Using a Family Crest in the Digital Age

The Comeback of the Crest

If you’ve ever watched TV shows like Game of Thrones, you likely get the chills whenever a house banner appears on the show. Or when a crow delivers a letter, stamped with a family crest. You just know something huge is about to happen whenever you see the direwolf of House Stark, the lion from House Lannister, or the dainty rose from House Tyrell. 

Using a coat of arms design is a meaningful way to strengthen generational identity. While you won't be needing it on a banner to start a war on Westeros, you can use your family crest to enhance your designs and personal brand and add a touch of history to your homes. 

If you’re interested in making your own digital family crest, read on to know why making one can strengthen generational identity while giving a unique oomph to your personal and social life in the digital era. 

Why It Matters Today

Family crests and coats of arms were used by knights and noble families. They were like the IDs of the medieval period, so to speak.

Noble families would put them on banners, personal belongings, and family heirlooms to preserve honor and pride for the next generations. The symbols in coats of arms and family crests were carefully chosen and elaborately painted or engraved to make sure that anyone who spots it will know which noble family it belonged to. 

Well-known brands pretty much work the same way. Let’s cite the famous Starbucks as an example. You’d know coffee is from Starbucks, not because of how it smells or looks (unless you’re a gifted coffee connoisseur, of course), but because of the green siren named Melusine stamped on its cup. You can spot a Starbucks coffee cup from a distance. 

This is an example of modern heraldry. The use of heraldic symbols on contemporary designs like logos, personal branding, and even as decor to pay tribute to family heritage or history in the modern era while making yourself stand out from others. 

Ever wondered why you can easily spot a local family business just by its logo? Now you know 😉.

How to Use Family Crests IRL or Online

Family crests are like the cool logos of family brands. They carry deep stories and values from years ago. Using them in the digital era makes so much sense when you want to stand out but, at the same time, emphasize personality. So, how do we bring the art of storytelling and family history into the digital age?

1. Business Logo

Modern heraldry gives a sense of tradition and trustworthiness to business logos and personal branding. Adding your family crest can give a unique story to your audience to build connections and grow your business. An example of infusing heraldic symbols into your brand is customizing a family crest for your letterheads, business cards, and many more. 

2. Video Watermark

If you’re a filmmaker, YouTuber, or an editor with personal film projects, a digital family crest subtly sitting at the bottom of your video is a unique way to add more personality to your videos. 

3. Home Decor

Family crests make for perfect home decor. Go for a big-framed family crest if you want it at a central point in your room, or opt for engraved brass or glass plaques for a subtle nod to your ancestors. 

4. Jewelry

If you’re more of a sentimental-minimalist type, engraving your family crest on a jewelry piece like a ring is a meaningful and fashionable way to carry your family values with you wherever you go. Sharing a coat of arms design with your family is a way to strengthen your generational identity. Plus, it would make every reunion so fun during picture taking! 

5. Wedding Invitations

Imagine merging your partner’s and your family crests! It can be a meaningful way to commemorate a new beginning together, blending your heritages as a symbol of unity while adding an elegant flair to your celebration.

What To Include in Your Design

If you’re looking into how to make your own family crest, you can start by digging into your family history, such as genealogy and heraldic records, or asking around your family members to discover stories that molded your family values and traits. Use these as your basis when it’s time to choose symbols and colors for your family crest.

Explore the rich network of your ancestral connections. Maybe you had great-grandparents who were prominent figures in history. Or maybe you’re very inspired by the perseverance of your parents. You can even choose symbols that best represent your own strength. The design possibilities are endless!

Here are some heraldic symbols that you can use for your digital family crest:

The beauty of making family crests and coats of arms is that each element can be subjective or literal, and you have the creative freedom to make and interpret it in any way to celebrate your family roots. 

Tools To Design Your Modern Family Crest 

You can make your own design at the tip of your fingers using various tools like Canva and free crest generators. 

1. Canva

Pick either a template or a blank canvas for your designs and add heraldic symbols already available in the graphics section of the Canva app. 

2.  Adobe Express
   
   If you have a flair for designing, you can use the Adobe Express software, whether you want to create your family crest from scratch or make use of available photos online for you to customize.
   
   

3. Crest Generators

You can make use of websites that have pre-made designs and shapes like Coamaker and My Tribe 101. Just simply put all the elements together, and you’re good to go! 

Make your Mark

Using modern digital culture as a way to honor roots can help boost your generational identity and create interest for family members to take part in your family history. 

More than that, you can use your family crest as an inspiration for your personal life, tying your family values to your work, businesses, and philosophies. 

Having your own digital family crest can be handy, whether you’re a creative, a digital nomad, an entrepreneur, or someone who values preserving family heritage using modern designs. It creates a fun juxtaposition of tradition and the charm of medieval beliefs with modernity and youthfulness to honor ancestry in the digital era.