Our
EWGS member (and former door-greeter at meetings…when we HAD meetings)….in
February 2021, Tony Birch (aka Anthony
Durnford deGray Birch), compiled this bit for me to share with you. He be our
local expert for sure. (This cartoon is from Google, not Tony.)
COATS OF ARMS: As one studies their family history it is not unusual to come
across a wonderful image of something (looks like a squirrel), with your family
surname written upon it and perhaps a motto. Aha! You
have just found your family coat-of-arms.
The study of these
images and how they might relate to your ancestors is called
Heraldry. Unfortunately, there is really no such thing as a “family
coat of arms” and it is unlikely you can claim the image as your personal coat
of arms. The rules of Heraldry state that arms are granted to an
individual - almost always a man. Rule setting bodies that make the
grants are found in many countries: England’s College of
Arms is an example.
Nonetheless, “Family
Arms” evolved in the 18th Century and have widespread use. Though
not “official,” family arms are well documented in the literature and may
provide useful information about your ancestors. The image of the
squirrel might be identified to a family that lived in Nutsville, PA, in 1876.
I have reference books
on American Heraldry and would be pleased to help family historians
decipher a coat of arms. I can be found at da3mj4@gmail.com.
HERALDRY: Heraldry is the use of symbols to identify an
individual. Over time these symbols became hereditary - they were
handed down according to specific rules. Heraldry has now become the
term used to encompass the science and art of these hereditary
symbols. A more precise term is “armory.”
Heraldry can be a tool
for the family historian and may provide clues about the lives and activities
of your ancestors. The study of your ancestors’ heraldry may also
identify some intriguing mysteries which may provide the basis for further
research.
There are many origins
of heraldry, but it is mostly attributed to 12th Century
Europe. Symbols were used to identify Knights in
battle. Heralds displayed the symbols of their “masters” and the
symbols also appeared on battle armor to identify the wearer.
Most heraldry experts
state that heraldry is not identified to a general surname. They
make it clear that there are no arms for “Smith,” but perhaps there are for a
Sir Henry Arthur Smith of Andover, England. However, there are
authoritative texts on family arms that can be quite useful to the family historian.
The rules of heraldry
state that arms are granted to an individual - almost always a
man. A woman may claim her father’s arms if she had no surviving
brothers or sons of brothers.
If you have arms
associated with your ancestors, the main question is are they real (blessed by
an official body such as the English College of Arms)? Are these
arms consistent with your family tree?
Major reference texts
are Ordinaries (identifying which symbols were used by which families) and
Armorials (identifying which persons/families used which
symbols). There are also specialized reference texts (e.g. mottoes
and crests).
The peerage (Dukes,
Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons) always had arms as did Baronets and
Knights. Esquires and Gentlemen may or may not have arms. If the
arms had supporters (animals on each side) and crowns, then clearly a peer was
involved. If you have arms associated with an ancestor, any symbol
on those arms must be a part of their ancestry. Conversely, not all
ancestors of your ancestor are represented on the arms of your ancestor
(provided that the arms were correct in the first place).
The language of
heraldry is mostly attributed to Norman French. To “blazon” is to
describe the design of the arms. The “coat of arms” is made up of
the crest, wreath, mantling, helmet, supporters, shield, compartment, and
motto. Each of these parts can tell you something about the
owner. The shape of the shield may identify a woman or a country of
origin.
The blazon
(description) of a coat of arms follows a very specific set of rules which are
universally followed. These rules result in the depiction of a coat
of arms which can be described in detail without the benefit of a picture,
drawing, or the use of colors. Examples include Tinctures which
describe a limited palette of colors and patterns, Hatching uses
lines and dots to indicate the metals and colors of a coat of
arms, Charges identify symbols (like a cross or a standing
lion), Cadences uses symbols to indicate sons on paternal arms in
order of birth, Marshalling allows two or more coats to appear on a
shield (and may identify marriage partners, children, grandchildren, and
marriages to an heiress of arms), Crowns and Helms can denote noble
rank, Mottos can help solve puzzles on the origin of family
artifacts, Cantons can explain the history of a coat of arms
and Crests (which must be associated with a coat of arms) that can
provide the link to a family.
Bookplates came
about as soon as individuals began owning books. In the 18th and
19th Centuries bookplates often used a heraldic symbol. Finding old
bookplates with ancestors’ coat of arms/crests might aid your study as would
wax seals used by your ancestors. These bookplates and wax seals can
help to identify marriage partners, grandparents, etc.
Tomb art can be a
helpful heraldic source. Coats of arms/crests were often displayed
and the Tomb inscription may identify the history of an ancestral coat of arms.
Other excellent places
to find heraldry of your ancestors would include Visitations and family
histories. Old family pedigrees often displayed coats of arms for
significant individuals.
I have reference books on American
Heraldry and would be pleased to help family historians decipher a
coat of arms. I can be found at da3mj4@gmail.com
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