Symbols have been around for as long as human brains have been thinking and they’ve stuck around for two big reasons: First, they help label and explain the world. Second, they hold a kind of quiet, wordless magic that speaks to something deeper.
In heraldry (the formal practice of family crests) those symbols did both. They identified families and knights, sure, but they also carried prayers, hopes, and hidden meanings.
Heraldry and Magic
Initially, heraldry emerged in the 12th century as a practical identification system when knights were basically walking tin cans. Over time, however, the symbols evolved, becoming rich in mythological, supernatural, and spiritual significance.
Animals and symbols began to symbolize not just nobility or combat prowess, but also divine protection, rebirth, and mystical might.
You might ask, “So… why did people believe in all this?”
Well, life back then was scary! Between battles, sickness, and weird weather (uhh… these sound eerily familiar), people wanted every last ounce of protection they could get. So, they put their hopes into heraldic symbols. Kind of like how people today feel protected whenever they tattoo their favorite flower and see angel numbers, lucky charms, or lucky colors.
Protective Symbols in Coats of Arms
Bell
Church bells were believed to scare away evil spirits and call on guardian angels. Bells, often shown on arms, stood for this sacred sonic shield.
Bell symbols in heraldry took inspiration from:
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Church bells, which were believed to drive away demons and call in angels.
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The “dead bell” was rung at funerals to ward off evil spirits hovering around the dead.
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Romans used tintinnabula (bells or wind chimes) outside doors to discourage the evil eye.
Fly
Flies, in society, symbolized disease due to their presence around illness, waste and disease, but ironically, in heraldry, putting it on a shield means to ward off pestilence.
Lamp or Lantern
Lamps (like oil lamps or lanterns) lit the dark, literally and spiritually. Tin workers, sailors, and scholars used lamp images to show their trade and as a magical light to push away evil.
Heraldic lamps remind us that light casts out darkness. Wire workers even used them as their badges.
Carving or painting lamp symbols in coats of arms came from:
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Oil lamps that appeared in rituals for centuries. For example, in India, lamps ward off evil and symbolize spiritual light.
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Lanterns signal caution and hope, like lighthouses guiding lost ships.
Daisy Wheels & Daisy Marks
Daisy wheel patterns (also called marguerites) appear in the arms of Day and Florio. In medieval Europe, they also showed up carved into church walls and doorframes and were believed to be witch marks meant to protect people from evil spirits.
Troll Cross (Swedish “trollkors”)
A troll cross is a rustic protective emblem, often hung above doors or etched in loaves to guard against malevolent magic and evil spirits that was used in Sweden and Norway. These can also be seen on the armor of Vikings.
Pentangle (Pentagram)
Adopted from King Solomon’s legendary seal, the five-pointed star became a symbol of truth, virtue, and divine protection.
If you’re curious about the symbols that might be tucked into your own family’s past, finding your family crest can be like unlocking a piece of magical history!
Lucky Beasts in Heraldry
These animals were walking (or crawling) good luck charms, believed to carry spiritual and ancient power.
Leopard
In ancient Egyptian religion, priests wore leopard skins during rituals to protect themselves from evil spirits. Leopards came to symbolize supernatural protection, warrior courage, and a kind of spiritual guardianship, which is why they’re commonly used by royal members.
In Poland, the Lewart family is one of the families that used a leopard in their coat of arms. Legend says a Lewart ancestor defended his lands with cleverness and strength, earning the right to bear this magical beast.
If you think leopards and lions look unnervingly alike, that’s because the only way to tell which one’s which is by its pose. It’s a lion when it’s in a rear or rampant pose and often a leopard if it’s lying down. Why the mix-up? Well, people back then didn’t know that lions and leopards were actually of different species (they were pretty much like big cats).
Lizard (Salamander)
Lizards seek the sun and can regenerate their tails, and people interpreted this as the human soul’s journey to light (and even resurrection).
The fire-resistant salamander also means renewal. Heraldry sometimes shows them in flames, like France’s King Francis I used as his emblem. His castles, especially Château de Chambord, are still covered in salamander carvings to this day.
Lucky Color in Heraldry
When it comes to luck, green (called vert in heraldry speak) was the go-to color for families hoping for good things ahead. Green stood for loyalty in love, hope, and prosperity. It’s basically a medieval version of crossing your fingers and planting a lucky penny.
Heraldic Plants for Good Fortune
Plants in your coat of arms were signs of luck, joy, and a future full of good things. Families used them like leafy little promises, passed down through generations.
Wheat/Grain
Wheat (or other grains) symbolized abundance, faithfulness, and a good public reputation. It showed up especially in families tied to farming, trade, or hospitality.
Cinqfoil
This is a five-petaled flower that stands for hope, joy, and renewal. Kind of like a forever-blooming flower of good energy. And it’s often found on English and Scottish arms as a cheerful sign of luck and light.
Are these Symbols Still Present Today?
Yes! Even now:
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People wear pentagrams or necklaces with heraldic symbols for protection.
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Fantasy fans and gamers spot these symbols in shows like Harry Potter, Supernatural, Arcane, Skyrim, and more!
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Families find their coats of arms to uncover stories hidden in images they see in old scrapbooks and from mystical ancestral stories during sleepovers at Grandma's.
That’s the magic of symbols: they don’t stay still! They carry old truths into new settings, gathering fresh meaning as they go. Knowing that the symbols can have personal and deeper meanings, this proves that there’s always more to heraldry than what meets the eye.
The Magic of Symbols
People in the medieval period believed they had real power. They mixed pagan runes, Christian crosses, Jewish hexagrams, and folk wisdom. These symbols told people not just who they were, but why they needed to be brave, faithful, and protected.
Those same symbols live on in family stories and heirlooms. And if you’re wondering what symbols your own ancestors had, find your family crest! It might be holding mystical secrets worth discovering.
Image credits:
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine via Unsplash, source
Daisy Wheel via Wikimedia Commons, source
Salamander via Wikimedia Commons, source
Rua Sacadura Cabral - Saúde, Rio de Janeiro via Unsplash, source
Lion with wings Italy via Unsplash, source