How to Find My Family Insignia
A family's insignia, known today as a coat of arms, originated in England during the 12th century when knights painted them on their shields to serve as identification during battles. Over time, the king became the only individual with the power to bestow coats of arms to individuals, not families or surnames, to be used by that person and his direct descendants. With careful study of your family lineage and intensive research, you can often discover your own family insignia and learn a great deal about your family history while doing so.
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Instructions
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Determine your family's country of origin. Your search strategy will vary depending upon this country; most insignias originated in Europe. In England and Ireland, the coat of arms belonged to an individual but not to the family, while some countries, such as Poland, granted the coat of arms to the entire family lineage. According to Bob Brooke of GenealogyToday.com, over 82 percent of Americans with one bloodline going back to England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland possess at least one royal relative granted a coat of arms.
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Contact the royal college of arms, the repository of coat of arms and pedigree information, in your family's country of origin for information on your family's insignia. The college's officers of arms, experts trained in heraldry (the study of coat of arms and other family insignias), can be hired to help you discover your family's insignia and gain permission to display the coat of arms. Since this process can be expensive, some people prefer to attempt their own research.
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Conduct your own genealogical research to find any royal persons entitled to bear a coat of arms existing within your family tree. This process often involves extensive genealogical research and might take several years, depending upon your surname and other variables. Joining a reputable genealogical site such as Ancestry.com or GenealogyToday.com can help you learn the specific steps involved in conducting this type of research.
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Tips & Warnings
No legal body governs the uses of coat of arms, so you are not obligated to gain any type of official sanction from your country of origin's college of arms to display the insignia.
According to the English College of Arms, the family lineage must be traced through the paternal line, so you will need to concern yourself with ancestors from your father's side of the family.
Consider searching for your family insignia within one of the numerous commercial databases associated with companies that sell various coats of arms and family insignias. Keep in mind that the surname-based insignias offered on the websites offer pure entertainment value and lack any type of historic accuracy.
While there is generally no harm in purchasing a generic surname coat of arms to hang on your wall, in some places it is considered disrespectful to display a coat of arms not belonging to your actual lineage.
