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family crests


Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store


Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I see my coat of arms before I order ?
Why can't I see my coat of arms before I order ?

Why our printing is better

How authentic are the surname histories?

Who can have a coat of arms?

What's in a surname history ?

Is this My coat of arms? (Can I legally bear these arms?)

What heraldry books do we use ?

Why don't we have a PHONE NUMBER ?


QUESTION: Does this site help me in the search of my family tree?
ANSWER: Indirectly; our surname history will give to a broad historical review of your last name which includes key name related events and dates.

QUESTION: Can you create a family tree for me?
ANSWER: No; however, we do have a scroll for a two family 'family tree' which includes two family crests and info areas for immediate family members.

QUESTION: What nationalities do you include in your data base?
ANSWER: The name database has names originating from many geographical areas and ethic groups, including the Americas, Europe, Russia, China, Austraila/New Zealand, and so forth. Research on names is on-going, and our data base is continually updated by surname history researchers.

QUESTION: Are people who bought your product satisified with the content?
ANSWER: All products come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we have always had a very low return rate.

QUESTION: Why have I seen a different coat of arms for my name (This doesn't match what I've seen before)?
ANSWER: There are often several different coats of arms for any given surname. Coats of arms were originally granted to individuals, who then passed them down through direct descents. We generally try to find the earliest coat of arms on record associated with a surname or one of its spelling variations, then draw it on the computer according to heraldic standards.

QUESTION: Do you sell genealogies? (Is this my family's history?)
ANSWER: We do not sell genealogies. Our histories are by nature rather general as they are for everyone who ever bore a particular surname rather than a history of any one family line.

QUESTION: What is the difference between Family Crest and a Coat of Arms?
ANSWER: There is a technical difference between a family 'Crest' and a 'Coat of Arms', but people often us the terms interchangeably. A 'Coat of Arms' (full achievement) generally refers to the shield, crest, helmet, mantling and supporters (if any), while the 'Crest' technically only refers to the small image that lies on the helm (top of the helmet). A Coat of Arms that bears a name was originally bestowed to an individual.

QUESTION: Are there Family Crests?
ANSWER: Strictly speaking there is no 'Family Crest', nor 'Family Coat of Arms', but these terms have come into common usage and are therfore use on this web site. The more correct terms are 'Coat of Arms' and 'Armorial bearing'

QUESTION: How do you research names?
ANSWER: From thousands of books regarding the origin and meaning of names, manifests, records and other historic documents pertaining to family names and ancestral coats of arms.

QUESTION: Why aren't my family members mentioned in the history?
ANSWER: We do not pretend to provide genealogical references in our histories, and any reference to members of your own family is purely coincidental. Onomastics is the science that best describes the information we provide.

QUESTION: What is Onomastics?
ANSWER: Onomastics is simply described as the study of names. Specifically, onomastics embraces the study of the origin, form, meaning and use of names, especially proper or surnames, and how these names came into use by a pattern or system.

QUESTION: Do you have names from all over the world on your database?
ANSWER: Our data base contains over a million names, from all over the world, with access to information on millions more names.

QUESTION: What languages are the Family Name Histories available in?
ANSWER: English and Spanish. When a Family Name History cannot be found in a particular language, a translation can be done for a nominal fee upon request. Please contact us if you wish your history to be printed in another language.

QUESTION: Are the Family Name Histories completely authentic?
ANSWER: Yes, each Family Name History and Coat of Arms has been individually researched, using original resources, for a specific request. Each fact contained in a Family Name History has been inserted because of its historical relevance.

QUESTION: Is there a Coat of Arms listed under my name?
ANSWER: Over 95% of names researched have a coat of arms listed for them, so the odds are good that we will find one under yours.

QUESTION: Why do some orders take awhile to process?
ANSWER: Many of our fine products are individually handcrafted, which means that an artist is creating your gift by hand. This process takes time and patience. Some artists and craftsmen are located overseas, and shipping the products from there to your home takes extra time.