Heraldry is the venerable practice of providing arms to people as a way of determining or clarifying rank. A coat of arms is a symbol for a particular family or person, and new coats of arms can be created by merging families through marriage. In battle, such arms helped fighters know which be-suited knight was the one to try and kill; the original form was as a literal coat, worn over the armor, but the arms were also shown on shields.

A coat of arms is the equivalent of a football team uniform

A coat of arms consists of a number of elements, each highly symbolic. The language of heraldry is complex, so there's small wonder that formal bodies exist to interpret it. In England and Wales, this body is called the English College of Arms, and it deals with English and Welsh heraldry.

The entire heraldic symbol is called an "achievement," and consists of elements such as "supporters" (think of the lions and such on either side of a shield), crests and mottos. Interestingly, the word "emblazoned" stems from heraldry. A "blazon" is the formal description of a particular set of arms.

In England and Wales, arms are held by individuals, not families; to qualify, the family tree must be traced up the male line back to someone who originally had the right to bear arms. Thus, heraldry and genealogy are deeply interwoven.

Women and heraldry

Women can have coats of arms through their father or spouse; organizations can also have coats of arms, but that's a different matter. While the arms are passed through the male line, if that male line fails, they can be "transmitted" by a women.

Women can also be granted arms in their own right. Only men take the shield shape for their arms; women's shapes are either lozenges (a diamond) or an oval. On marriage, they can be merged with a husband's arms. The marital coat of arms is "impaled" -- the two coats are placed side-by-side into a new symbol.

About the English College of Arms and heraldry

The Officer of Arms is formally appointed by the monarch to take care of such matters. Traditionally there are three ranks: King of Arms, Heralds of Arms, and Pursuivants of Arms. Queen Elizabeth's 13 permanently appointed Officers in Arms have jurisdiction over most of the Commonwealth -- Scotland, Canada and South Africa make their own arrangements, though Scotland's Lord Lyon King of Arms is still an office in consultation with the Crown.

The above-mentioned Officers in Arms form the Heralds' College or the English College of Arms, which dates back to 1494. The headquarters are on Queen Victoria Street in London and each of the heralds has a private practice in genealogical and heraldic research. They are paid for the role, but such pay is strictly a formality, and hasn't changed since the 1800s. Put another way, the current chief herald earns in the region of ₤49 per annum!

Further reading:

• College of Arms: Frequently Asked Questions
• College of Arms: About (in great detail)

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