a stag’s head

The crest on Plate 6, Image 6 (Pl. 6. cr. 6.) is described as a stag’s head (or buck’s, hart’s, or deer’s head), usually erased (jagged edge at the neck), and sometimes attired (horned) or charged with various symbols like crescents or fleurs-de-lis.

Surnames Associated with this Crest:

  • Andrew (Blackhoulds)a stag's head
  • Andrew (Devonshire)
  • Andrewes (Suffolk)
  • Andrews (Bishop of Winchester)
  • Anbie (England)
  • Astry (England)
  • Belasin (Lord Wortabye)
  • Bell (Jamaica)
  • Bellingham (Ireland)
  • Broadley (England)
  • Brockdon (Brockdone, Devonshire)
  • Budorside (Cornwall)
  • Budoxhed (Badick, Cornwall)
  • Bulworth (England)
  • Burleigh (England)
  • Calvil (Scotland)
  • Cahun (Scotland)
  • Cam (England)
  • Carr (Ettol, Bart.)
  • Carre (Scotland)
  • Chelitor (Butterly, Durham)
  • Cheytor (England)
  • Colquhoun (Kentulor)
  • Colquhoun (Kilmardony)
  • Connell (Ashtown)
  • Court (England)
  • Couts (Scotland)
  • Creketot (England)
  • Dick (Braid, Bart.)
  • Dirom (Crichie)
  • Dixie (Wyrmondham, Norfolk)
  • Edington (Glasgow)
  • Egerton (England)
  • Finlason (Scotland)
  • Forbes (Bully-how)
  • Forster (Etherstone)
  • Fouler (Scotland)
  • Fraser (Fingask)
  • Fraser (Auchnagarn)
  • Fraser (Scotland)
  • Fraser (London)
  • Fraser (Leanciune)
  • Fraser (East India Company, Scotland)
  • Fraser (Eskdale)
  • Frazer (Lord Lovat)
  • Frazer (Scotland)
  • Frewke (England)
  • Frisel (Scotland)
  • George (Scotland)
  • Goff (Ireland)
  • Golte (England)
  • Goostrey (Buckinghamshire)
  • Gordon (Tarquhoun)
  • Green (Barnet, Hertfordshire)
  • Green (Bristol)
  • Green (Oxfordshire)
  • Green (Norfolk)
  • Green (Wilby)
  • Green (Essex)
  • Gunter (Chichester)
  • Gunter (Emly, Sussex)
  • Hanning (England)
  • Hartgull (England)
  • Hemenhall (England)
  • Hengscot (England)
  • Hoad (Edmonton, Middlesex)
  • Hoad (London)
  • Hoare (Middlesex)
  • Hume (Scotland)
  • Hutchison (Scotland)
  • Karr (England)
  • Kein (Lord Jedburgh)
  • Ker (Cevers)
  • Ker (Scotland, Northampton)
  • Ker (East India Company)
  • Ker (London)
  • Knightley (England)
  • Lea (England)
  • Lister (Fitchworth, Sussex)
  • Lister (London)
  • Lister (Mydhoppe, Yorkshire)
  • Lister (Derbyshire)
  • Lister (Rowton, Shropshire)
  • Little (Scotland)
  • Lloyd (Whitenester, Gloucestershire)
  • Lloyd (Cheame, Surrey)
  • Lytle (Bart of Ayot, England)
  • Macadam (Scotland)
  • McDougal (England)
  • McGuire (England)
  • McLeay (Scotland)
  • M’Phaill (Scotland)
  • Mason (England)
  • Maxwell (Earl of Farnham)
  • Maxwell (Bart of Nether Polloc)
  • Maxwell (Scotland)
  • Mortymer (England)
  • Nel (Attleborough, Norfolk)
  • Norcliffe (England)
  • Ord (England)
  • Peele (England)
  • Pevelesdon (England)
  • Plowden (England)
  • Popham (Willington, Somersetshire)
  • Popham (Huntworthy, Somersetshire)
  • Potkin (Cambridge)
  • Potkin (Seven Oaks, Kent)
  • Potkin (Richmansworth, Hertfordshire)
  • Raikes (England)
  • Raynlsford (England
  • Raynold (England)
  • Read (England)
  • Ridgley (Longdon, Staffordshire)
  • Ridgley (Abright Hussey, Shropshire)
  • Rogand (England)
  • Riggeley (Staffordshire)
  • Rigmaiden (Wadaker, Lancashire)
  • Rigmayden (England)
  • Roe (Higham Hill, Essex)
  • Roe (Moswell Hill, Middlesex)
  • Romayne (England)
  • Rone (Langford, Shropshire)
  • Ronne (Hounslow, Middlesex)
  • Row (Devonshire)
  • Sage (England)
  • Scot (Hanwood)
  • Semple (Cathcart, Renfrewshire)
  • Simmons (England)
  • Skene (England)
  • Smith (Mitcham, Surrey)
  • Spence (Lathallan)
  • Spence (Edinburgh)
  • Spens (Lathallan)
  • Spens (Midlen)
  • Standley (England)
  • Stanley (Skotore, Norfolk)
  • Thriepland (Fingask, Bart.)
  • Wackett (England)
  • Walker (England)
  • Whiteley (Shropshire)
  • Windsor (Lord Windsor)
  • Wiley (Shropshire)
  • Woodhead (England)
  • Wright (St Edmund’s Bury, Suffolk)
  • Wright (Aldington, Kent)
  • Wybrants (England)
  • Wylde (Worcestershire)
  • Yles (Scotland)
  • Young (Scotland)

Symbolism of the Crest

Stag / Buck / Hart: The stag is a widely recognized symbol of purity, solitary life, and fleetness. It is often considered the most prudent and sagacious of beasts, symbolizing one who is politic and a lover of harmony. In heraldry, the stag represents one who will not fight unless provoked, but when cornered, will fight to the bitter end. Erased: This term describes a head or limb that appears torn off with jagged edges, rather than cut cleanly (couped). It typically signifies a violent and honorable history, suggesting the ancestor may have been a warrior or attained the crest through a feat of strength.

General Symbolic Meanings

This crest generally symbolizes a lineage connected to the nobility of the hunt or the stewardship of the land. It suggests a family characteristic of alertness and agility, combined with a peaceful nature that transforms into formidable resolve when the family’s honor or safety is threatened.