Guthrie Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Spelling variants include Guthry. Corruptions of the name include Guttery, Guttreg, and Gutteridge. The name of an estate in Forfarshire and a town in Scotland. This surname means warlike or powerful in war, from the Saxon word for war, guth. The Gaelic word Guthmor means loud-voiced. The names Gutric, Gotric, and Gotricus, mean rich in goodness or rich in God. Another source claims it means “windy place”, from the Gaelic word gaothair. Another origin story is that it comes from the Scottish Gaelic word MagUchtre, or “son of Uchtre”. Yet another theory is that it is an anglicized form of the Irish name Ó Fhlaithimh, or “descendant of Flaitheamh”. Yet another source claims the name derived from a Scandinavian prince named Guthrum who settled in Scotland hundreds of years ago.

There is a Scottish clan by the name of Guthrie originating in Angus, Scotland. Some believe the lands there were named Guthrie by an early Scottish king after a fisherman who fed him (he gut three fish for him). William the Lion, of 1178 AD, granted the lands of Gutherin to Arbroath Abbey and the family that lived there served as royal falconers. According to “Crawfurd’s Lives of the Officer’s of the State” They received their estates by charter from King David II (1329-1371).

Alexander Guthrie (1515-1583) was the town clerk of Edinburg, as were two other persons with this name subsequently. In 1299 AD, a man named Squire Guthie was sent by the Northern Lords of Scotland to France in order to convince Sir William Wallace (aka Braveheart) to return to Scotland and resume  fighting the English. Another famous bearer of this surname was James Guthie, a martyr, who in 1661, was executed in Edinburgh for his religious beliefs. Oliver Cromwell referred to him as “The little man who refused to kneel”. Another notable bearer of this last name was the Baron of Guthie, Sir David Guthrie, who was the sheriff of Forfar in 1457 AD. Famous marriages include John Guthrie to Margaret White, the daughter of Reverend White of Murrose, in 1763, who had three sons (John, Robert, and James) and two daughters (Margaret and Jean).

One of the earliest bearers of this surname who came to America was John Guthrie of Jamestown in 1652, who may have had three brothers, and who may have received land grants from King Charles I of England. He married Elizabeth Baskett in 1686 at Christ Church Parish in Middlesex County, Virginia.

The family motto is Ex unitate incrementum, which means “Increate from unity”. The clan’s motto is Sto pro veritate, which means “I stand the truth”.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (that Ilk, co. Forfar). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, a lion ramp. gu.; 2nd and 3rd, az. a garb. or. Cresl—A dexter hand issuing, holding a drawn sword ppr. Supporters—Two chevaliers in full armour, with batons in the dexter hands, the visors of their helmets up ppr. Motto—Sto pro veritate.
2) (Carsbank, Scotland). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, ar. a cross sa.; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or, all within a bordure engr. gu. Motto—Pietas et frugalitas.
3) (Kingedward, co. Banff, bart.). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, a lion ramp. reguard. gu. holding in the dexter paw a cross crosslet fitchee az.; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or. Crest—A lion’s paw issuant, grasping a twig of a palm branch ppr. Motto—Sto pro veritate.
4) (Halkertoun, co. Kincardine). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, a lion ramp. reguard. gu.; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or, all within a bordure indented ar. Cresl—A falcon, wings erected, standing on a dexter hand in fess couped behind the wrist ppr. Motto—Ad alta.
5) (Provost of Forfar, 1672). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, a lion ramp. reguard. gu.; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or, all within a bordure indented ar. Crest—A cross crosslet fitchee az. Motto—Ex unitate incrementum.
6) (Lunan, co. Forfar). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, ar. a lion ramp. gu.; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or.
7) (Craigie, co. Forfar). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, ar. a cross sa.; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or. banded gu. all within a bordure waved gu. Crest—A demi lion ramp. gu. holding in his dexter paw a cross crosslet fitchee gu. Mottoes—Above the crest: Sto pro veritate; below the shield: Nec tumidus nec timidus.
8) (Baron Oranmore; arms of Guthrie, of the Mount, co. Ayr; borne under the limitations of an entail as his only arms). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, a lion ramp. gu. armed and langued az. surmounted of a fess ar. charged with a mount betw. two edock leaves vert; 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or. Crest—A dexter hand erect holding a sword in tend all ppr. and over the crest an escroll, with the motto, “Sto pro veritate.” Supporters—Dexter, a knight in chain armour ppr. holding in the exterior hand a battle axe, and on the other arm a ahield gu. charged with two lions pass. guard. or; sinister, a like knight, the armour covered by a surcoat ar. and hanging from the sinister arm a shield ar. thereon the arms of Browne, viz., barry of eight or and az. an eagle displ. with two heads sa. surrounded by an orle of martlets gu. Motto—Fortiter et fideliter. Crest of Browne (formerly used)—A griffin’s head erased ppr.
9) (Rev. R. R. Lingard-Guthrie, of Taybank, co. Forfar, 1871). Quarterly, 1st and 4th grand quarters, counterquartered, 1st and 4th, ar. a cross sa., 2nd and 3rd, az. three garbs or, banded gu. all within a bordure indented of the last for diff., for Guthrie; 2nd and 3rd grand quarters, barry of six or and vair on a bend engr. sa. four escallops ar., for Lingard. Crest—A demi lion ramp. gu. holding in his dexter forepaw a cross crosslet fitchee az. Mottoes—Above the crest: Sto pro veritate; below the shield : Nee tumidus nec timidus.