bucket shops

[macwilkin]

I think Matt raises a very interesting point. As a former genealogical librarian, I dealt with the "family crest" myth on an almost daily basis. 99% of the people who came in looking for their "family crest" were like Birddog -- they had no idea about the "gentle science" of heraldry. I tried my best to educate them that there isn't such a thing as a "family crest", while at the same time being respectful of their interest in their family heritage.

If I look at the site for Clan O'Driscoll, there is not a single mention that no other O'Driscolls, or in my case Driscoll, should not display them. Now mind you, I'm Irish, not Scottish, so perhaps what you were refering to is specific to the Scots. I would like to know more about where your information came from for further research.

A good place to start for information on the specifics of Irish heraldry is the office of the Irish Chief Herald:

http://www.nli.ie/en/heraldry-introduction.aspx

On the FAQ page, you'll find this question and answer:

Can I use my ‘family coat of arms’?

There is no such thing in Ireland as a ‘family coat of arms’. Arms pertain to the persons to whom they have been granted by the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland and to the descendants of such grantees, according to the Laws of Arms. A grant of arms made to an individual extends to his or her descendants of the name, not to a family as such.

Many Scottish clan societies do have such warnings displayed on their web site requesting that members do not display the arms of the chief as their own personal arms.

Regards,

Todd