Is this
really the POISSANT "family" coat of arms? Well, it may not be exactly what you
think...
There
are many companies in business today who will sell you "your
family coat of arms" on a t-shirt, mug or engraved plaque. While these companies are not
necessarily out to scam you, their sales pitch is very
misleading and, in some cases, downright incorrect. Except
for a few individual exceptions from some parts of Eastern
Europe, there is no such thing as a coat of arms for a surname -
despite the claims of some companies to the
contrary. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families
or surnames. A form of property, coats of arms may rightfully be
used only by the uninterrupted line of male descendants of the
person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Such
grants were (and are) made by the proper heraldic authority for
the country in question.
Throughout history,
many people have used coats of arms
ornamentally without giving much thought to the accuracy of
their design or their own right to use them. The
next time you come across a product or scroll with a family coat
of arms for your surname, remember that just because your
surname is SMITH, for example, doesn't give you the right to any
of the hundreds of coats of arms borne throughout history by
others named SMITH. Therefore, how could an individual or
company that has not researched your direct family tree know
whether you have inherited the right to display a particular
coat of arms? If you're looking for something fun then these
items are OK, though a bit misrepresentative. But if you're looking
for something actually from your own family history, it may be
best to stay away!
If
you would like to learn if a coat of arms was awarded to your
ancestor, you may want to try contacting the College of Arms or
appropriate authority for the country you believe your ancestor
was from and request a search in their records (they usually
provide this service for a fee). In most countries you can also
design and even register your own individual coat of arms based
on the arms of someone who shared your surname, or from scratch
to mean something special to your family and its history.
If
you'd like to order the coat of arms shown above, go here
www.houseofnames.com
If you
are interested in a custom designed coat of arms, try here
www.fleurdelis.com
HOME
