Heraldry

Heraldry (from the Latin heraldus - herald) is the study of crests, their development and use, as well as the art of making them, and the right to use them. 

The theologist and genealogist Philipp Jacob Spener is considered to be the founder of heraldry as an auxiliary historical discipline.

Heraldry is one of the “conservative disciplines”, which means that it carefully guards its rules regarding symbolism and how coats of arms may be designed. This is the reason why only certain symbols and colors may be used in coats of arms.

If you would like to have your own family coat of arms, please see the additional information on the page titled “Coat of Arms”.