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Hello and thanks for stopping by our Heraldry online shoppe. Here at the Heraldic Shoppe, we take pride in preserving the ancient tradition of Family Coats of Arms & Family Name Histories at very competitive prices. For over 35 years, The Heraldic Shoppe, with careful and meticulous attention to every detail, have been the leading makers of surname, family tree and family histories and heraldic artwork or designs. Today, our professional team of family history researchers continue our tradition of authentic quality research and meaning about families, not only in Australia, but all over the globe.
Current Specials
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B1 Single A4 Coat of Arms Embroidery
Exquisite 3D hand-stitched embroiderery of your Coat of Arms/ Family Crest of the highest quality worldwide....
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WAS: $245.00 NOW: $195.00 |
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A2. Coat of Arms & Family History Laser Print
Unique to The Heraldic Shoppe, our highest quality laser print ideal for displaying in the home, office or bar. Makes th...
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WAS: $44.00 NOW: $35.00 |
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What Are Coats Of Arms?
Coats of Arms basically originated in the middle ages for the purpose of identification of an individual or family. Throughout the ages, wars, conquests and economic conditions have caused countries boundaries, names, and languages to be changed, sometimes dramatically, for centuries.
A Coat of Arms remains the same and represents the identity of the bearer. The colours (tinctures) and heraldic symbols (charges & ordinaries) on the Coat of Arms have real meaning and is the visual representative of the family name it represents. These colours and symbols used in a Coat of Arms were chosen and designated to show a person’s allegiance & status.
From the crusades, Coats of Arms were the identifying symbol of a person, a family, group, clan(Scottish) or sept (Irish) and helped distinguish friend from foe and to act as a rallying symbol. (like the Scottish Clan badge).
A Coat of Arms was unique to an individual in a country (no two families share the same Coat of Arms in any same country) and was easily recognised by all as so few were able to read. The “Visitation of the Heralds” every 35 years or so ensured this, as they checked that no two were the same and no arms were bearing honours or ”girdles’ that were not awarded to them.
Many different or “sub-branch” coat of arms may also have evolved as families splintered, changed location or passed them to rightful heirs of those particular arms. That is why we often see marks of “cadency” ie: the crescent, which represents a second son.
Here at The Heraldic Shoppe, our team of professional researches, since 1971, have carefully searched out and we use the earliest (senior branch) Coat of Arms associated with that family, as we do the earliest written record of the family name found.
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