Noblesse in Scotland

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The Scottish Noblesse means nobility in Scotland, including both those with peerage titles as well as those without. The concept was prominently advocated for by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney during his tenure as Carrick Pursuivant of Arms and later Lord Lyon King of Arms.

The concept of noblesse as opposed to "nobility" is old: in 1901 a Canadian heraldist Edward Marion Chadwick discussed the difference between the two in France: "pairie" is similar to English peerage, while noblesse consists of gentlemen commoners. "The King ... was the fountain of hereditary title, but not the fountain of noblesse", and noblesse can be obtained without any royal act.^[1]

In 2008, the 'noblesse' clause was discreetly removed from newly issued letters patent.^[2] This however does not affect the noble quality of armigers, which predates Innes' introduction of the clause. CILANE and its British association recognise a grant of arms as establishing nobility in both England and Scotland, regardless of the wording of the letters patent.^[3]