In English heraldry there is no such thing as arms associated with a name. There are only arms granted to an individual and his descendants. The original purpose of a coat of arms was to enable knights to recognise one another, even when their faces were completely hidden by armour.
It follows from this that each coat of arms must be unique (not associated with a name), and – as knights were an elite class – coats of arms acquired a status.
Many people must have inherited something with a coat of arms on it. But is it genuine? Have those arms at any point been associated with one of your ancestors?
I inherited a few bookplates with my great-greatgrandfather’s name on them. However, I knew that coats of arms in England and Wales are only granted by the College of Arms under an official called Garter King of Arms. In Scotland such grants are by Lord Lyon King of Arms, and in Ireland by Norroy and Ulster King of Arms.
Key organisations & websites
For England and Wales and also for Ireland, the College of Arms at 130 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4BT () is the access point and they can confirm
