The arms are a matriculation of a Scottish grant for and in memory of the armiger's fifth great-grandfather John Lindsay, a planter residing in the Province of Maryland prior to the American Revolution. His arms are blazoned: Gules, a fess chequy Argent and Azure, in chief two crosses bottonée and in base a garb of the Second.

As those arms descended twice through younger sons, they were consequently differenced. The first difference was the addition of a bordure Or for a second son, while for the second difference the garb was replaced by an anchor for an indeterminate fourth or fifth son.

The crest and motto were not granted but instead were assumed by the armiger in the USA at a later date. The motto is taken from Shakespeare's 2 Henry VI (III.iii): "Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all."