What is the difference between registering my coat of arms and getting my arms granted?
A. By registering your coat of arms, you are, in essence, obtaining a de facto copywright of the design of your arms. This will prevent anyone from using your design for themselves. It is similar to a company having a logo or trademark. This is, in essence, your personal logo. Because of the widespread interest in heraldry and posessing a heraldic device, this system is used to formalize and make official coats of arms in countries that have not historically used heraldry or recognized heraldic devices. There are a number of entities that register coats of arms in various countries but keep in mind that they are repositories of information and not entities that grant coats of arms on behalf of a sovereign authority. A grant of arms is somewhat the same thing in that it makes a coat of arms official but it is actually granted by a heraldic authority which acts on behalf of a sovereign. Currently, there are 4 entities that grant coats of arms; the UK College of Arms in Great Britain, The
