Arms CoatAll About Family Crests and Coats of Arms

Written By: A Thompson

“Heraldry” as a word descends from the Germanic phrase harja-waldaz, which means “army commander.” Its meaning can be taken in three ways: [1.] all the issues relative to the duties and responsibilities of an officer of arms; [2.] the exercise of creation, display, recitation, and recording of heraldic badges; and finally, [3.] the profession or study of granting and/or blazoning arms as well as ruling on questions of rank or protocol. The practice of heraldry began as a way to distinguish individuals in battle. However, it has since diffused into a rather general practice”for example, municipals commonly apply for them in Eastern Europe.

The characteristics and history of heraldry can be geographically grouped. The grouping discussed here focuses on the German-Nordic tradition. Included under the heading of German-Nordic are: Germany, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech lands, parts of Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries. The tradition of heraldry in these areas has remained fairly static over time. A characteristic of particular note in German-Nordic heraldry is the treatment of the crest. Many times the crest is indistinguishable from the shield, although multiple crests are also common. Unlike, for instance, British heraldry, it can sometimes mark the difference between branches of a family. Another important trait is that the usage of torse is optional, but courtoisie is often observed.

The holding linchpin of German-Nordic heraldry is German heraldry. German heraldry is a cultural tradition and style harking back to the Holy Roman Empire, which includes national, civic, noble, burgher, and ecclesiastical heraldry under its heading. It is a singular style that has strongly influenced the rather late developing Nordic customs. Characteristics of the German tradition include a lack of furs, multiple crests, inseparability of the crest, and charge repetition upon shield and crest. Other things of notice are that the mullets have six points instead of the normal five, and beasts included can be patterned. That said, there are similarities to other European heraldic traditions, such as prominent usage of the eagle and lion. In the Germanic tradition, the eagle came to represent the Holy Roman Empire whereas the lion was a sign of the feudal lords.

Speaking of feudal lords brings us to Danish heraldry, a rather prominent subset of the German-Nordic standard. Danish heraldry has its roots in the medieval period when coats of arms made their initial appearance. This particular branch is of importance due to providing an excellent example of the tradition”for instance, the usage of vesselhorn (pairs of buffalo horns) common to Scandinavian and German heraldry or the usage of a single standard for an entire family versus unique crests per each individual. Other traits are the lack of badges or using crests without shields. That said, not all of those found under the umbrella of German-Nordic standard are without differences. The Swedish version is known for multiple peculiarities.

Most of this entry has been about the past or specific traits, but it should be noted that the tradition, while relatively static, continues to change.

Written By: Doug Drowley

Is it a family crest or a coat of arms? In today’s world, the terms have become interchangeable. Historically though, the family crest often would be found as a part of a coat of arms.

Examples of true coats of arms are seen often in the movies. The “National Treasure” movies show the Knights Templar finding the treasure in the movie. When these knights are seen, they are in full armor. Worn over that armor are white tunics with a red cross. Those tunics are traditionally what was known as coats of arms.

In cultures that historically have embraced the warrior, coats of arms evolved into a status symbol. The tunic came to tell the story of that warrior family”his achievements, profession, the property he owned, and even his family’s history.

The design of those symbols emblazoned upon the coat of arms was created with care. With all that meaning encapsulated into the resulting “family crest,” that overall symbol became highly coveted.

Today, we don’t generally have armored knights walking about. Therefore, the literal version of a coat of arms has gone away and the term has been blended into the idea of the family crest. Subsequently, in doing genealogical research, it has become something fun for many to determine one’s surname family crest.

Many researchers are unaware that most people today would never be allowed to use or display the crest as is done with regularity in online family trees posted at sites such as Ancestry.com, geni.com, myheritage.com and others. Why is that?

In many of the cultures that embraced family crests, those symbols’ use was restricted. In Great Britain, for example, a family crest was passed down from generation to generation only through the first-born son and only upon that son’s father’s death.

If the crest-holder had no sons, a British crest would skip the generation and be presented to the first grandson of the father’s first daughter.

