 |
 |
A Coat of Arms, to use the legal term, is an 'incorporeal hereditament' which when granted to an individual can only pass to his male line descendants or those of his father and in exceptional cases grandfather. However, in the event that the grantee or a male line descendant has no sons, his daughter can transmit the family arms to her children provided that her husband is also armigerous. In the past grants of arms were restricted to 'persons of substance' which in today's modern age embraces a much wider circle of people. The attraction of a grant of arms for most people, is that it confers a degree of status in our modern society that is not available in any other form. It is in fact the first step on the ladder to higher honours e.g. an 'MBE', 'Kinghthood', 'Life Peerage' and in exceptional cases an hereditary peerage. For the majority of people, however, a grant of arms is an end in itself.
There are just two ways in which you can acquire a Coat of Arms. The first is to prove your descent from an armigerous ancestor and the second to apply for a grant of arms from the appropriate heraldic authority in England, Ireland or Scotland. Proving your descent from an armigerous ancestor requires detailed genealogical research and, if you believe that you may be descended from a family listed in one of the English Heraldic Visitations, Worldwide Ancestry Research Services would be happy to advise you of the cost and undertake this task for you. If you are of Scottish or Irish descent the procedure is very similar and WARS is very happy to act as your agent wth the relevant heraldic authority in those countries. In the case of Americans, provided you met the criteria and can prove your descent from an ancestor who was living before the American Revolution you should be eligible to apply. If you do not wish to undertake the first option but instead apply for a grant of arms, WARS can advise you of the cost and the criteria that must be met in order for your application to succeed. For individuals who are interested in obtaining a grant of Armorial Bearings from the only official body in the UK that can legally do so, Worldwide Ancestry Research Services will act as your agent and advise you on your eligibility and the procedures plus the cost. For free advice, please contact us either using the Contact Us form or on our telephone number or via email.
|
