How to Make Your Family Coat of Arms

Some family coat of arms are still in use today, especially in Europe.

Coat of arms have been around for centuries. They were first used in western Europe to denote the different noble families that inhabited the area, or to denote different peoples during times of war. Some of those crests have carried over to America today, and are still used in Europe, especially in the royal families. You can build your own family coat of arms by creating every part of a coat of arms to depict your family and what they stand for. This includes expressing your morals, beliefs, and other important things that encompass your family and its history.

Things You'll Need

• Colored pencils
• Scissors
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Draw a shield. The shield should have a straight edge top and curve down to a point. Separate the shield into four sections by drawing a “+” inside the shield.

2. Draw four different things in each of the four sections that represent your family. This can include the logo of a family business, family traditions such as sports, an animal, or a symbol like the fleur-de-lis.

3. Draw a banner directly below the shield. Make this as decorative and extravagant or as simple as you want. Write your family name in the banner.

4. Draw two shield supporters to either side of the shield. Lions have been typical, but you can use any animal you desire, or even something that is not an animal. The shield supporters need to be touching the top corners of the shield.

5. Draw a helmet between the shield supporters on the top of the shield. Design this helmet in any fashion you and your family likes.

6. Draw the top crest above the helmet. Choose three things that describe your family and draw them going up the paper above the shield. In between the top two items, draw another banner and write your family name in the banner again.

7. Color in the family coat of arms as desired. Frame, make copies to send out to your family or scan it and use it as the desktop of your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• Search your family name online to see if there is already a family crest.

• Never use another family crest as your own. This may upset members of other families.

References

• 20-20 Site: Family Crest Coat of Arms: The History of the Family Crest and Coat of Arms
• The Tree Maker: Design Your Own Coat of Arms Symbol or Company Logo