Some past cultures did allow women to hold family crests. Such crests often were distinguished by their shape. If it was a crest held by a single woman, the crest would take on an oval shape. A man’s family crest would be more squarish.

In some countries, men were not hindered by the same rules as in British society. Men could will their crests to whomever they chose. In other places, such as Ireland, a person can petition the nation’s heraldic authority for the right to use a family crest or to bear arms. Still others, such as France, have now likened the use of a family crest to a copyright as seen in the United States. The Frenchman’s right to use a family crest is a race to the courthouse, with the first one to register said family crest earning the right to use it.

The bottom line for both family crests and coats of arms is this: once separate items used in conjunction with one another, the terms now have become interchangeable.

Written By: Alexandria Powell

A coat of arms is a piece of work meant to represent who a person, family, or group is from or what they are all about. It can represent traits, feelings, bearings, achievements, and so on. Coats of arms came about in Europe but were soon spread around the world. Their personal value has spread from generation to generation. This form of art and identification is still around today and widely loved by all kinds of people from places all around the world. An important part of a coat of arms is the color choice. Usually, people, families, and groups choose anywhere from one to four main colors for their coat of arms. Sure, certain colors are pretty, but they mean a whole lot more than their prettiness. Each color has its own set of meaning. Here are some of the colors used in a coat of arms and their meanings.

Gold
Gold is one of the most common colors used in a coat of arms. It is widely used and loved. It means generosity, which is the readiness or fullness in giving, and elevation of the mind, which is the opening of the mind to learn something new or to new perspectives.

Silver and White
Silver and white are both common colors as well. They sometimes can go along with gold, but not always. They can represent peace, which is contentedness, tranquility, and harmony; and sincerity, which can mean truth and truly meaning something.

Red
Red is the symbol for warriors, which is one who fights for what he believes, and martyrs, who are individuals willing to die for their cause. It can also mean military strength, which is usually strength in number and in supplies; and magnanimity, which means high-mindedness or generosity.

Blue
Blue symbolizes truth, which is conformity with fact or reality; and loyalty, which is an example of faithfulness or commitment. It is a very mellow, calm, yet rich, color, and its meanings seem to document that very well.

Green
Green is such a lovely color, being the color of trees and grass. It can represent hope, which is the feeling that events will turn good; joy, which is an emotion of delight; and loyalty in love, which means loyalty to one’s love.

Black
Black is a deep, deep color. It can symbolize constancy, which means uniformity or to have the quality of never changing; or grief, which is a deep sadness. Black is the perfect color to represent those concepts.

Purple
Purple represents a few things. It represents royal majesty, which is typically like a king, queen, prince, or princess, sovereignty, which is the quality of being in power, such as royalty; or justice, which means the quality of being right.

Orange
Orange is generally not a popular color in coats of arms, but it is still sometimes used. It can symbolize worthy ambition, which is a desire for power or some type of achievement for which one qualifies.

Each of these colors means something to everyone, but these are the general meanings.

Written By: Rebecca Perry Freelance Writer

A family crest and a coat of arms are not the same thing. The two terms have been commonly used interchangeably for some time, but they are two different things. Family crests were usually worn by men in the family, normally on top of a helmet, and are associated with surnames. On the other hand, coats of arms were usually images emblazoned on helmet, shields, and robes, hence the whole coat of arms.

The coat of arms usually also contains the family surname within the design. The custom of crests and coats of arms began when armors started becoming more advanced and covering up the soldier better. Around the 11th and 12 century, crests and coats of arms became almost a necessary thing. These crests and coats of arms were used to help distinguish allies and enemies on the battlefield since little of a soldier’s face was visible under his helmet.

Crests mostly utilized animals, mythical and familiar ones, to show a soldier’s origins. Family crests in the past were used to show off or give a sense of what a family was all about. There are many different animals used, and each has its own symbolic meaning.

