The Geds take their surname from a placename, but the name is also a Scots word for a pike—a long, sharp-toothed freshwater fish. This dual meaning is reflected in the heraldry associated with the family, where pike often appear as charges, notably in the arms of the Geds and their close kin, the Geddes family. This practice of visually representing a name in heraldry is called “canting,” a form of heraldic punning. In this case, it’s particularly direct, almost blunt, with the fish literally embodying the name.


Robert Ged of Ged officially registered his arms in the 1670s. His crest featured a pike displayed vertically, accompanied by the Latin motto Durat, Ditat, Placet, meaning “It sustains, enriches, pleases.” While the fish itself is self-explanatory in a canting sense, the motto is more nuanced. It may refer to the pike as a valuable food source: when skilfully prepared and de-boned, pike were esteemed as a delicacy in early modern cuisine. Thus, the motto could be interpreted as a celebration not just of family identity, but of the fish’s practical worth—providing sustenance, economic value, and culinary pleasure to those who knew how to appreciate it.


MKP 17 June 2025