|
Family Crest Symbols -
Genealogy & Ancestry
The first use of symbols to identify members of a family is unknown,
as early as In Predynastic Egypt (3100 BC) Serekh symbols were found
in Egyptian hieroglyphs. The 'serekh' symbol was used to indicate
that the text enclosed within it was a royal name. Is this the first
real evidence of heraldry? The Bayeux Tapestry which was created to
record the battle of Hastings in 1066 shows many different emblems
on the shields of the Norman knights and the pennons and standards
carried by the Duke of Normandy's army. Early symbols included
lions, chevrons and simple geometric patterns.
Family
Crest Symbols - Blazon
-
The term
supporter is used to explain the figures on the side of
the knights shield
-
The term
'Blazon' is used in heraldry. It is a language where terms
such as supporter, charge and shield are used
-
Charge is
the term used to describe a particular symbol on a
heraldic device
-
The
term 'Coat of Arms' comes from the garment worn by
knights over their armour, 'Surcoat'
-
Cadency
marks are used in English coats of arms to represent the
rank of sons in a family. Other countries, for example
Canada include cadency marks for daughters
|
 |
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
|
|
 |
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!
Image of a
Knight on Horseback showing examples of symbols
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
|
