What I know – Myths and Fact

The Tremblay Crest was found at the Association of Tremblay’s of America. I can’t honestly say I know to whom this crest belongs. 

Part of my journey into my Family’s history has involved looking into Heraldry. There have been websites and people and companies that have capitalized on the hurry to discover our family’s history.

Well many soon discover that this journey can’t be hurried and it tends to be longer than many are prepared to travel. However, when the bug hits.. it hits hard. Just ask my family. lol

Anyway, back to Heraldry.

First, what is Heraldry?

Well Google defines heraldry as the system by which coats of arms and other armorial bearings are devised, described, and regulated.

The College of Arms is the main regulatory body of Heraldry for the UK and many of the commonwealth nations. Though Canada also has a the Canadian Heraldic Authority and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the Nations of the Commonwealth also have their own.

There is a lot of information on the College of Arms website.  The link goes straight to the FAQ page of the website. There it answers the first question, which I will quote here:

Q. Do coats of arms belong to surnames?

A. No. There is no such thing as a ‘coat of arms for a surname’. Many people of the same surname will often be entitled to completely different coats of arms, and many of that surname will be entitled to no coat of arms. Coats of arms belong to individuals. For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past.

It pains me when I see at flea markets and farmers markets, people who are selling information regarding family surnames and include a Crest, Coat of Arms or Shield with it.  I realize they are just trying to make some money, but they are doing so either dishonestly or they don’t understand heraldry and truly believe that the above quote isn’t true. It really does take everything in me to not say something. Especially when I notice it’s an older man or woman who is doing it.

Heraldry is a beautiful and wonderful thing. When I read the Coat of Arms that are created – what they mean, where they come from – it really does bring a smile to my face. One of my ancestors even has his own Arms

But that Arms doesn’t belong to my family. I can show it off, but I must always be aware and make others aware that it’s not a family Arms. It’s my Ancestor’s Arms. (I will show it off in another post lol)

There have been many Mayne, Savard, Phinney and Roome elements of Heraldry that I have found. Currently those items are lost in my sea of information so I can’t post them here. But I may at some point update the post with that information.

Again, though, none of them belong to a surname and many of them I don’t know who they belong to. If I could find that out perhaps I will do separate post for each one giving as much of the family history that I can find.

In the meantime, thank you for your time. Please keep coming back. Provide any feedback either in comments or send me a message using the contact form!

LK