Family Crests

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The word Heraldry has long attached itself to that which in earlier times was known as armory, the science of armorial bearings. In all ages and in all quarters of the world distinguishing symbols, or family crests have been adopted by tribes or nations, by families or by chieftains. Greek and Roman poets describe the devices borne on the shields of heroes, and many such painted shields are pictured on antique vases. Rabbinical writers have supported the fancy that the standards of the tribes set up in their camps bore figures devised from the prophecy of Jacob, the ravening wolf for Benjamin, the lion’s whelp for Judah and the ship of Zebulon.

In the East we have such ancient symbols as the five-clawed dragon of the Chinese empire and the chrysanthemum of the emperor of Japan. In Japan, indeed, the systematized badges borne by the noble clans may be regarded as akin to the heraldry and family crests of the West, and the circle with the three leaves of the Tokugawa shoguns has been made as familiar to us by Japanese lacquer and porcelain as the red pellets of the Medici by old Italian fabrics.

Before the landing of the Spaniards in Mexico the Aztec chiefs carried shields and banners, some of whose devices showed after the fashion of a phonetic writing the names of their bearers; and the eagle on the new banner of Mexico may be traced to the eagle that was once carved over the palace of Montezuma. That mysterious business of totemism, which students of folk-lore have discovered among most primitive peoples, must be regarded as another of the forerunners of true heraldry, family crests and coats of arms. The totem of a tribe supplying a badge which was sometimes displayed on the body of the tribesman in paint, scars or tattooing. Totemism so far touches our heraldry that some would trace to its symbols the white horse of Westphalia, the bull’s head of the Mecklenburgers and many other ancient armories.

Interpreting the Coat of Arms
The basic component of a coat of arms is the shield or escutcheon. Although the Medieval shield is perhaps the best-known shape, it is not the only one that was used. The shield was a warlike device and was often considered inappropriate for women or clergy. Thus, members of those groups often selected a different shape. The elements of the shield are part of the blazon, but its shape is not.

Color is another important component of the coat of arms. Each color used to create a coat of arms has a specific meaning. Use the following table to determine the meaning of each color on your coat of arms:

The field is the background of the shield. Normally, the field is filled with colors or furs. Occasionally, the field will contain a landscape scene, although this is rare. The field is often divided for many reasons.

A charge is an image that appears on the field. There may be only one or multiple charges on a field. Ordinaries are geometric shapes similar to divisions in the field. However, the ordinaries are considered charges. The ordinaries also have smaller subordinaries and diminutives. Other charges include plants, animals, mythological creatures, humans, buildings, weapons and many other objects.

If a man married a woman with no brothers, her father’s arms could be placed in the center of the man’s shield. Sometimes a shield is divided as new generations of the family are added. Some shields are divided for purely decorative reasons as well. If the shield is divided, the field will contain different colors in each section.

Supporters appear on either side of the shield. The supporters are normally animal or human figures, although they may be mythological or religious in nature. Occasionally, plants or objects are used as supporters instead. In the UK, supporters were an honor bestowed by the sovereign and so were not used in all coats of arms. Occasionally, coats of arms appear with only a single supporter, often placed behind the shield.

The compartment appears beneath the shield, generally providing a place for the supporters to stand. Consequently, the compartment is usually a landscape design. The compartment may appear on a coat of arms that lacks supporters but this is extremely uncommon. The compartment may or may not appear in the blazon, depending on the period of the coat of arms.

The motto is a series of words or, more commonly, a short phrase. The motto generally describes the individual or family’s motivations or intentions. In most traditions, the motto appears below the shield, but its placement as well as its design is ultimately the decision of the artist. The motto appears in the blazon, but its artistic description does not.

The Helm
The helm is a common, but not universal, part of the coat or arms. The helm is a symbol of military status. As such, in some traditions the specifics of the metal and design are standardized. In other traditions, the rank is determined not by the helm but by the crest. Besides the traditional helmet, a helm may appear as a crown or other headgear.

Mantling appears on many coats of arms that bear a helm. Mantling is drapery that is tied to the helm, often continuing downward to form a backdrop for the shield. The mantling cloth is generally two sided, one side displaying a colored fabric and the other a heraldic metal. Normally the mantling duplicates colors that are displayed in the shield, although this is by no means universal.

The crest stands atop the helm. The crest may be made from any of a wide variety of materials, from metal to leather. A crest is often a depiction of an animal or human figure, and may have a hole at the top to hold feathers or other ornamentation.

Generally, the crest sits atop a wreath or torse. This element is a roll of two-colored fabric that is wrapped around the top of the helm to join the helm, mantling and crest. The torse is described as part of the crest in the blazon.

The colors, figures, lines and patterns within a family coat of arms all have specific meanings. Technically, family crest and coat of arms are misnomers, as each coat and crest was originally designated for an individual. Some heraldic traditions do allow the coat of arms and sometimes the crest to be used by entire families, while others are handed down only from father to son.

In the modern world, the laws and rules regarding the coat of arms have been relaxed. Nonetheless, when you do a family coat of arms search, you should understand the meanings and origins behind the coat of arms that you discover. Just because you find a coat of arms that was used by someone with your surname does not mean that it is your family coat of arms.

Below you will find links to important sites pertaining to family crests.