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Arms: Parted per fess Or and Gules, a lion rampant withing a double tressure flory counterflory all counterchanged, armed and langued Azure. Crest: Issuing out of a tower Sable, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure Tartan: Middleton Motto: Fortis in arduis (Brave in difficulty)

In Scotland, there are many lands named Middleton but the name is derived from the lands near Laurencekirk in Kincardineshire. The lands were confirmed by a charter of William the Lion.

The family became prominent in the seventeenth century. The son of Middleton of Coldham, John, was a professional soldier in Hepburn's Regiment in the service of the King of France. In 1642 he returned to Scotland to help with the opposition of Charles I. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Preston but escaped and rejoined the royalist forces, but he was wounded and captured at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. He escaped again and went to France. He returned to Scotland in 1654 to join the Earl of Glencairn but was defeated and went into exile once again.

He was created the Earl of Middleton and Lord Clermont and Fettercairn. The Scots Parliament appointed him Lord High Commissioner.

His only son, Charles, was ambassador to the imperial court at Vienna, and Secretary of State for Scotland. Eventhough he didn't approve of James VII's actions, he wouldn't recognize the Revolution of 1688 which brought about the accession of Queen Mary and William of Orange. He was imprisioned for this but escaped and went to France.

The title was forfeited and never restored.