The Burn family have always been proud of our heritage and have for a number of years had an interest in heraldry. If you were able to explore our family tree you will find a mixture from tin miners and lighthouse keepers right up to butlers and computer programmers.

In 2002  the College of Arms in London received a warrant from His Grace the Duke of Norfolk granting armorial bearings to Austin Burn. After much thought and due process a final design was agreed upon, which  incorporated a number of visual representations for the family and the letters patent were prepared and drawn up.

Letters Patent from the College of Arms

  The Blazon

As with all heraldry it is not the pictorial depiction of the arms which counts but the description, which is known as a 'Blazon'. The following is the full description of the arms:-

Ermine a lyre Gules the strings Sable and surmounted by a drum Or hooped Gules roped Vert all between three cross crosslets fitchy Azure. And for the crest :-  Upon a helm with a wreath Argent and Gules issuing from flames proper a  phoenix displayed Argent beaked and legged Or grasping in each foot a cross crosslet fitchy Azure mantled Gules doubled Argent.

The Meaning of the design

The design of the arms shows a number of features representing members of the family. The Crest, a phoenix rising from the flames, represents Austin  Burn who managed to re-build his life following a major breakdown at a young age. It also represents the hope of the people of New York who showed a spirit of renewal and rebirth following the attacks on September 11th 2001, as Austin and Linda Burn both worked on site at 'Ground Zero' with the Salvation Army. The Cross crosslets fitchee represent the unshakeable faith which Austin professes.

The Shield design has a background of ermine which symbolises valour, justice and dignity, the three cross crosslet fitchee represent unshakeable faith and Christian spiritual warfare. The lyre is taken from the Salvation Army uniform of Upper Norwood Corps, which was Austin and Linda's church at the time, and represents the  family's love of all things musical. Surmounted on the lyre is a marching drum which represents Frank Henry Willis who died in Plymouth from  wounds gained whilst serving with the 1st/5th Durham Light Infantry in France in November 1918. The impact he had on his friends was so great that when he died no-one deemed themselves worthy of taking his place on the drum in the  band which he played in as he was such a kind Godly gentleman. They felt they fell short of the mark.

 Frank H. Willis & Family, 1918.

The genesis of the family motto originated in a conversation when Irene Burn, daughter of Frank Willis and wife of Thomas R. Burn, quoted that the family could pride itself in the fact that no matter what the personal cost, we would always speak "Truth and Honesty above all", hence 'Ad Summa Honestas et Veritas'.

 Armorial Bearings of Austin Burn                         Armorial Bearings of Ptolemy Burn

                                                                                painted by Dudley Bateman