The use of colors and symbols were also used to add even more distinction between families. Every aspect of the crest has certain meanings, and one can find general meanings online with a simple search. There are many sites dedicated to explaining the different colors, symbols, and animals on crests.

The meanings and interpretations of animals and colors and symbols are pretty general, in line with what one might normally think of when he sees these things. For example, the color purple usually indicates royalty, whereas blue would indicate loyalty, and red, fierceness or strength.

The use of animals is basically the same. When we think of a bear, we normally think of fierceness, or a mother bear, a fierce protector of the cubs. Dogs indicate loyalty, a fox, wisdom. But what about the animals that are maybe not so clear? Fish may translate as regal, and boars may indicate fierce fighter. Mythical animals such as dragons and unicorns may not be as easy to figure out. A dragon can indicate valor or protection, and a unicorn, virtue and strength. Some are pretty clear, some not so much.

Crest interpretation is not certain, as we have no idea what was originally meant to be represented when particular images were first adopted. Any interpretation one may find in his research could be guesswork until one really tracks down a particular genealogy and finds out more specific information on a family.

What a family originally intended to express when they created their crest is not something some stranger on an Internet web site can tell. It is best to do some research on a particular family’s last name on the Internet, though trying to decide which sites are valid and which ones are not can be tough. Choose sites that are written by organizations that deal in genealogy. They will more often than not have more accurate information.

Written By: Alexandria Powell

Initially, a coat of arms was used by knights as a way to identify themselves as being on the same side or not during battles. They originated in Europe, but spread quite quickly. A coat of arms is now known simply as a shield decorated to represent a person’s, family’s, or group’s beliefs, achievements, or bearings. They really are personal and can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Let’s take a look at making a personal coat of arms.

Step One: Choosing the Shape of the Shield
The escutcheon, or the shield, is the base of the coat of arms. It will display colorful pictures later on in the process of creating this piece of art. Choosing the shape of the shield is generally not relevant to a coat of arms’ meaning, hence one may choose whichever shield shape fits his or her fancy. Usually a coat of arms uses a more basic shape, like the ones people see in pictures of knights.

Step Two: Choosing the Colors
Most coats of arms showcase a couple of different colors. This is the part where it really becomes personal. Choosing the colors is an important step in making a coat of arms unique to each person, family, or group. Colors can mean an assortment of things. The most popular colors are as follows: gold, which means generosity; silver, which means peace or serenity; red, which represents a warrior or martyr; and green, which represents hope, joy, and loyalty. Other colors are used in coats of arms, such as black, which symbolizes wisdom and grief; purple, which shows majesty and justice; and orange, which denotes ambition. The colors add to the base of the shield. Most people choose two to four main colors to be shown in his or her coat of arms.

Step Three: Choosing the Symbols
This may be the most important part of designing a personal coat of arms. The symbols are the pictures displayed on or around the shield. Fairly popular symbols include anchors, which represent hope and religion; angels, which denote dignity and glory; batons, which symbolize authority; and bears, which represent strength and ferocity. Usually, two identical pictures, such as animals, are placed on each side of the shield. These are called supporters. There are a multitude of variations of each symbol, each meaning something different. Some coats of arms contain only one picture, while others contain several. It all really depends on the person. A simple person might only want one or two symbols to represent who he or she is, while another person might want five or six pictures to show what he or she is all about.

Step Four: Choosing a Motto
Mottoes are generally displayed at the top of the shield, right above it in the form of the banner. The color, again, is important. The color of the banner should be chosen along with step two. A motto is a saying that a person, family, or group lives by. It represents who they are. Some common mottoes include “Fides non timet,” which means “faith fears not,” or “loyal aut mort,” which means “loyal to the death,” and “In Deo confido , which means “I trust in God.” It is important that the motto is fairly short so that it can fit on the banner.

Step Five: Putting the Name at the Bottom
The person’s, family’s, or group’s name goes in a special font chosen by said family, person, or group, under the shield. This tells us who it represents and belongs to.

After all of these steps are done and everything is put together, a personal coat of arms is created.