THE COLORS ON COATS OF ARMS



Family Crest

Family should begin to think about their family histories and their own lives by making a family crest.

BACKGROUND

Discuss family crests. Then brainstorm with family members to get ideas that could represent their family histories or lives. Here are just a few of the many possibilities:

• Flags that represent the countries their families came from

• Pictures of foods that are common to their ethnicity

• Pictures that represent first or last names

• Drawings that depict favorite family events

• Photos that show family celebrations

• List Core Values of your Family

• Think of pictures that help show off those Values

WHAT YOU NEED

• A large piece of paper, at least 11"x14"

• The pictures

• Crayons, markers, pencil

• An outline of a shield

• Glue

• Various pictorial symbols

• Old magazines/newspapers

• Photographs from home

WHAT TO DO

1. On the large piece of paper, trace the shield or draw an outline of any shape (such as an oval).

2. Divide the shape into three or four equal sections.

3. In each section, draw a picture that represents one idea about your family. Some children may prefer to cut out pictures from magazines or use a family photograph. Another alternative is to use a computer, since this activity can be done easily with any drawing program.

4. Laminate the finished crests, if possible.

FAMILY MOTTO Suggestions

Faithful to the end

Always faithful

Friendship and Honor

Love Proved

Love and Honor

Courage and Faith

By skill and valor

By skill not force

By truth and diligence

Seize the present

Embrace the Rain

Swift and bold

What will be will be

Seek and you will find

Steady and Faithful

Heart and Hand

A Trustworthy friend

With Jesus

A Steadfast Heart

All Courage: No fear

Promise Keeper

For God’s Glory

God is our strength

Hope in the Lord

Strong in Faith

We will serve the Lord

Followers of Jesus

Disciples of Christ

Doers of the Word

Strong is the truth

Faith is my glory

Family First

Honor and Virtue

Live, laugh, love

Values: (pick four)

