Process of Receiving Arms from South Africa

[hkjrb623]

hkjrb623, I know you my read Cyngus response and feel a bit dubious; however, its very true. I also thought that families had arms....went so far at to purchase my first surname coat of arms items years ago in Georgia for $30..which was a lot back then for a bit of paper. However, those arms belong to one person. Arms are property of an individual that can be passed down to his heirs, and even then only the oldest son (in English, Irish, and Scottish tradition) receive the exact arms after the armiger dies. All the rest of the kids can get the arms matriculated with some difference to show they weren't the oldest.
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My family has only had one coat of arms, and it has only been given to the oldest sons. That is why I'm in possession of it now. I wasn't really aware of it being a more common tradition, I just accepted it as a close family tradition. I learn something everyday.

No offense meant, I just don't understand why this is so important. Passing on the knowledge of your family's heritage seems more important than a piece of paper in my opinion. I didn't pay close enough attention to completely learn mine as most kids do. Now I have to go through the paces to try to chase down the lineage. I should have just listened before some of them passed. Besides if this was used as an identifier in combat, isn't it sort of false advertisement if you're not using it for that?

[WVHighlander]

It is important to me because there is no lineage to pass down, and I am using it as an illustration...a marking point to begin a lineage. Next, my identifiers for combat (unit patch, regimental markings, etc.) do not belong to me they belong to the U.S. Army. This Coat of Arms is mine and it embodies symbolism important to me, my family and it will stand as a marker for the expectations I have of my children and I hope they will have for theirs.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

My family has only had one coat of arms, and it has only been given to the oldest sons. That is why I'm in possession of it now. I wasn't really aware of it being a more common tradition, I just accepted it as a close family tradition. I learn something everyday.

No offense meant, I just don't understand why this is so important. Passing on the knowledge of your family's heritage seems more important than a piece of paper in my opinion. I didn't pay close enough attention to completely learn mine as most kids do. Now I have to go through the paces to try to chase down the lineage. I should have just listened before some of them passed. Besides if this was used as an identifier in combat, isn't it sort of false advertisement if you're not using it for that?

Heraldry grew out of a need to mark property, and to verify agreement to legal documents during an era that was by-and-large totally illiterate. Heraldry was commonly used to prove ownership of everything from pots and pans to buildings, while a wax seal, emblazoned with the heraldic cognizances of its owner, provided irrefutable authentication to a signature or mark placed on a document, especially wills, those legal documents so necessary for the orderly transfer of property from one generation to the next.

So, while heraldry was used as a personal identifier in combat (most often as a flag or banner), it's general use was far wider than the battlefield -- hence its survival in the present day as a means of identifying members of distinct families, their relationship to one another, and as one means of identifying the property they own. In short, far from being a "false advertisement" of military prowess, heraldry is a Technicolor book mark in the history and heritage of one's family.