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Heraldry
IT STARTED WITH THE KNIGHTS
If you’ve already tried to research your family name on the Internet, you might have found yourself at a website that talked about heraldry, and something called a coat of arms.
Coats of arms began about a thousand years ago (the twelfth century—that means the 1100s) in Europe. It was a time when knights wore full—and very heavy—suits of armor. At a distance, or with their head armor covering their faces, it was nearly impossible to identify friend from foe. During the noise of battle, knights couldn’t speak loudly enough to be heard and recognized. A quick and visual way was needed to identify who was who.
So knights put identifying marks on their shields. They wore the same design on the loose cloth cape that covered their armor to protect them from the sun’s heat. The markings on the “coat” of arms allowed a knight to be recognized, even if he was separated from his shield.
Gradually, people from noble or high-class families began to use coat of arms markings. The working poor often couldn’t read or write, so these “picture names” helped them, too.
Soon the identifying marks became more complex. People added symbols of honors they had won or to commemorate important family events and special occasions. Having a coat of arms became a mark of great pride. And the status from the coat of arms was something the whole family, or clan, could share.
With so many new coats of arms being worn, and new ones being made up, a procedure was set up to register and keep track of the many symbols that appeared on them. Even today, who is entitled to wear what on a coat of arms is strictly regulated in some countries.
FUN FACTS
Lucky you, if you were the oldest son in the Middle Ages. You inherited your father’s coat of arms intact. A younger son would only have the right to place a smaller picture in the middle of a shield.
If you were a woman getting married, you would bring your family’s coat of arms into your husband’s, adding to the design.
A coat of arms is made up of several different parts. The main sections are:
1. CREST—a small simple design that originally decorated a knight’s helmet. The crest alone was never meant to represent family, but it’s used today to personalize stationery or to stamp a special design into envelope sealing wax.
2. SHIELD—a half-oval shape. Early shields often held just a simple pattern; later ones were divided into quarters, showing designs representing the maternal and paternal family lines.
3. SUPPORTERS—a pair of animals or objects on either side of the shield. These family protectors were chosen for their strength, intelligence, or cunning. Lions, tigers, or bears were popular supporters.
4. MOTTO—a short phrase or saying. Some families today have silly mottoes like “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.”
What would be your family motto?
TRACING YOUR COAT OF ARMS
Do you have a coat of arms? If so, your family name may not be enough to find it. Individuals, and not families, were awarded coats of arms. So, even if your family name is not as common as Smith, you may find a choice of coats of arms given for your name.
How do you tell which one might be your family coat of arms? You would need to find out which coat of arms was granted to a particular ancestor. It may be possible to track a likely coat of arms based on where your ancestor lived. But that may not be easy. There could have been many people in that village with that same last name. And some coats of arm are listed only by country, rather than village.
If you really want to find out if an ancestor was ever awarded an actual coat of arms, search out and contact the College of Arms in your ancestor’s country. You’ll probably be asked for details on your genealogy and be charged a fee, but you may end up finding an official coat of arms connected to you through a family member.
SOMETHING ALL MY OWN
It wouldn’t be official, but that’s no reason why you couldn’t make up a coat of arms of your own. What could you put on it? Just about anything. You might want to display your country’s flag, and the national flags of your ancestors. You could show your ethnic pride by including a drawing of the Egyptian pyramids or the Great Wall of China, the “boot” shape of Italy, or a kangaroo. Even showing a food, such as two crossed crusty loaves of French bread, can represent your nationality. Family events can be drawn onto the shield: a knight with a sword, the landing of the Mayflower, the broken chains of slavery. You might choose to show the blue ribbon you won in a horse show, a skateboard because skateboarding is your favorite sport, a chess piece, musical notes or the instrument you play, or anything else that means something to you.
Have you ever heard the expression “come through with flying colors”? It means to hold a flag high in victory after a battle, clearly showing the winner’s coat of arms. Luckily, you won’t need to fight a battle. First, just create a coat of arms. Later you can make it larger, attach it to a stick, and proudly fly your own colors!
WHAT YOU NEED:
tracing paper
markers, pencils, and paints
paper sheets
scissors
glue
construction paper in different colors
WHAT TO DO:
1. Start with the shield. Trace one of the shapes given here, or draw one of your own, in the center of a sheet of paper. You can also enlarge it, or cut out a pattern, then cut a shield from heavy construction paper.
2. Draw lines to divide the shield in half or into quarters. Use glue and construction paper or markers to add stripes of your favorite colors. Draw small pictures on your shield.
3. Draw a crest above the shield—a small and easy-to- recognize drawing to represent you or your family.
4. If you wish, add a pair of supporters—one on each side of the shield, facing the center.
5. Think of a motto (short is best) and print it at the bottom of your coat of arms. It looks nicer on a ribbon, but you don’t need one, just the motto.
Now you have a coat of arms. You can hang it on the outside of your door, or frame it and hang it up in your room.
More information on heraldry and making your own coat of arms can be found at www.yourchildlearns.com/heraldry.htm.