Why not see what your family crest could look like based on your own family characteristics?
- First enter your family name.
- Then enter your family motto. Don't have one? Be creative!
- Choose two crest colours based on the family characteristics offered. Remember if you choose the same qualities for both colours it will be the same colour!
- Choose a shield based on the family characteristics offered.
- Choose an icon based on the family characteristics offered.
- Enjoy your new family crest! Right click on your mouse to save your new family crest.
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Coat of arms history
Traditional family crests stemmed from heraldic arms, also known as coat of arms or armorial bearings.
Heraldic arms were common throughout Europe in the Middle Ages (the 1000 years between the 5th and the 16th century).
Historically heraldic arms were a design belonging to a particular person or group of people. These designs tended to be used by knights and noble men to identify them apart from enemy soldiers. In such traditions these coat of arms were passed from father to son or from wife to daughter.
Over time the use of such crests moved from the military to families, regions and other institutions such as educational institutions.
In times past your own family ancestors would have approached a heraldic artist or officer of arms to design your family crest. You can do a family search using marriage records and obituaries, or obits, to learn more about your ancestry and the origins of your family crest. Your ancestors would have chosen attributes of that family that the officer of arms would depict in the family crest. These attributes would tend have been depicted through various shield designs, colour(s) and symbols, known as ‘charges’, such as animals and plant designs.