Family Crest Symbols *** (2023)

Family Crest Symbols - Badge

• In medieval Britain, the servants and employees of noble families would wear a badge to identify their allegiance to a particular family or person, their 'Masters' badge

• The badge would often be a single charge taken from the families coat of arms

• Henry VIII's badge featured the Tudor rose and the portcullis

• Catherine of Aragon had a pomegranate on her badge!

• Although traditionally a medieval item, heralds in Britian began granting badges again in 1906, mainly to schools and educational institutions

Family Crest Symbols -Surname The term 'surname' is commonly referred to as 'last name' and is the name given to a person to identify them with a particular family group In the past a 'byname' was assigned to a family in a particular area to distinguish them from others in the same area who also shared the same name Often bynames were given to identify their trade, eg Smith, Farmer, Thatcher or their location. In Japan for example the names Ishikawa meaning "stone river" or Yamamoto which translates to "the base of the mountain" are commonly used

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Family Coat of Arms Symbols - Crest Components

The coat of arms consists of several individual symbols and components, many also include a motto. A motto is a short sentence and many mottos were actual war cries. In Irish heraldry for example, the Butler family rallied their army with the cries 'Butler a Boo'. 'A Boo' was the Erse cry to victory. Other popular mottos were written in Latin or conveyed the families Christian beliefs. The following symbols are all items with make up a coat of arms and are unique to an individual family:

• Supporter (Figures which support the shield of arms)
• Wreath (A twisted piece of material found below the crest on the top of the helmet)
• Crest (A 3-d object found on the top of the helmet)
• Badge (A heraldic device which belongs to a armiger)
• Banner (An oblong shaped flag displaying a knights arms)
• Compartment (The place where the motto, shield and supporters stand)
• Roll of Arms (A catalogue of different coat of arms belonging to a herald)
• Crown or Coronet
• Pavilion or Mantle

Family Crest Symbols - Family Tree
Producing a family tree is something that many families do in an effort to discover their ancestors and find out more about their life. Some people like to name their children after a distant family member whilst others just wish to know where their family originally came from whether it be another state or country. Others wish to discover more about their family background for health reasons. Is there a family history of a particular condition? Some members of estranged or adopted families know little about their medical background and tracing their family tree can help to answer many questions. In Ireland and Scotland the word 'Clan' is used to describe family descendants. The Gaelic word 'Clann' means family and kinship in Ireland is recognised up to the seventeenth generation!

Family Crest Symbols - Family Names
For anyone interested in their own family history, finding their own family crest or coat of arms is a must! Many museums and gift shops sell crest trinkets and gifts containing family emblems including key rings, fridge magnets and framed pictures of family crests which are popular as gifts and ideal for that hard to buy for family member! A family coat of arms is symbolic of that feeling of belonging to a particular group of people and many people all over the world enjoy the task of tracing their ancestors.

Family Crest Symbols - Heraldry Animals
Lions are just one of the beasts which are commonly seen on family crests. The earliest evidence of a lion used as a symbol on a family crest was by the Geoffrey, the Count of Anjou in 1127. He was knighted by his father in law, King Henry I and presented with a crest shield decorated with several golden lions. The lion is symbolic of power and was an obvious choice for medieval knights. Family crests show heraldic beasts in a variety of different poses, these poses are better known as 'attitudes' and there can be up to sixty different attitudes for lions on a family crest! Other popular heraldic beasts include Wolves, Elephants, Tigers, Bears, Boars and Leopards. Some domestic animals are also included on a family crest including cats and dogs. Griffins are also popular animals used in heraldry, they are mythical animals consisting of the head of an eagle and the body of a lion!

Family Crest Symbols