- 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.
William Christopher MacDonald
Montréal, Quebec
Registration of Arms
October 15, 2025
Vol. VIII, p. 442
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Quarterly, 1st Argent a lion rampant Gules armed Or, 2nd Or a hand couped fesswise holding a cross-crosslet fitché Gules, 3rd Or a lymphad oars elevated in saltire Sable upon a sea Vert charged with a salmon naiant proper, 4th Argent two oak saplings Vert surmounted by an eagle displayed Or, all within a bordure chequy Argent and Gules;
Crest
A castle Argent masoned Sable, issuant from the central tower thereof a hand grasping a tobacco leaf and from each of the lateral towers a Lady’s slipper slipped and leaved proper;
Motto
ONWARD AND UPWARD;
Symbolism
Arms
The Canadian Heraldic Authority does not have confirmed symbolism for this emblem. The following comments are hypotheses only. These arms are based on the four quarters of the arms of the chief of the Scottish clan MacDonald of Clanranald. Sir William Christopher MacDonald’s paternal grandfather was John MacDonald of Glenaladale, 8th laird of the Glenaladale branch of the MacDonalds of Clanranald, who founded the settlement of Glenaladale on Prince Edward Island. The use of the saplings in place of the tree in the fourth quarter possibly refer to those in the arms of Prince Edward Island, where Sir William was born. The border is a Scottish method of differencing.
Crest
The triple-towered castle is derived from the crest of the chief of clan MacDonald of Clanranald. The hand holding a tobacco leaf alludes to Sir William’s career as a tobacco merchant and manufacturer. The Lady’s slipper is the provincial flower of Prince Edward Island, the province of Sir William’s birth.
Motto
ONWARD AND UPWARD.
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, 8 October 1973. These emblems were posthumously assigned to Sir William Christopher MacDonald (1821-1917) following a petition by his great-nephew, Ranald Allister MacDonald, made to the Lord Lyon King of Arms.