


The metamorphosis of words and phrases is not something that is confined to Heraldry. Because that is the meaning the vast majority of people have assigned to them and for centuries. Aware as we are of the historical difference between a Crest and a Coat of Arms we have no problem regarding them as being the same thing. Our view is that people themselves (you and me and everyone else) decide on the actual meaning of a word of phrase and we do so by our usage. Now there are some with a different viewpoint who would not be at all happy with this assertion and would be contemptuous of any attempt to suggest that a Family Crest and a Coat of Arms are the same thing, despite the vast majority of people regarding them as the same. Simply put, if enough people regard a 'family crest' and a 'coat of arms' as the same thing then they are the same thing. New words and phrases are created all the time while existing words and phrases have their meanings altered.

It is not uncommon for words and phrases to have their meaning altered over time depending on their usage. However this distinction has been lost over the centuries and today it is quite common for people to refer to the shield as the 'family crest' or 'coat of arms' as one and the same thing. When it was displayed on its own it often became known as the 'family crest'.Ī Coat of Arms has historically referred to the full 'Achievement', meaning the shield, side-ribbons (mantle), the helmet, and the crest above it. Historically the 'crest' was usually the charge (the lion, sword, crescent or other heraldic device) that was placed above the heraldic shield. There is no difference! This is not an easy question to answer because it depends on your point of view. What is the difference between a Family Crest and a Coat of Arms? Next to be added: Listing of Italian, Welsh, English and Scottish family crestsįrequently Asked Questions about Family Crests, Coat of Arms Listing of the 100 most common Irish family crests July 2009: Listing of the 20 most common Spanish family crests January 2009: 500 new family crests added, mostly beginning with the letter T Make Your Coat of Arms or Family Crest Online Jan 2012: 700 new family crests added, mostly beginning with the letter Pįree coat of arms family crest generator launched. Now the worlds most popular online Coat of Arms Creator!Ģ012-2013: Our Family Crest design for the name Marsh is used in Hollywood Production of the 'Seeking Justice' movieĪpr 2012: 760 new family crests added, mostly beginning with the letter Wįeb 2012: 600 new family crests added, mostly beginning with the letter R May 2016: Extra names added, mostly beginning with the letters X and Z April 2015: Our Free Family Crest Generator is greatly upgraded and expanded.
