Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Baguirre1 t1_jcx6d5a wrote

If your last name is Western European then you most likely already have one. I’m Hispanic and I have 2 different ones myself. One has shells on it (meh) while the other one is 2 wolves shaking hands at a tree (Waaaay cooler)

8

OaksByTheStream t1_jcy6al9 wrote

Yup. A swan and red lions on the first one I saw, which is particularly old and passed down in the family.

Edit: Just took a look for the picture. The crest is actually a swan atop a knights helm, and the red lions are on the shield of the coat of arms. I can't make out the inscription at the bottom of the coat of arms. For anyone wondering, the crest is the bit at the top of the shield(things like helmets, crosses, ships, etc usually depending on what the person did, in order to receive the crest/coat of arms IIRC), and the whole thing with the crest, swirly bits on the outside, and shield with whatever pictures are inside that, is a Coat of Arms.

Coats of arms were only given to aristocracy and people who had done great things to be granted them, at least in the UK. Other places were different.

4

Best_Call_2267 t1_jd0swbo wrote

I've got a book somewhere with pics of some of my ancestors heraldry. The only one I can find atm is pretty boring.

just a helmet on top of a shield with a pheasant on top. Some swishy stuff around it. Boring. No lions or other animals. :(

2

OldKingCanary t1_jcxitae wrote

I was sure you were full of it but supposedly I do have one. Can't tell if I'm actually related to that branch or if it's just the crest of the city with the same name though.

1

HIS-BUFF t1_jd0uwtb wrote

Unless you’ve been granted arms then unfortunately no, you don’t have one. They are not connected to the last name, just the individual

1

HIS-BUFF t1_jd0un9k wrote

If you just googled “family name coat of arms” then you probably found a completely made up design that people get scammed into buying.

Coats of arms (in most traditions) are not attached to the last name, but to the individual otherwise everyone with the surname Smith would have the same design. Unfortunately, you most likely do not already have one

1