The Gordon crest features a striking stag’s head with a piercing, thousand-yard stare. Set within a coronet, the stag is distinguished by five tines on each antler—likely a deliberate and symbolic detail. The accompanying motto is Bydand, derived from the Scots word bide or byde. This is ‘biding’ in English, as in biding one’s time, so this means “to stay” or “to endure.” It conveys qualities of patience, cunning steadfastness, and quiet strength—virtues befitting a noble house with deep roots, enduring influence and several notorious episodes.


As with many stag and deer-themed crests, the imagery reflects not only the natural richness of the chief’s ancestral lands but also the proud, wild, and noble qualities associated with these animals—bravery, dignity, and resilience.


The crown surrounding the stag may refer to the Gordons' longstanding service to the Scottish Crown, particularly in their powerful role as Lieutenants of the North. It also speaks to their elevated status as Earls of Huntly, later Marquesses, and eventually Dukes of Gordon, and may have been introduced to display their elevation.


In the 1565 Workman manuscript the crest was nearly as it is now, although the stag's head was in profile, with no crown. The motto was 'Bidand', an alternative spelling of Bydand in days before standardised spelling. Heraldic carvings at Huntly Castle from around 1602 offer valuable insight into how the crest evolved. The main portal—a masterpiece of Scottish heraldic architecture—displays a crown with two non-antlered deer heads facing one another, possibly symbolising both the marquess and his Lennox-born wife. Inside the tower, one fireplace shows a crowned, front-facing stag’s head above the motto Bydand, representing an early form of the modern crest. Yet another fireplace from the same period features the stag turned to the right, indicating that some artistic flexibility in the crest’s depiction was still accepted at the time. By the 1680s the crest had settled more precisely, and we find the ten tines specified. 


Together, these variations highlight the blend of symbolism, personal identity, and visual flair that define the Gordon heraldic tradition.



Our older Carrick version of the Gordon Crest, which dates to the late 1970s. 


MKP 27 June 2025