| Family crests are not what you might think. The | | | | neither are members of the clergy. These |
| term "family crest" is sometimes used | | | | exclusions are an historical artifact that arose |
| interchangeably with the heraldic terms | | | | because women and clergymen did not fight in |
| "coat-of-arms" or "family shield," but a family | | | | battle or participate in medieval tournaments, and |
| crest is actually only one portion of the heraldic | | | | accordingly they would not have had a helmet on |
| display known as a coat-of-arms. The crest is | | | | which to display a family crest. Because the |
| usually the uppermost design element in a | | | | stylized representations which we now think of as |
| coat-of-arms, standing on top of an armor helmet | | | | being family crests originated as displays on top |
| depicted in the coat-of-arms. It is analogous to | | | | of actual armored helmets, there was no |
| the crest on top of the heads of some birds. | | | | mechanism to ever create a family crest for a |
| Design Elements in Family Crests. | | | | woman or clergyman. |
| Different animals and other graphic | | | | Family Crests Today. |
| representations may be used in the design of | | | | By law, in several countries, only certain specific |
| family crests. A hand or arm holding a weapon, a | | | | people ("armigers") are technically entitled to bear |
| lion, horse or dragon, or the wings of an eagle or | | | | or use family crests and coats-of-arms, even |
| another bird are often seen. | | | | today. But family crests are such attractive |
| A wreath (torse) in the family liveries (the principal | | | | designs that they have become popular as wall |
| colors of the family shield) usually surrounds the | | | | displays and as part of the design of some |
| crest. In family crests of nobles such as princes, | | | | jewelry. Like coats-of-arms,heraldic family crests |
| dukes or earls, a coronet often takes the place | | | | relate to a specific historical individual or family |
| of the torse or sits on top of the torse. | | | | name, and sometimes they symbolically portray |
| Historical Underpinnings of Family Crests. | | | | that individual's deeds or events that occurred |
| Heraldic coats-of-arms and family crests originated | | | | during the family history. Typically, very specific |
| in Europe's early Middle Ages, and they came into | | | | symbolic devices, colors and patterns are |
| popular use during the feudal period. Medieval | | | | combined to create a heraldic family crest, and |
| knights used their crests and coats-of-arms to | | | | each of these components tells part of the story |
| quickly and easily identify themselves to friends | | | | of the person or family that the crest belongs to. |
| and foes during tournaments and battles. For | | | | They are, however, typically highly stylized and it |
| example, a knight's shield and helmet were usually | | | | is sometimes very difficult to accurately decipher |
| painted with colorful, vivid design elements from | | | | the symbolism used in a family crest. But even |
| his coat-of-arms, oftentimes the family crest. A | | | | when the meaning of a family crest has longbeen |
| similar system - but with different graphics - | | | | lost in the mists of time, it is a beautiful, highly |
| evolved and came into use in feudal Japan. | | | | decorative design that evokesthe magic of the |
| Other than reigning Queens, women are generally | | | | Middle Ages and links us to a noble past. |
| not entitled to bear or use family crests, and | | | | |