Family Crests and Coats of Arms by House of Names

Family crests and coats of arms are powerful family symbols passed down through generations. They were commonly used throughout the 11–17th centuries, and they can still be meaningful reminders for families by, nowadays, and future.

The symbolism in the pattern of a family crest or coat of artillery can tell you most your ancestors' achievements and status in social club—a real attestation to a family'south legacy. Here'south everything you demand to know to sympathise, notice, or create your family's coat of arms.

What Is Heraldry?

Heraldry is a system used to blueprint, display, and record coats of arms and family crests. These symbols were often used to differentiate knights in tournaments—motion-picture show the brightly emblazoned shields carried by medieval knights in shining armor. Simply heraldry was used for more than than merely tournaments. Information technology allowed people to recognize opposing sides on battlefields, family unit lineages, alliances, and more.

Today, heraldry is still used past some individuals, companies, and cities to display their heritage and achievements. In modernistic uses, it tin can likewise be used to portray family values and ambitions.

What Is a Glaze of Arms?

A coat of artillery is a symbol used to identify families or individuals. It is a detailed blueprint that oft includes a shield, crest, helmet, motto, and more. The image could be used as a whole, or the crest can be used as a simplified symbol.

Going dorsum to the medieval knight, recollect the brightly emblazoned shield? The pattern on the knight's shield was frequently the knight's glaze of arms.

Coats of arms can assistance you learn a lot almost your ancestry. They were intended to recognize achievements and family heritage, and so the design can provide insight into your family's legacy. They're also passed downwardly through generations and deport the history of the family with them.

What Is a Family Crest?

In a total coat of arms, the crest literally crests the blueprint—that is to say that it is oft located at the top of the epitome. The family crest is a smaller part of the blueprint that can be used on its own when the entire coat of arms is besides complex. One time once again going back to the knight in shining armor, the crest may have been attached to the knight's helmet.

Common family unit crests include a lion, cross, tiger, or horse, but there are many others out there. Some even use unicorns or monsters. Sounds similar a fun conversation starter if you're lucky enough to have one of them in your family tree!

Alternatively, the term family crest can refer to the overall design. Over time, family crest became interchangeable with coat of artillery , simply the distinction is still important to understand, particularly if you're searching for your family unit crest.

How to Find Your Coat of Arms

If y'all have European heritage, you may accept a coat of arms or family crest. Unfortunately, they're rarer than you lot might think. Most unremarkably, but nobility or high-class families in medieval Europe had them because they were granted by kings to recognize achievements.

That rarity just makes it all the more exciting if you discover one in your family unit tree! Search for coats of artillery associated with your last name using 4crests, House of Names, All Family Crests, or other resource. If you lot find one, trace your family tree to find out if you can observe a link or reference to the coat of arms. While yous're at information technology, take the opportunity to discover more than nearly your heritage.

Some families cull to adopt a coat of arms based but on a last name without an ancestral link, but this do tin hinder the significance and pregnant backside the coat of arms. This guide can assist yous find out if a crest is associated with your family unit. An culling is to create one that is unique and meaningful to your family!

How to Design a Glaze of Arms

Designing your own coat of arms can be fun and insightful. Recollect near your family'southward achievements and how you can comprise them into your design. If you're looking for inspiration, explore the stories your relatives have shared on FamilySearch Memories.

Parts of a Coat of Artillery

A coat of arms tin be very detailed, and information technology often includes many elements. Although not every glaze of arms has every piece, the following parts are frequently incorporated in the design.

Shield: The shield is the heart of the pattern; it is the only necessary slice when designing a glaze of arms.

Crest: This symbolic object sits atop of the glaze of arms.

Captain: A helmet rests below the crest but above the shield. It reflects the origins of heraldry. A crown could replace or accompany the helmet.

Wreath: The wreath is a rope or twisted cloth, a literal representation of the silk or rope used to tie a crest to a knight'southward helmet.

Mantling: The mantling is a slice of cloth that flows out from the helmet. Originally, the cloth protected a knight's armor.

Supporters: A pair of people or animals stand on either side of the shield and support information technology. They're typically a local or hereditary figure, and they were traditionally used for nobility.

Compartment: The compartment is a base design (commonly a landscape) on which the shield and supporters rest.

Motto: The motto is a maxim displayed on a ribbon either beneath or above the rest of the design.

Symbols and Their Meanings

These resource explain meanings behind different items and colors you tin use in your family unit crest and glaze of arms. Call back that the family crest tin be used on its own, so choose something significant to you!

• Heraldic Symbolism
• What the Symbols Mean
• A Beginner's Guide to Understanding a Glaze of Arms

Of class, if you're making your own, the virtually important affair is that information technology is meaningful to you and your family. Work together to include elements that speak to you personally and your heritage.

Regardless of whether y'all find a family crest that has been around for generations or you create a coat of arms yourself, crests and coats of arms are powerful symbols that can unify a family. How practice you plan to use yours moving forrad? Record the epitome and the meaning backside it to keep the memory alive in your family.

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Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/family-crest-coat-of-arms