Every Clan Chief or family head has a Coat of Arms granted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, which is listed in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. The register, established in 1592 and kept in the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh, is acknowledged as being the most magnificent heraldic manuscript in Europe.
Members of Scottish clans are considered, by the Court of the Lord Lyon, to be relatives of their clan chief. They can be either immediate family or extended family. Clan members can also be people who only bear the "clan surname" or a sept name associated with the clan. The Court of the Lord Lyon has also stated that anyone who professes allegiance to both the clan and its chief can be considered a clan member. All clan members may wear the chief's crest encircled by a strap and buckle inscribed with their chief's motto or slogan. The strap and buckle symbolizes the membership to the clan and allegiance to the clan chief.