This is an index encompassing a wealth of heraldic information detailing the crests, coats of arms, mottoes, and lineages of approximately 137,000 individuals. The collection ranges from richly illustrated books of coats of arms to comprehensive guides on heraldic terms.
It’s important to recognize that sharing a surname does not automatically entitle you to a family coat of arms. For example, not everyone with the surname Spencer is entitled to the Spencer family coat of arms. Coats of arms are awarded to individuals and are specific to particular family lines, not surnames in general. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for different families with varying surnames to share the same coat of arms. To legitimately incorporate a coat of arms into your family history, it’s necessary to trace your ancestry back to the individual who was initially granted that coat of arms.
Determining if you have an ancestral right to a coat of arms involves tracing your paternal ancestry thoroughly and consulting the official records of the appropriate heraldic authority. In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, this authority is the College of Arms, and in Scotland, it’s the Lyon Office.