country, the Records and Private Writings of Families and the Works of Our Best Historians, Sir Robert Douglas (of Glenbervie), Bell & Bradfute, W. Creech, J. Dickson, E. Balfour, P. Hill, W. Laing, A. Guthrie, J. Watson, Manners & Miller, And A. Constable: And By Cadell & Davies, London, 1798, Page 350. Google Books online (https://books.google.com.au/books?redir_esc=y&id=wapeAAAAcAAJ&q=clephan#v=onepage&q=clephane%20of%20carslogie&f=false). Accessed 26 Jan 2023.
• An Inquiry Into the Genealogy and Present State of Ancient Scottish Surnames With the Origin and Descent of the Highland Clans; and Family of Buchanan. By William Buchanan of Auchmar · Volume 1 · 1775. An Account of the MacIntoshes and Macphersons. Pages 102-108. Google Books online. (https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/An_Inquiry_Into_the_Genealogy_and_Presen/cXdbAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1). Accessed 27 January 2023.
• The chiefs of Grant. Memoirs (Correspondence. - Charters.) [With plates, including portraits and facsimiles, and genealogical tables.] Fraser, William (Sir), 1816-1898. Edinburgh, 1883. Pedigree of the Grants of Rothiemurchus. Page 509. National Library of Scotland. (https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn23/9658/96588711.23.pdf). Accessed 27 January 2023.
• Historical memoirs of the house and clan of Mackintosh and of the clan Chattan by Mackintosh, Alexander Mackintosh. Publication date 1880. Of Clan Chattan, Tribes and Families. II. CLANS SPRINGING FROM THE MACKINTOSHES. 6. SHAWS. Pages 551-554. Electric Scotland. (https://electricscotland.com/webclans/m/historicalmemoirchattan.pdf). Accessed 27 January 2023.
• The Ellen Payne Odom Genealogy Library Family Tree, A new Armiger for Clan Shaw. Electric Scotland. (https://electricscotland.com/familytree/magazine/augsep2002/clanshaw.htm). Accessed 21 Jan 2023.