Member Rick has fully licensed Heraldic software and can provide Family Crests, Family Histories including meaning of symbols and history of name. Also available are Tartan and Clan Histories from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia. A popular idea is an A3 framed double Coat of Arms showing both families, this makes an ideal, unusual, present for family and friends anniversaries. The crest/Coat of Arms, Although not technically belonging to a family they do provide a beautiful pictorial addition to your family tree. Click the attached file below (bottom of Page), 'Abbott info' to see a sample of a family history Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms Frequently Asked Questions
The "Meaning" of Coats of Arms Generally speaking it is almost always impossible to accurately decipher the meaning of the symbolism on any personal coat of arms. Many of the arms in use today, or on which today's coats of arms are based, were granted hundreds of years ago and if there was ever a specific meaning to the symbols, then this is probably lost in history. Even in situations where there are records of the granting of arms, rarely, if ever, is the symbolic significance recorded. Complex rules apply to the physical and artistic form of new creations of arms, such as the Rule of tincture. A thorough understanding of these rules is a key to the art of heraldry. In Europe originally the rules and terminology were broadly similar from kingdom to kingdom, but several national styles had developed by the end of the Middle Ages. Most aspects, however, remain in common. Though heraldry is nearly 900 years old, it is still very much in use. Many cities and towns in Europe and around the world still make use of arms. Personal heraldry, both legally protected and lawfully assumed, has continued to be used around the world. Heraldic societies exist to promote education and understanding about the subject. ![]() |
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