Coats of Arms

Coats of Arms can be held by persons, countries, municipalities and corporations.

• If you are looking for a personal Coat of Arms as a parchment print, wall plaque, key chain, T-shirt or other item, click here.

• If you would like to create lapel pins from your organization's Coat of Arms, click here and choose the item(s) you would like your Coat of Arms to appear on.

• If you need a Coat of Arms designed or created, please click here and enter your request in the "general inquiries" box, or, if you prefer, you can call us toll-free at 1-800 563-8960.

A complete coat of arms (correctly referred to as an Achievement of Arms) includes the following elements:

1. The shield, on which are displayed the symbols (charges).
2. The helm or helmet, varying in style and positioning according to the rank of the bearer. In civic heraldry, it is usually in the form of an esquire.
3. The mantling, originally a cloak attached to the helmet as a protection against heat, cold and rain, now adpated into a formal floral design flowing out from both sides of the helmet.
4. The torse or wreath, consisting of six bands of silk alternately of the colors in the shield, affixed to the helm to hold the crest in place.
5. The crest, used in ancient times for easy identification in battle, today as a traditional symbolic adjunct.
6. The motto, originally, a war cry or slogan. In civic heraldry, it alludes to the aims, virtues, or history of the municipality. The motto is inscribed on a scroll beneath the shield.
7. Supporters, animal or human figures, appear on each side of the shield as if holding it upright, lending additional symbolic strength to the achievement.
8. The compartment of ground on which the supporters stand. It ususally alludes to the area's geography.

Civic arms may include all these elements, but in many cases are limited to the essential ones - the shield and usually the crest. The shield is retained because the integral combination of charges on it is the unique element of identification.

The helmet is often dispensed with because of its asoiation with personal military prowess. When retained, it is used purely as a traditional element. The mantling is often omitted, not only because it is an accoutrement of the helmet, but also because its omission allows for a cleaner, simpler design. The torse is also an accoutrement of the helmet, but is ususally retained for aesthetic reasons, and as a base for the crest. In English civic heraldry, supporters are used to indicate a status of "borough" or higher. Because there is no exact correspondence in our Canadian jurisdictional hierarchy, supporters may be used or omitted.

The decision as to whether all elements should be included in a civic coat of arms is basically a matter of taste. Heraldically, the only indispensible element is the shield. Consideration of symbolic completeness may be legitimately weighed against consideration of simplicity, elegance and symmetry. All this is a matter at the discretion of the municipality and the heraldic artist.