Did you know that most family names have their own coat of arms? Coats of arms, aka family crests, were found first in the 13th Century in the United Kingdom. There is no record of these being present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, nor were they apparent by the beginning of the twelfth century.In the 13th Century however, coats of arms were common throughout Europe; helped no doubt by the Crusades. What has become known as ‘heraldry’ became firmly established.
Various recommendations have been put forward regarding the origin of Coats of arms, also known as family crests,, for example: banners, tabards and of course shields. Probably, once a design had been adapted, it would have been put to many personal items at the same time. To qualify as a coat of arms, a design must be capable of being depicted on a shield, but the name is derived from the linen tabard which was worn over the armor and upon which the design was shown. This was called a surcoat, which lead to the term ‘coat of arms’.
What purpose then did a coat of arms serve and why were they important? In battle the leaders were landowners who each had their own band of men drawn from their land. Most were illiterate and they had trouble identifying their leader once he was dressed in a protective suit of armor, particularly once the face guard was closed. To make the leader easily recognizable by his men, he displayed his family crest on his shield and on his surcoat.
At first, armorial devices were the prerogative of the upper class. In early times even land could not pass from one person to another without the license of the king, and the sovereign was also involved in the granting of coats of arms. However, pretty soon other families in what might be called the middle classes started displaying their own, although ‘heralds’ and other officers of the government tried in vain to keep the use of Coats of arms, also known as family crests, confined to a privileged few.
In current times heraldry has become popular with many families hanging shields and prints of the family name’s coat of arms on their walls, and using the arms on letterheads and in company logos. A few individuals would advise that you have no right to display your family name’s arms, but any copyright will have expired several centuries ago and, anyway, no harm is being done.

Share This

Share This