Accepting

Accomplished

Adventurous

Affectionate

Ambitious

Animal Loving

Articulate

Artistic

Aspiring

Assertive

Balanced

Believing

Brave

Open Minded

Open Hearted

Open Handed

Capable

Caring

Giving

Chaste

Cheerful

Responsible

Compassionate

Competent

Christ-like

Cooperative

Courageous

Creative

Daring

Dedicated

Dependable

Determined

Devoted

Dignified

Diligent

Disciplined

Educated

Empathetic

Enduring

Fair

Faithful

Forgiving

Free

Friendly

Fun

Genuine

Goal Oriented

Good

Peaceful

Loyal

Loving

Respectful

Responsible

Reverent

Truthful

Tolerant

Trustworthy

Virtuous

Wise

Valiant

|THE COLORS ON COATS OF ARMS |

|Color |Meaning |Image |

|Or (Gold) |Generosity |        |

|Argent (Silver or White) |Sincerity, Peace |  |

|Purpure (Purple) |Justice, Sovereignty, Regal |  |

|Gules (Red) |Warrior, Martyr, Military Strength |  |

|Azure (Blue) |Strength, Loyalty |  |

|Vert (Green) |Hope, loyalty in love |  |

|Sable (Black) |Constancy, Grief |  |

|Tenne or Tawny (Orange) |Worthwhile Ambition |  |

|Sanguine or Murray (Maroon) |Victorious, Patient in Battle |  |

|LINES ON COATS OF ARMS |

|Name |Meaning |Image |Irish Example |

|Nebuly Line |Clouds or Air |[pic] |

|Wavy Line |Sea or Water |[pic] |Gillespie |

|Embattled Line |Fire, Town-Wall |[pic] |Patterson |

|Engrailed Line |Earth, Land |[pic] |Feeney |

|Invecked Line |Earth, Land |[pic] |Rowe |

|Indented Line |Fire |[pic] |Power |

|SHIELDS ON COATS OF ARMS |

|Name |Meaning |Image |Irish Example |

|Chief |Dominion, authority, wisdom, achievement in|[pic] |Graham |

| |battle | |Fleming |

| | | |Dolan |

|Pale |Military strength, fortitude |[pic] |Delaney |

| | | |McCall |

|Bend |Representative of a Knights scarf - |[pic] |Plunkett |

| |signifies Defence | |Gilmore |

| | | |Quigley |

|Fess |Signifies the Military Belt - represents |[pic] |Harty |

| |Honour | |Nagle |

| | | |Baker |

|Chevron |Represents the roof of a house - signifies |[pic] |Tully |

| |Protection, faithful service | |Alexander |

|Cross |Christian, one who had served in the |[pic] |Fitzgerald |

| |Crusades | |Nolan |

| | | |Taaffe |

|Saltire |St. Andrew's cross, signifying Resolution, |[pic] |Keating |

| |Resolve | |Jameson |

| | | |McHugh |

|Pile |represents wood used in bridge-building - |[pic] |Young |

| |signifies construction, building | |Caldwell |

|Canton |Representative of a flag 'added' to the |[pic] |Hussey |

| |arms, and may contain a charge granted by a| |McEnchroe |

| |Sovereign | | |

|Bordure |Represents Honour, as used to differentiate|[pic] |Behan |

| |between family members | |McAllister |

|HERALDIC BEASTS |

|Name |Meaning |Image |Irish Example |

   

