Clan Insignia

Gordon Crest and Coat of Arms has a shield in the center draped in ivy, with a stag top and center with a crown at the bottom of the stag. A banner at the top says Bydand, and a banner at the bottom says Animo Non Astutia.

Clan Motto: Bydand (steadfast, abiding)
Possible origin is the term Byde and Fecht, meaning to stand and fight. The word Fecht was dropped because it was understood that if one was going to stand, one would fight!

Old Motto: Animo Non Astutia (By Courage Not Craft)

War Cry: “An Gordonach, An Gordonach” or “A Gordon, A Gordon”

Clan Saying: “Do Well and let them say … A Gordon! A Gordon!”

Nickname given the clan: “The Gey Gordons” (gey means overwhelming)

The Chief’s Own Tune: Cock o’ the North

The Clan March: Gordon’s March

The Clan Dance: Marquis of Huntly’s Highland Fling

Piobaireachd: Failte, and Spaidsearachd nan Gordonach (The Gordon Salute)

Plant: Rock Ivy

Rock Ivy is a most appropriate plant badge for the Gordons as it is well know for its ability to overwhelm anything and everything around it. Because of it’s tenacity, Rock Ivy has been valued. It was a symbol of strength and determination due to its virtual indestructibility being able to recoup from even the worst damage and quickly regrow from just a small root piece.

Visit for more information about this incredible plant.

picture of rock ivy

Personal Arms of the Marquis of Huntly

Personal Arms of the Gordon Chief. Has a shield separated into quadrants, which a crown above it and a stag above that. There is a dog to the left and right of the shield. There is a banner above the stag that says Bydand, and a banner below everything that says Animo non astutia.

Since this is the personal arms of the chief, they are NOT for use by the Clansmen and women. Scottish heraldry permits the use of the Clan Chief’s crest belted to differentiate it as a clansman’s insignia. Therefore, all who are eligible to become members of the House of Gordon are allowed the use of the Clansman’s Badge.


Quarterly (means shield divided into four sections)

Upper left quadrant of Gordon Arms. Has gold boars on a blue background.

1st Azure (Upper left quadrant colored blue background)
three boars’ heads coupled Or (severed in a straight line and colored gold), Proper langued Gules (in natural color, tongue out colored red) (Gordon)

Upper right quadrant of Gordon Arms. Has three red lions head on a gold background.

2nd, Or (Upper right quadrant colored gold)
three lions heads erased Gules langued Azure (3 lions heads torn jagged edge colored red with blue tongues) (for Lordship of Badenoch)

Lower Left quadrant. Has three red crescents within a double red border on a gold background.

3rd, Or (Lower left quadrant colored gold)
three crescents within a Royal Tressure, flory counter flory, Gules (three red crescents within a double border ornamented with fleur-de-lis on both sides, the flowers being reversed alternatively) (for Seton)

Lower right quadrant. Has three silver strawberry flowers on a blue background.

4th, Azure (Lower right quadrant colored blue)
three fraises Argent (three strawberry flowers colored silver) (for Fraser, acquisition of the Aboyne lands)

Gordon Crest. Has a stag's head with ten tynes above a crown surrounded by ivy with a banner below that says Bydand.

CREST: Issuant from a ducal coronet, or a stag’s head, and neck affrontée proper attired with ten tynes of the first. All encircled within a chaplet of rock ivy proper.
(Note the crest on the Clan Standard below shows issuent from a crest coronet and ensigned with the coronet of a marquis)

MOTTO: Bydand

On a compartment (mound upon which the supporters stand) embellished with rock ivy, two deerhounds argent (silver) collared gules, charged three buckels (red collar with three buckles) are the usual supporters for the Huntly arms, as seen in the carvings at Huntly Castle. (See above for a representation of the arms depicting the supporters.)


The Gordon Clansman Badge

Clan Gordon Crest. It is a blue and white round belt with gold accents. Inside as a background is the Gordon modern tartan. Above the background is a brown stag with gold antlers and a crown below it. The clan motto Bydand is on between the antlers.

Also known as a cap badge.

There is no description for the color of the belt. Therefore, it may be depicted proper, or argent, or in any of the prominent colors of the clan. In the case of the Gordons it is often often blue, gold (or pale yellow) and sometimes green. Below are alternate depictions of the Clansman’s Badge. In order to identify themselves as a clansman, an individual would traditionally wear a piece of the plant badge on the hat. Those men with more wealth would wear a cap badge mounted over a piece of tartan to identify their clan affiliation.

Three variations of the Gordon Clansman's Badge. The first is shiny metal rendering. The middle is a blue outline rendering. The third is a black and white drawing.
The Gordon Clansman’s Badge in three differing  depictions.


The Standard of the Gordon Clan

The Gordon Standard. It's a pennant shaped flag with the St. Andrew's Cross (white x on blue background) on the hoist. The fly the crest of the Marquis of Huntly and two sashes. One says AnGordonach. The second says Bydand.

Consists of a pennant shaped flag. On the hoist is the St. Andrew’s Cross. The fly is divided horizontally in blue and gold. Upon the fly immediately following the hoist is the Crest of the Marquis of Huntly. Then two oblique red sashes emblazoned or the Clan War Cry  ‘AnGordonach’ and finally the Clan Motto ‘Bydand’. Interspersed are five leaves of rock ivy Proper 1, 2 and 2 respectively. The Standard was used as a rallying point for the Clan in battle. As a result it contained the Clan Insignia which were readily recognizable to the clansmen. All Scottish Standards contain the St. Andrew’s Cross on the hoist.