The Templeton Family name originated in Ayrshire, near the long-time seat of Scottish Kings at Dundonald Castle.1 (See map.) The family can theoretically trace its ancestry to Strathclyde Briton origin before the Norman Conquest of 1066, but any intimation that they can be traced by surname before around 1200 AD is preposterous, since the French practice of adopting surnames didn't percolate up to Scotland until the Thirteenth Century.2 And, since the name derives from an association with a farm or small settlement belonging to the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon -- the Knights Templar -- our surname could hardly have been coined before the founding of that military order between 1119 and the Church's endorsement in 1129.

However, the name does appear first in very old records of Ayrshire.3&4

Inquiring at The Scotch House in London in 1999, we were told their reference book said the Tartan associated with the Templeton family, was from at the Irvine mill, so we bought the only thing affordable that came in the pattern: a wool scarf.

However, our more recent trip to Scotland, and asking at two different purveyors of 'all things Scottish' turned up no such association. In fact, my own reading of one establishment's reference book has led me to conclude that our best, and incontrovertible choice would be to use the Ayrshire District tartan designed by the authority, Dr Philip D Smith, Jr., "at the suggestion of the Clan Boyd and Clan Cunningham Societies as an alternative tartan for Ayrshire families and friends."5

The above sample was sent to me by Edinburgh's Geoffrey (Tailor) Kiltmakers & Weavers. A high resolution image with better color accuracy can be downloaded here.

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We have found no connection to the aristocracy of either Scotland or England yet, but then, we haven't found the connection to those branches of the family by fixing the link between the forests of Central Pennsylvania and the homeland, at this writing. However, a Coat of Arms can be found for most family names that trace their origin to "the olde country". In this case, we have discovered two principal renderings:

The blazon of arms below came from the "BGA, 1842 edition"* according to Historic Families, Ltd., indicating its issuance to "a gentleman or esquire" of the name, as affirmed by that company in Dublin. Our information doesn't point to a particular location or line of Templetons, but it is the blazon that is commonly sent to purchasers of a popular "Family Coat of Arms" service.**

The Coat of Arms below is described by "Hall of Names International, Inc." without citation, although L.B. Templeton, Jr., in his Templeton Family History describes this blazon as from Burke's General Armory, "Templeton, Scotland, 16th Century."4

This Templeton Family Coat of Arms is described, "Achievement of Arms: Per Gules (red) a Temple Argent (silver [white]), Chief (top) Sable (black) a Star Or (gold) and for the Crest upon a Helm a Lamb Paschal,"

The Editor's interpretation of the above nomenclature -- The Shield is Red with a silver temple on it, and on a black stripe along the top,there's a gold star. The Crest is a paschal lamb on top of a closed helmet in profile.*** The motto is, None.6

According to my reading of "Coats of Arms" by Andrew Stewart Jamieson,7 this would properly be "blazoned thus":

A perhaps distant cousin in Canada discovered a similar blazon and had it rendered by the service she contacted in this interpretation:

Every rendering of a blazon of arms depends upon the artistic contribution of the renderer, as long as the spare description of the shield and its elements are represented. The rendering we prefer of the "Temple Argent" that is included — in common between the two versions — combines the characteristic Middle-Eastern dome with Roman architecture, much like St. Peters Basilica does, and is in keeping with the Templar's use of circular forms in their fortified Temples throughout Europe, along with the European Christian church's tradition of the Gothic "Central Nave" grandeur abutted by attendant side aisles.

L.B. Templeton speculates that the blue blazon is English and that the red, per Burkes, is Scottish and was conferred during the 1500s which was, with the exception of James IV's disastrous foray against the English at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, and again with James V's abortive confrontation with the duke of Norfolk in 1542, was a century of relative peace, little interference with the people by the monarch, and of religious Reformation. Our line being Scots, one could assume the red and black coat of arms would properly be associated with our family in some way. However, since neither blazon is documented to be registered to a particular family member that we've been able to divine, you can take your pick. I like the blue because of the coincidence of its azure background reflecting the blue of the Ayrshire tartan, and besides, we just prefer the color blue.

A legitimate Templeton 'Blazon of Arms' (without the superfluous scrollwork) could be rendered thus:

* Burkes General Armory, 1842, -Ed.

** NOTE: The coat of arms in blue (top) is a rendering by George L. Templeton, based on graphics supplied by Historic Families Limited, Dublin.

*** A Paschal Lamb is:(noun) A: a lamb killed and eaten at Passover; B: Jesus Christ. Paschal is (adv.): "...Of or pertaining to Easter; used in Easter celebrations." -- Oxford English Dictionary

The above stone carving of a paschal lamb, or Agnus Dei, is located in the west wall of the Templar chapel of St Michael's Church, Herefordshire. According to Brighton,8 it is a symbol of St John the Baptist and a motif used by both the Medieval Templar and Hospitaller orders. This example carries both a staff and banner sporting Templar crosses. Image ©Simon Brighton.

NOTES:

1. Black, George F., Ph.D., The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, New York, 1946, p.765.
2. Gray, Iain, The Irvines, The Origin of the Irvines and their Place in Scotland's History, Lang Syne Publishers Ltd. 2006, p. 6.
3. "Templeton", Hall of Names International, Inc., 1993
4. Templeton, Leumas Bascom, Jr., Templeton Family History, (self published?), 1953.
5. Teall, Gordon and Smith, Philip D., Jr., District Tartans, Shepheard-Wahayn, Ltd, London, 1992, p. 34. The authors go on to explain, "The Ayrshire tartan is intended for those with connections in the districts of Kyle, Cunninghame, and Inverclyde." and describe what I take to be loom settings as B4, R2, B20, W2, T8, G16, Y2, G4.
6. "ParsonsTech.com" - 1999; latterly, "The Learning Company", authors of "Family Tree Maker" software, family info found at www.genealogy.com, 2001.
7. Jamieson, Andrew Stewart, Coats of Arms, Pitkin Guides, 1998.
8. Brighton, Simon, In Search of the Knights Templar - A guide to the Sites of Britain, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, and Orion Books Ltd, 2006, p. 204.

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