These rms were recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland on the 2nd August 1985 by Gordon Calderwood Macpherson of Glasgow "for and in memory of his late father Alexander Macpherson (1905-1985)," one of Her Majesty's Messengers-at-Arms.

The Shield contains the components of the Cluny Arms with the addition of two gold Thistles in base. Alexander was a great-grandson of John Macpherson (born 1790) at Crask of Aberthethy), sometime joint tenant in Letteraitten and part of Crask, both farms in the Braes of Abernethy in the United Parish of Abernethy and Kincardine.

His father, James, is buried at Kincardine, Inverness-shire and the country mason's carving of a simple thistle on his monument suggested the adoption of two thistles on Alexander's shield.

The crest is "a Cat sejant proper grasping in the dexter paw a Baton Sable tipped Argent". The Baton is that part of the insignia of a Messenger-at-Arms known as the "wand of peace". The "answering motto" also makes reference to the profession. "Deforcement" is the crime of resisting officers of the law in the execution of their duty.

A Messenger-at-Arms is appointed to office by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and they constitute the junior and most numerous rank of arms in Scotland. They have no heraldic duties, the office being combined with that of a sheriff officer and their responsibilities are restricted to the execution of court warrants. Three generations of this family have been appointed Messenger-at-Arms. Alexander Macpherson was appointed in 1939, Gordon C. Macpherson (born 1938) was appointed in 1969; and his son, Roderick Alexander Macpherson (born 1963) was appointed in 1987. Roderick bears his father's Arms debruised by "a label of three points" to denote the heir.