Anyone Registered with the American College of Heraldry?

[Kilted Cole]

I was just wondering in regards to having ones COA and becoming an armiger, has anyone gone through the American College of Heraldry, why would one go through one organization over another? I won't be able to go through Lyon because that side of my family (patriarcle) immigrated from Ireland and I'm unable to find out anything further back than this.
Thanks for any advice and info.

[Downunder Kilt]

Anyone one can assume a coat of arms in the USA. You do not have to have them registered by any organisation, as the organisations there are private institutions, not a government body as in England, Scotland, Ireland etc. Yes you become a armiger in name, but this does not translate to being a Scottish armiger. As far as I can see the only advantage in registering with an organisation in the USA would be as a proof that you started to use the design of your coat of arms on a specific date. This maybe be useful if someone attempted to use your coat of arms for their own means and you wanted to take legal action to stop it. Perhaps you could look into having your arms registered with the Irish registry.

[Kilted Cole]

I've also heard that Spain is a good option and some Chiefs will acknowledge arms from Spain, is this true? If I'm going to attempt to become an Armiger...I'd like to do this the correct way.

[David Thorpe]

I've also heard that Spain is a good option and some Chiefs will acknowledge arms from Spain, is this true? If I'm going to attempt to become an Armiger...I'd like to do this the correct way.

It would seem to me that if your Chief's acknowledgement is your goal, then a conversation with him would be the place to start.

[ASinclair]

It would seem to me that if your Chief's acknowledgement is your goal, then a conversation with him would be the place to start.

I agree. (I appear to be out of 'Aye's again.)

[Chas]

No registration in the US is recognised by any official body in the US. My advice would be to register in South Africa. Far away cheaper and recognised by the SA government.

[thescot]

I think there might be a couple of advantages to the American College, copyright proof being one of them, as Downunder Kilt pointed out.

Also, I believe they offer assistance in design and can produce a "grant of arms" document with an artist's rendering of the arms. (Since they do not grant the arms, it's not really a grant, but it would be a nice document, I think.) Designing and producing a blazon is not for the unschooled, this I know. Most of us would end up with something garish that looks like a school boy's product.

I believe South Africa also will grant arms to about anyone; it's likely a money maker for them (it likely is for any agency performing the function), and I suppose it would be more official since it comes from a government. There's likely a snob factor in having a government agency grant the arms, I think (no offense intended), but since I am an American through and through, I'm not sure it is really any better in reality than the American College. The point of arms is to distinguish oneself, and a unique design accomplishes that, whatever the source I think. In the end, they all look official if they are well done.

I have considered it myself in the past, and I still may seek my own arms one day, but it has not yet proven important enough to go to the trouble . . . yet. I have spent a good deal of time in trying to design something myself, but I would seek out the help of someone who is adept at it if I were to go forward.

That's my two cents worth anyway. For the record: I am in no way denigrating arms or implying anything negative about them or anyone who holds them. However, in the US, there is no governmental body that controls such and, therefore, any body can produce a nice blazon. Official arms are very nice, and if they're important, one should certainly seek to have them granted.

[thescot]

P.S. After writing the above, I looked more carefully at wiki about South African registration, and that's really all they do: they register arms. It is not controlled by law or anything like in Scotland (heck, no one controls it like Scotland!), but since it comes from a government, I guess it is somewhat more official than the American College would be. But in reality, it's the same thing--a registration.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

P.S. After writing the above, I looked more carefully at wiki about South African registration, and that's really all they do: they register arms. It is not controlled by law or anything like in Scotland (heck, no one controls it like Scotland!), but since it comes from a government, I guess it is somewhat more official than the American College would be. But in reality, it's the same thing--a registration.

Actually, and most people get this completely wrong, the primary function of any office of arms is the registration of those arms commonly used within its jurisdiction. As part of this function an office of arms is required to make sure that identical or confusingly similar arms are not registered to different people (google Scrope v. Grosvenor to see how this works). The devising of arms (which are then registered) is, quite honestly, the secondary function of an office of arms, although nowadays it comprises the bulk of the work of heralds.

[Gael Ridire]

Over twenty years ago I became an Irish armiger when it was still reasonable in price. In the U.S. I simply had drawn on a letter the description of the arms, a drawing, my name, date, Irish herald's office. Folded the paper, taped it and mailed it to myself. With the postal mark on one side it has a date and supposedly can be used as a legal document as proof of ownership of said arms. By registering with ACH it is published in the newsletter making known to all that you are now using such arms as of this date. South Africa is the least expensive but it is a government agency over the ACH which is private. And my understanding is that Spain is no longer an option.