How are coats of arms inherited?
A. As above, in the heraldic sense there is no such thing as a “FAMILY CREST” or a “FAMILY COAT of ARMS”. A Coat of Arms was presented to an individual not to a family. The coats of arms of the sons of noblemen were different from the coat of arms of the father. In many cases the differences are subtle and might not be readily noticeable to a casual observer but they often pointed out the position of the son within the family. Most coats of arms were not “inheritable” as is, but had to be either slightly or drastically altered to make them unique. These days, the laws on this subject are not so stringent and a direct male descendant throught the patriarchal line of a past armiger may be allowed to “assume” the arms of his ancestor. However, a significant amount of proof of descent with documenttation will always be required in order to assume the arms. If you receive any advertisements from any companies offering you your “Family Crest” or “Coat of Arms” please be careful before you bu
