The shield, or escutcheon, is the centre piece of a coat of arms.
It is highly stylized and brightly painted with symbols unique to a particular family.
These shields are works of beauty, each with their own special objective meaning
and singular significance to every individual member of a family, kin or race.
Family Shields as Historical Arms
Family shields make wonderful gifts for those seeking to display
their pride in their family’s history and heritage.
Family shields are a main part of every family’s heritage, having been passed
down through generations, often over hundreds of years. Although many
shields in heraldry began as components of coats of arms that made individual knights recognizable.
They slowly came to identify, not just individual people, but families as well.
As heraldic arms became hereditary, passed down through armigers, and more popular,
in large due to the medieval tournament, family shields became more prevalent as tokens of pageantry.
Arms and the Medieval Tournament
The popularity of heraldic arms rose with the popularity of tournament,
which was developed in the mid-eleventh century in France.
By the turn of the fifteenth century, arms had actually become mandatory for knights participating in tournaments.
And, pageantry at these events became more elaborate as time went on, as did shields.
Because status was so important in tournaments and other forms of pageantry,
heraldic arms became a mark of noble status.
Family Shields Today Honour Your Family History and Values
Family shields today are often elaborate, and have several tinctures.
This essentially means that the shield is split into halves or quarters, often with markings unique to each section.
Shields also take all different kinds of shapes, and harbour all different kinds of images.
Every combination of shape, symbols and tinctures is unique. It is this unique heraldic arm that you
can hang on your wall to commemorate its origins, your family’s ancestors and how much you value your roots.
Your family shield is that beautiful, history-rich ornament missing from your mantle or wall.
Its bright colours will draw attention to its fine craftsmanship and to your esteem of your family values.
A Coat of Arms is sometimes also called a Family Shield, Family Seal or Family Crest.
Contacting us
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