The evolution of a family coat of arms

The changes that a coat of arms or crest goes through from generation to generation can make for an entertaining story. If you are fortunate enough to have a family history that allows you to trace your family’s coat of arms from generation to generation you may find that it is quite different in later years than it may have been when the family was first awarded the right to bear arms.

Of course, each of the changes that were made was subject to the rules of heraldry. The rules included how colored areas and metallic areas could be displayed, how the coat of arms was described and which headgear could be used on a coat of arms. This last feature directly related to a person’s social standing.

A coat of arms could change over time
It was possible for a coat of arms to change over time. There were several reasons that this could happen. One of the first reasons was that a family member may have added cadency marks that showed their birth rank. A first-born son and heir would have different cadency marks on their coat of arms than a second, third or fourth son would have.

A person may have also moved up or down in terms of their social class. There were different types of helmets or headgear used on a coat of arms in order to tell what a person’s social rank was. If someone earned additional noble titles this was often reflected on their family coat of arms.

It may have been too much like another coat of arms
There are times that a coat of arms may have been too close to one belonging to someone else. There have been historically documented cases of someone being forced to change their coat of arm because someone complained that it looked too similar to another. It may have meant that a charge (an image of an animal, plant, object or person) would need to be added or that the color scheme would have to be altered.

Accomplishments could change the look of a coat of arms
A person’s accomplishments could also change the look of their coat of arms. If they performed some great service for a monarch or a government they may have been given the right to add specific charges to their coat of arms. For example, if a person performed a great service for the monarch of France they may have been granted the right to use the fleur de lys on their crest or coat of arms.

This may have also been the case if a family adopted a motto. On some coats of arms a motto may be positioned at the bottom below the shield and the supporting animals. Not every family had a motto and some may have added a motto to their crest at a later date.

If you are researching your family’s crest or coat of arms it can be interesting to see whether there were any changes that took place over time. It can be a wonderful way to connect to your family’s history.