You’ve probably seen them on beer bottles, old rings, or maybe that dusty plaque in your grandmother's hallway. Most people call the whole thing a "family crest." Honestly? That’s wrong. In the world of heraldry, the "crest" is just the little bit that sits on top of the helmet. The whole image—the shield, the supporters, the motto—is actually a coat of arms.
Crest of arms symbols aren't just cool vintage clip art. They were the original QR codes. Back when most people couldn't read and knights were encased in steel like medieval sardines, you needed a way to tell who was who. If you saw a red lion on a gold field charging at you, you knew exactly whose sword was about to ruin your day. It was branding before brands existed.
But here is the thing: unless you’re part of a very specific lineage in a country like Scotland or England, you probably don't "own" a coat of arms. In many traditions, arms belong to an individual, not a surname. Yet, the symbols themselves carry a universal language that still resonates in modern logo design and personal identity today.
Decoding the Language of the Shield
The shield, or "escutcheon," is the heart of the matter. Everything starts here. If the shield is blank, you’ve got nothing.
The colors used are called tinctures. They weren't picked because they looked pretty together; they had specific meanings, though these evolved over centuries. Or (gold) represented generosity or elevation of mind. Argent (silver or white) stood for peace and sincerity. If you see Gules (red), that’s the color of the warrior—military fortitude and sacrifice. Azure (blue) meant truth and loyalty, while Sable (black) often hinted at grief or constancy.
Colors were strictly regulated. You generally couldn't put a "metal" (gold or silver) on top of another metal. You couldn't put a color on a color. Why? Visibility. If you’re a quarter-mile away on a foggy battlefield, a silver eagle on a gold background is just a blurry mess. A black eagle on a silver background? That pops.
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The Beasts and What They’re Doing
Animals are the rockstars of crest of arms symbols. But a lion isn't just a lion. Its posture—its "attitude"—changes the whole story.
A lion Rampant is standing on one hind leg, pawing the air. It’s aggressive. It’s ready to fight. A lion Passant is walking, looking straight ahead. It’s more composed, perhaps a bit more "regal" in a settled way. Then you have the Gryphon, a mix of lion and eagle. Since the lion was the king of beasts and the eagle the king of birds, the gryphon was basically the superhero of the heraldic world, symbolizing watchfulness and courage.
Don't ignore the plants either. The Fleur-de-lis is famous for its French royal connections, but it’s technically a stylized lily representing purity or the Sixth Council of the Church. The Wheatsheaf (or garb) meant that the bearer was someone who reaped the harvest of their own hard work. It's a blue-collar symbol in a high-society world.
Why Your "Family Name" Search is Likely a Scam
If you’ve ever been to a mall and seen those kiosks that print out a "History of the [Your Name] Family" with a colorful shield at the top, I hate to break it to you, but that’s mostly "bucket shop" heraldry.
Heraldry is legally protected in some places. In Scotland, the Lord Lyon King of Arms doesn't mess around. It is actually an offense under the law of Scotland to use "unwarranted" arms. You can’t just find a cool shield online and claim it because your last name is Smith. There are millions of Smiths. Only one specific line of Smiths was ever granted those arms.
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Think of it like a social security number or a very specific inheritance. Just because someone else with your last name won a gold medal doesn't mean you get to wear it. Real heraldry is genealogical. It tracks who your father was, and his father before him.
That said, many people today are designing "assumed arms." This is perfectly fine in countries like the United States, where there’s no "Heraldry Police." If you want to design a crest of arms symbols set that represents your personal values—maybe including a computer chip for your tech background or a specific flower from your hometown—that’s a legitimate modern evolution of the craft.
The Secret Geometry of Ordinaries
The big shapes that divide the shield are called Ordinaries. They are the most basic, yet most powerful, parts of the design.
- The Chief: A broad band across the top. It represents authority and dominion.
- The Pale: A vertical stripe down the middle. This symbolized military strength.
- The Fess: A horizontal stripe. Think of it like a belt of honor.
- The Chevron: Looks like an inverted 'V'. It’s often associated with protection or those who have accomplished a notable task, like building a church or a fortress.
When these combine with "charges" (the symbols like lions or stars), the permutations are endless. This is why no two coats of arms are supposed to be exactly alike. Even brothers would "cadency" their father’s arms—adding small symbols like a crescent or a star to show they weren't the first-born son. It was a literal family tree on a shield.
Modern Use and Why We Still Care
Look at car logos. Porsche? That’s a coat of arms. Ferrari’s "Prancing Horse"? It’s a heraldic charge.
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We still use these symbols because humans crave belonging. We want to be part of a "tribe." In an age where everything is digital and fleeting, there is something deeply grounding about a symbol that stayed the same for 400 years.
It’s about legacy. When you look at crest of arms symbols, you aren't just looking at old drawings. You’re looking at a visual resume of someone’s greatest hits from the year 1450. They were saying: "I am brave, I am loyal, and I own this specific piece of dirt."
How to Actually Trace a Real Crest
If you're serious about finding out if your family actually has a registered coat of arms, stop using Google Images.
- Start with Genealogy: You need to prove your lineage back to a specific individual who was granted arms. Without the paperwork, the shield is just a pretty picture.
- Check the College of Arms (England/Wales) or the Court of the Lord Lyon (Scotland): These are the official repositories. They have the records.
- Look for "Visitations": In the 16th and 17th centuries, heralds traveled around the countryside checking everyone's "credentials." These records are gold mines for real symbols.
- Analyze the "Blazon": This is the written description of the arms. In heraldry, the words are more important than the drawing. A blazon like "Azure, a lion rampant argent" tells an artist exactly what to draw, regardless of their personal style.
Actionable Steps for Modern Heraldry
You don't need a royal decree to appreciate or use these symbols in your life. Here is how to handle crest of arms symbols with respect and accuracy.
- Audit your "Family Crest" art: Check if the symbols actually align with your known family history. If you find a "sea-dog" on your shield but your ancestors were all desert-dwelling farmers, it’s likely a generic "bucket shop" creation.
- Design your own "Personal Brand": Instead of claiming someone else's history, use the rules of heraldry to create a personal emblem. Pick a tincture that matches your temperament and a charge that represents your profession or passion.
- Use the "Rule of Tinctures" in design: If you are making a logo, apply the metal-on-color rule. It’s the reason why the most famous brands in the world are so easy to read from a distance.
- Visit local archives: Many old churches and municipal buildings have "hatchments" or stone carvings of local arms. Studying these in person gives you a sense of the scale and texture that a computer screen can't replicate.
Heraldry isn't dead. It’s just evolved. Whether it’s on a signet ring or a digital avatar, the symbols we choose to represent ourselves still tell the world exactly who we think we are. Use them wisely.