in law, a customary tribute of goods and chattels, payable to the lord of the fee on the decease of the owner of the land. See TENURE.

Heriot is of two sorts—viz. 1. Heriot-custom, where heriots have been paid time out of mind by custom, after the death of a tenant for life. In some places, there is a customary composition in money, as 10 or 20 shillings in lieu of a heriot, by which the lord and tenant are both bound, if it be an undisputably ancient custom; but a new composition of this sort will not bind the representatives of either party. 2. Heriot-service, when a tenant holds by such service to pay heriot at the time of his death; which service is expressed in the deed of seisinment.—For this latter the lord shall distrain; and for the other he shall seize, and not distrain. If the lord purchase part of the tenancy, heriot-service is extinguished; but it is not so of heriot-custom.