- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
James Bruce Duncan Macrae
Montréal, Quebec
Registration of Arms
November 15, 2024
Vol. VIII, p. 328
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Argent on a fess Azure between in chief two mullets and in base a lion rampant Gules, three beavers Argent, all within a bordure engrailed Or;
* The blazon in the Lyon Register does not indicate an attitude for the beavers.
Crest
A hand vambraced proper grasping a Lochaber axe bendwise sinister Gules;
Motto
CHUN TOSAIGH LÉ FADFHULANG;
* This is a transcription into Roman lettering of the phrase that appears in Gaelic script in the Lyon Register.
Symbolism
Arms
The white shield with a blue stripe, two red stars and a red lion are elements often found in Macrae arms. The beavers allude to Mr. Macrae’s Canadian identity. The border is a Scottish form of differencing to indicate that Mr. Macrae is a descendant of a younger son, while the serrated line indicates that he himself was a third son.
Crest
This crest is based on that of the chief of the Scottish Clan Macrae, a forearm grasping a sword.
Motto
The Canadian Heraldic Authority does not have confirmed symbolism for this emblem. The following comments are hypotheses only. This phrase in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, meaning “Forward with patience,” likely echoes the Macrae clan chief’s Latin motto Fortitudine, or “With fortitude.”
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on January 1, 1900, in Volume 0, page 0 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh.
Painter
* Not applicable / Sans objet
Calligrapher
* Not applicable / Sans objet
Recipient Information
Individual
The recipient’s emblems were originally recorded in the records of the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh, Scotland, 24 July 1967.