Blanche Lyon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary (sometimes Blanch Lyon) was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 office of arms created during the reign of King Edward IV

Edward IV of England

Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...

. In 1602, the office was made "extraordinary" for the appointment of Francis Thynne

Francis Thynne

Francis Thynne was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Thynne was born in Kent, the son of William Thynne, who was Master of the Household of King Henry VIII. He attended Tonbridge School. Francis Thynne was an antiquary before being admitted to the College of Arms after several...

, before his promotion to Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary

Lancaster Herald

Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an English officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The title of Lancaster Herald first occurs in 1347 at Calais, and to begin with this officer was a servant to the noble house of Lancaster...

 that same year. John Philipot

John Philipot

John Philipot was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Though he successfully attained the position on Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary, he is best known for his production of a roll of arms of the Lord Wardens of the Cinque Ports.Philipot was born at Folkestone in 1588 and was...

 was created Blanche Lyon Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary in 1613, and William Dugdale

William Dugdale

Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...

 followed in 1638. In 1784, Sir Isaac Heard

Isaac Heard

Sir Isaac Heard was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He began his heraldic career as Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary. He would go on to hold the posts of Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary, Norroy King of Arms and Brunswick King of Arms. In 1784, he was...

 had his step-son, Alexander Ochterlony, appointed Blanche Lyon. Ochterlony was the first of only two known American-born officers of arms in British history. The other was York Herald of Arms

York Herald

York Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a herald is in February of 1484, when John Water...

 John von Sonnentag de Havilland

John de Havilland

John von Sonntag de Havilland, FSA was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London during the 19th century...