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The Honourable Adam Bruce (far right) at his installation as Finlaggan Pursuivant of Arms of Clan Donald. Finlaggan wears a tabard emblazoned with the arms of his employer, the Chief of Clan Donald.

A private officer of arms is one of those heralds and pursuivants appointed by great noble houses to handle all heraldic and genealogical questions.

Since the development of heraldry in the middle ages, and the rise of officers of arms, noble families have appointed heralds and pursuivants to look after the correct marshalling of their coats of arms and research genealogical links. Most noblemen in the Britain retained heralds from about 1170 onwards. This includes important knights such as Sir John Chandos. The heralds were originally concerned with war and tournaments and identifying people by their arms. As such, they naturally developed an interest in genealogy. Formerly, the Lord of the Isles had Ross Herald and Islay Pursuivant. On the forfeiture of the Lordship these became, and remain, Royal Officers. In 1725, Blanc Coursier Herald was created to serve Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, and the tabard of the office includes Prince Williams differenced arms. Today, most officers of arms are employed by state heraldic authorities. There are, however, some private officers that still exist.

The tabard of Blanc Coursier Herald John Anstis created in 1727.

In Scotland, there are four private pursuivants of arms that are recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms. These are appointed by clan chiefs to look after matters of clan heraldry and genealogy. The four currently recognized private Scottish pursuivants are listed below:

• Slains Pursuivant, appointed by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Hay – presently the Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland
• Garioch Pursuivant, appointed by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Mar – presently the Countess of Mar
• Endure Pursuivant, appointed by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Lindsay – presently the Earl of Crawford & Balcarres
• Finlaggan Pursuivant, appointed by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Macdonald of Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald – presently the Baron Macdonald of Slate. This post was revived in August 2005, after five centuries, in a ceremony attended by Ross Herald of Arms in Ordinary from the Court of the Lord Lyon and the four Macdonald chiefs:
  • The 8th Baron Macdonald of Slate, Co Antrim, Chief of the Name and Arms of Macdonald of Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald
  • Sir Ian Godfrey Bosville MacDonald of Sleat, 17th Baronet, Premier Baronet of Nova Scotia, 25th Chief of Macdonald of Sleat,
  • Ranald Alexander MacDonald of Clanranald, 24th Chief and Captain of Clanranald, and
  • (Aeneas) Ranald Euan MacDonell of Glengarry, 23rd Chief of Macdonell of Glengarry (13th titular Lord Macdonell).

• Heraldry
• Officer of Arms
• King of Arms
• Herald of Arms
• Pursuivant of Arms
• The College of Arms
• The Court of the Lord Lyon
• The Canadian Heraldic Authority
• The Chief Herald of Ireland

• The Court of the Lord Lyon
• The College of Arms
• The Canadian Heraldic Authority
• The Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland