Coat of Arms or Family Crests

[Pyroxene]

Hi all! Long time, no post!

I was wondering if anyone here has a family crest. Sorry if this has been covered before. I found some posts that talked about wax seals and jewelery. But, doing a search for "coat" and "arms" is like looking for the word "hat" on this forum.

Some background: I did some heraldry research and did not have a crest that I could trace to my heritage. So, I decided to create my own from scratch.

I first looked at the online options where you choose some of 'Column A' and some of 'Column B'. But the more reading and research I did the more I realized the designs offered on sites didn't really say what I wanted to say about me. And I found American arms are different than those you find in England and other lands.

I found some source graphics to work with and started building in Photoshop. Finding the right symbolism for what describes you can sometimes be difficult. I wanted to find something that displayed my professional experience, spiritual beliefs and heritage. After about 6-8 revisions I finally have the crest you see below. After looking at what had been done in the past, I decided to break a rule here and there.

Next, I am looking into getting it on some mugs, shirts, etc. using Cafepress. Next, I hope to get some seal rings, glassware, cuff links, etc.

Please share your family crests. Questions welcome.

Cheers,
Pyr.

 

[MisterCairo]

RALEIGH

This design appears to be my family name's coat of arms/crest:

http://www.4crests.com/raleigh-uk.html

It appears in every site I come across, so I presume it's based in fact, though there's really no official source for most crests or coats of arms. I gather there are "official" societies that can create a new family creast/coat of arms using heraldic rules, should you wish to create a unique symbol for your immediate family.

 

[cptjeff]

I basically have two:

The Irish version:

Which was a clan which had it's origins in Scotland and this crest:

 

[Charlie Noodles]

Our family name has a crest attached to it, but from what I understand about heraldry; this does not make me entitled to use it. I have to be proven from that man's line.

Pyroxene, I've read that the coat of arms must be granted by an officer of arms to be official; are you going to pursue registering yours with the English College of Arms, or similar?

 

[LordBest]

This is the Best family crest. No one in the family has done enough research on the family true to determine if we are entitled to use it. I doubt it, but I do intend to investigate the family history further.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

This is the Best family crest. No one in the family has done enough research on the family true to determine if we are entitled to use it. I doubt it, but I do intend to investigate the family history further.

One of my teachers at High School in Brisbane was a Best. Nice chap. I became friends with he and his wife when I graduated. Haven't seen them in years though.

As for Family Crests - most are not 'official' but are sold by merchants to people who don't know that. Being Scottish, every family has a clan shield. Trouble is, my family, or sept, could belong to several clans and I haven't figured out which one.

 

[Sean1982]

The College of Arms regulates the legitimate use and granting of arms in England, Wales and the 6 Counties.

http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/

Bearing a name sadly does not entitle you to hold arms belonging to those of the same name.

You can create your own with the College, if you're rich and important enough!

 

[LordBest]

Exactly, there is a huge market out there for fake titles and heraldry, never pay for anything.

Edit: Thanks Sean1982 for posting that link, I was looking for it myself. It is worth noting that in countries like the US where non-state heraldry is unprotected you can create your own crests and coat of arms. They have no official status but neither are they considered fraudulent.

 

[Pyroxene]

...are you going to pursue registering yours with the English College of Arms, or similar?

Yes. I am currently in the process of contacting the US Heraldic Registry in getting my design registered. They require concise, technical description of the arms in traditional heraldic terms.

 

[Creeping Past]

Or you could just use your own design how you like. What're they going to do? Throw you in some English medieval dungeon? The worst they could do is snub you if they ever met you.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.4crests.com/crest.html

tshirt anyone? At Christmas my huge family ( over 100) plays a game where we pick numbers. The gals play one game and the guys another. We have a wild crazy time. One time someone bought a wood family crest. Quite nice. The guys fought like crazy over that thing. One of my many nephews has the name and motto tattooed on him.
thanks for the memory. I went to Scotland and this is a big deal over there.
as my family motto means secret I cannot tell you what mine is:lol
http://www.sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[Charlie Noodles]

Or you could just use your own design how you like. What're they going to do? Throw you in some English medieval dungeon? The worst they could do is snub you if they ever met you.

I think half of the fun would be designing it as per the rules and making it an official part of heraldry.

 

[Pyroxene]

Yes and yes

I think half of the fun would be designing it as per the rules and making it an official part of heraldry.

Yes to all of the above.

It's something I have wanted for a long time. It's something I wanted to pass down.

What made is really special is that I captured a good deal of input from my mother while she was visiting. We then assigned meanings to all the colors and symbols in the design. I decided on American symbols but didn't want it to say "the eagle represents the USA or red, white and blue symbolize the flag, etc.." I wanted each graphical element to have a different meaning.

One big rule I'm pretty sure I broke is the harp at the bottom. I have not seen anything clipped through a shield. I'm sure a shield with a hole in it in battle would be very bad, but this is art. And, thankfully American arms are very much open to interpretation.

An interesting example is the coat of arms for Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States. http://americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=President.Taylor

 

[Sean1982]

Yes to all of the above.

It's something I have wanted for a long time. It's something I wanted to pass down.

What made is really special is that I captured a good deal of input from my mother while she was visiting. We then assigned meanings to all the colors and symbols in the design. I decided on American symbols but didn't want it to say "the eagle represents the USA or red, white and blue symbolize the flag, etc.." I wanted each graphical element to have a different meaning.

One big rule I'm pretty sure I broke is the harp at the bottom. I have not seen anything clipped through a shield. I'm sure a shield with a hole in it in battle would be very bad, but this is art. And, thankfully American arms are very much open to interpretation.

An interesting example is the coat of arms for Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States. http://americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=President.Taylor

It wouldn't be part of Heraldry according to the College of Arms! I have a wonderful book form the 1890s describing heraldry and the regulations, it's insane. You also need to do a heraldic description. Having extra pendants and helmets etc are also only granted for certain reasons/honours I think.

Make your application to the Garter King of Arms or one of his fellow King of Arms (they sit in a wonderful Wren building in the City). I saw them in procession when I attended the State Opening of Parliament some years ago, wonderful uniforms.

 

[David V]

Join the SCA!

 

[Sean1982]

Join the SCA!

'SCA' brings up many options on google. What are you referring to?

 

[Zemke Fan]

SCA...

Society for Creative Anachronisms?

 

[Sean1982]

I'm not cheering for them, just telling the facts for those of us in England, where heraldry is regulated by law.

Actually I quite like the tradition, and although regulated arms are exclusive and silly in a way, it also shows that the British have a very different attitude than the Americans on these matters.

 

[David V]

Society for Creative Anachronisms?

That's them.

 

[Geesie]

I'm fairly certain that my family name does not have a crest or coat of arms. I never understood the American fascination with having these, either. I'm not sure who thinks that a printout from a mall kiosk has any connection to their family history.