Boyd Coat of Arms

The Boyd family had at one time been vassals of the Stewart family, so they used the design of the Stewart coat of arms for their own, only changing the colours. The Stewarts owned the whole of Renfrewshire and part of Kyle in Ayrshire between the rivers Irvine and Ayr. They originally came from Brittany and were known as fitz-Alan. Walter fitz-Alan was invited to Scotland by King David I, who gave him lands and made him his Steward, which is where the name Stewart comes from. The King's Steward was in charge of the King's money. Money was then counted on a chessboard with counters which is what the coat of arms represents.