HERALDRY & COATS OF ARMS

Heraldry emerged in western Europe in the 12th century to meet the necessity for military identification. It was originally developed by the military aristocracy as a hereditary system of identification using visual symbols according to certain conventions. The term is commonly accepted as pertaining to the devising, granting, and use of Coats of Arms, or armorial bearings. This type of symbology became so popular that it was soon adopted by civilian individuals and by corporate bodies such as town governments, universities, and the church, and eventually by regiments and national states. Strictly speaking, the term heraldry has a wider significance, covering all the functions of a herald, or officer concerned with arms, genealogy, ceremonies, and precedence.

A Coat of Arms was originally a light tunic (i.e. a surcoat extending down to the knees) decorated with symbology and worn over battle armor. The symbology served to identify the wearer (whose face might be covered by the visor of his helmet) as the member of a particular family or group. The symbology itself eventually became known as a Coat of Arms.

Heraldry is as much a science as an art. Heraldry usually refers to the Coat of Arms for a particular surname pertaining to a specific locality. However, in many cases, particularly with common surnames such as Smith, etc., there are several different Coats of Arms for the same surname, each pertinent to a different lineage and locality. Coats of Arms also vary according to generations. In most countries, the original Coat of Arms was handed down to the oldest son. Hence, each succeeding son's Coat of Arms was slightly modified or altered. This has resulted in several different Coats of Arms for descendants of the same family which have developed over a period of several generations for the same locality.

For individuals who are interested in obtaining their family's Coat of Arms, we recommend locating the original Coat of Arms which pertains to the surname and locality of their ancestors. Our Heraldry Specialists will assist you in locating the original Coat of Arms for your surname. In addition, our staff of professional illustrators can assist you in enlarging and providing color to your Coat of Arms making it suitable for framing. Above is a sample of an illustrated Coat of Arms in full color.

In addition to heraldry and coats of arms, our Professional Genealogists and Family Historians specialize in Genealogy & Family History Research, including Development & Publication of your family's history and genealogy. Other services we provide include Surname Origins, Computer Genealogies, Photo Enhancement & Restoration, Family History Videos, Family Trees Illustrated for Display.

We utilize the World's Largest Genealogy and Family History Library located in Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition to the records obtained by the Genealogy and Family History Library, we also utilize our World-Wide Network of Professional Genealogists and record searchers for locating unfilmed and unpublished records not available at the genealogy and Family History Library.

We invite you to browse through our web-site and check out the services offered by our research firm. Merely click on the options listed in the left margin of this web-site for additional information on the various subjects. For information on research rates and expenses, click on To Begin Research.