|Lion |Fierce Courage. |[pic] |Lawlor |

| |In Ireland the Lion represented the 'lion'| |Dillon |

| |season, prior to the full arrival of | |Condon |

| |Summer. The symbol can also represent a | | |

| |great Warrior or Chief. | | |

|Tiger |Fierceness and valour |[pic] | |

|Fish |Of Regal origin, one of high nature. |[pic] |Roche |

| |In Ireland the Fish is associated with the| |O'Neill |

| |legend of Fionn who became the first to | | |

| |taste the 'salmon of knowledge'. The | | |

| |Celtic 'Otherworld' was often a place of | | |

| |water, a lake or sea, where would dwell | | |

| |Gods represented by fish. | | |

|Bear |Fierce Protection |[pic] |McKee |

|Wolf |Perseverance in siege or effort |[pic] |Callaghan |

| | | |Wilson |

|Leopard |Valiant and enduring warrior |[pic] |Wheeler |

| | | |Price |

| | | |Rice |

|Horse |Readiness for duty |[pic] |O'Halloran |

| | | |Rush |

|Bull |Valour and magnanimity |[pic] |Buckley |

|Boars Head |Hospitality |[pic] |Pierce |

| | | |Healy |

|Conies (Hares and |Peace-loving |[pic] |Gaffney |

|Rabbits) | | | |

|Fox |Wise defence, wisdom |[pic] | |

|Dog (Talbot, |Courage, fidelity, loyalty |[pic] |Allen |

|Greyhound) | | |Gaffney |

|Dolphin |Affection, charity |[pic] |O'Regan |

|Stag, Buck or Deer |Skillful, Politic, lover of harmony. |[pic] |Green |

| |In Ireland the Stag was one of the most | |Hennessy |

| |ancient of charges and was regarded as the| | |

| |most handsome. The Stag represents the | | |

| |very ancestors of the Celtic race. | | |

|HERALDIC BIRDS |

|Name |Meaning |Image |Irish Example |

|Martlet/Swallow |One who has been disposessed of land. Sign |[pic] |McGill |

| |for fourth son. | |McCoy |

| |In Ireland the Martlett was the bird of | | |

| |perpetual movement. | | |

|Eagle |Protector, a person of action, noble |[pic] |Harrison |

| |nature, power, strength. | |Dunne |

| |In Ireland the eagle, along with other | | |

| |birds, was regarded as one of the 'demons | | |

| |of the air' and was thus a very popular and| | |

| |powerful charge. | | |

|Peacock |Beauty, pride |[pic] |  |

|Swan |A musical person, poetry, harmony |[pic] |Sinnott |

| |In Ireland the Swan was regarded as the | | |

| |bird that bore the spirit of a dead Celtic | | |

| |Chieftain sway to the next life. | | |

|Dove |Love, Peace. |[pic] |Nash |

| |In Ireland the Dove was regarded as the | |Sheehan |

| |bird of God. | | |

|HERALDIC PLANTS |

|Fleur-de-lis |Sixth son |[pic] |Fitzpatrick |

| |In Ireland this 'flower of light' can | |Phelan |

| |often have a Christian significance. | | |

|Oak Tree and Leaves, Acorns|Antiquity and Strength |[pic] |O'Connor |

| |In Ireland the Oak tree was the most | |Hegarty |

| |noble of the Chieftain trees. | | |

|Holly |Truth |[pic] |  |

|Apples, Pears, Fruit |Freedom, Peace |[pic] |Abbott |

| | | |Hegarty |

|Wheat Sheaf/Garb |Plentifulness, achievement of hope. |[pic] |Rowe |

| |In Ireland the Garb often represented the| |Canavan |

| |fertility of a particular area. Saint | | |

| |Kieran blessed the corn crop so the | | |

| |symbol was sometimes used as a mark of | | |

| |respect to him. | | |

|Red Rose |Hope, Joy. Symbol for the seventh son. |[pic] |White |

|Trefoil/Shamrock |Perpetuity, longevity. |[pic] |Thompson |

| |In Ireland the Shamrock was used by Saint| |McCready |

| |Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity and | | |

| |thus has Christian significance. | | |

|Quatrefoil/Primrose |Good tidings of Spring |[pic] |  |

|Double quatrefoil |Sign of the ninth son |[pic] |  |

|Cinquefoil |Hope, Joy |[pic] |Lambert |

| | | |Langan |

|OTHER HERALDIC CHARGES |

|Name |Meaning |Image |Irish Example |

|Escallop Shell |Successful commander, one who has made |[pic] |Ellis |

| |long journeys | |Graham |

|Heart |Sincerity, truthfulness, charity |[pic] | |

| | | |Adams |

|Hand |Faith, sincerity, justice |[pic] |Cullen |

| |In Ireland the open hand was often used| |Mangan |

| |as a means of communicating through the| | |

| |ancient language known as 'Ogham'. The | | |

| |open hand may have also signified the | | |

| |sun. | | |

|Red Hand |The mark of a Baronet. |[pic] |Breen |

| |In Ireland the open red hand is often a| |McKeown |

| |symbol of the Province of Ulster. | | |

|Arm |An industrious person |[pic] |Smith |

|Arm with armour |A person fit for high deeds |[pic] |McNally |

| | | |Armstrong |

|Human Head |Honour |[pic] |  |

|Crown |Regal or senior authority, heavenly |[pic] |Ward |

| |reward | |Humphreys |

|Finger Ring or Annulet|Fidelity. Sign of the fifth son. |[pic] |Fitzgibbon |

| | | |Young |

|Lozenge |Honesty, constancy, noble birth |[pic] |Lavin |

|Anchor |Hope |[pic] |Allen |

|Ship, Lymphad, Boat, |Hope, a sea-faring tradition |[pic] |Campbell |

|Galley | | |McDonald |

| | | |O'Leary |

|Axe |Military duty |[pic] |McCourt |

|Tower |Grandeur, society, wealth |[pic] |Kelly |

| | | |O'Shaughnessy |

|Cross |Of Christian significance. May also |[pic] |Devlin |

| |refer to families who engaged in the | | |

| |Crusades. | | |

|Cross Moline |Eight son |[pic] |Scully |

|Label |First son |[pic] |  |

|Cushions |A mark of authority |[pic] |Johnston |

| | | |Redmond |

|Estoile (a star with |God's goodness, superiority |[pic] |Curry |

|wavy points) | | | |

|Mullet (5-pointed |Divine quality bestowed by God. Sign of|[pic] |Cunningham |

|Star) |the third son. | |Murray |

|Sun |Glory, Splendour, Authority. |[pic] |Brady |

| |In Ireland the Celts worshiped the sun | | |

| |as well as other celestial bodies. The | | |

| |invocation of the sun would be the same| | |

| |as invoking truth. | | |

|Crescent |Hope of glory, one who has been |[pic] |Waldron |

| |enlightened. Sign of the second son. | |Mangan |

|Hunting Horn |A person of high or noble pursuits |[pic] |Hunter |

| | | |Close |

|Arrows, Arrow-Heads |Military readiness, affliction |[pic] |Cooney |

| | | |Hanley |

|Spear |Devotion to honour, knightly service |[pic] |  |

|Spear-head/Pheons |readiness for battle |[pic] |Sharkey |

|Horse-Shoe |Good Luck |[pic] |Sexton |

| | | |Ferris |

|Maunch/Sleeve |A symbol of devotion, victory in |[pic] |Croke |

| |tournament | | |

|Chain |A mark of honour and obligation |[pic] |Kelly |

|Helmet |Wise defence |[pic] |Kennedy |

| | | |Traynor |

|Torch |Zealousness, a signal service |[pic] |Smith |

|Book |if open: Manifestation, if closed: |[pic] |King |

| |Counsel | | |

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