Heraldic myths and misconceptions debunked Anyone who subscribes to the Heraldry Society’s Facebook Group cannot help but notice the frequent requests that arise from new joiners asking for help to ‘identify this crest’ or ‘explain the meaning’ of the charges on a shield. From time to time the old canard of the coat of arms for a surname arises, and these posts usually get a swift reply from someone keen to put the enquirer on the right track. Our recent poll on X (Twitter) revealed that the confusion about crests and coats of arms, and the assumption that there are coats of arms for surnames were the two biggest myths in heraldry. Some years ago, the Heraldry Society published a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which deal with many of the enquiries that arise from heraldic novices. This article seeks to build on that FAQ and address some of the myths and misconceptions that frequently enter heraldic discourse. Note: Throughout this article we refer exclusively to ...
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