When many people go looking for a family coat of arms, they tend to discover two different pieces of information. They may find either an image of the actual coat of arms or they may find a portion of text that describes the coat of arms. These descriptions can be confusing to anyone who is not familiar with the way that they are written. The system of describing what a coat of arms looks like is known as blazoning.

Blazoning can be used to describe a coat of arms, a flag or any other emblem that has similar elements. The system of blazoning was developed to make sure that there was a consistent description which could be recorded for official records. Since no two people draw an image the same way, this precise record was very important.

How a blazon is recorded

Because it is an official record of a seal, crest or coat of arms, a standard method of describing that item had to be developed. That way someone who was familiar with the language could look over the description and instantly picture what the image would look like. If someone were to read the description of a seal, badge, banner or coat of arms, they would see that it is written according to the following formula.

The first part of the description includes what the background looks like. This area is known as the field and it can either be a single color or a pattern. If there is a pattern, it is referred to as a variation and the colors that are used are then listed. A divided shield (such as one that is made up of four separate quarters) would have the type of division listed and then a description of each of the areas would be included. These always go from the left hand side of the shield as a person is looking at it. Emblems are referred to as charges. The description of any emblem on the shield is listed along with the colors used and then the direction that the emblem is facing.

Other elements of the shield or coat of arms

Once the main part of the coat of arms is described, other elements are then added to the end of the description. Some of these include crowns or coronets, helmets, crests, mantles and mottos. Each description starts with what the decoration is and then the color that is used on the shield.

Some descriptions may be quite lengthy especially if the crest or coat of arms is a complex one that is made up of many different elements. The descriptions are usually written at least partially in French. This is because when the blazoning terms and language was developed, French was the language being used by many clerks, even those who were working in English courts. The fact that the descriptions follow French language customs is the main reason why the description of a specific element (such as its color) comes after the name of the item itself.

The study of blazoning can be a fantastic one for people who are interested in their family history. Because many of the elements tell about the deeds of particular ancestors it can be a great way to find out more about where a family came from and what its accomplishments were.