Three Things Every Real Coat of Arms Should Have

So, you’ve stumbled across the world of coats of arms. (Or maybe it stumbled across you, like that one rabbit hole you swore you’d only peek into for five minutes… and now it’s two hours later.) 

Either way, you’re probably wondering: what exactly makes a coat of arms, well, a coat of arms?

Here’s the short answer: every one of them has three must-have elements: the shield, the helmet (with its flowing mantling), and the crest on top. 

Without these, you don’t really have a coat of arms. You just have… a pretty picture.

 

A Quick History of Coats of Arms

Picture this: It’s the Middle Ages. Knights are clanking around in heavy armor, horses are charging across muddy fields, and, plot twist, everyone looks exactly the same.

How do you tell Sir Geoffrey from Sir William when they’re both covered head to toe in shiny metal? 

Enter the coat of arms.

Originally, knights painted symbols on their shields and wore bright surcoats (kind of like long, sleeveless tunics) decorated with the same designs. Think of it as the medieval version of a sports jersey. And because so many people were using them, designs had to get more creative over time to avoid mix-ups. (Nobody wants to be the 10th knight showing up with a red shield and a gold cross. Awkward.)

The Three Things Every Real Coat of Arms Includes

Okay, back to our original question: What do you absolutely need for a coat of arms to count as “real”? 

1. The Shield

The shield is the star of the show. Without it, there’s nothing to build on. 

You can find most of the heraldic charges on the shield. These are the symbols, animals, shapes, or objects painted across the shield’s surface. Lions, eagles, crosses, stars, and even geometric patterns were all popular choices depending on the period and the person who carries the arms. 

Historically, this was an actual shield. A piece of armor knights used in battle. Designs painted on shields were life-saving identifiers. On a smoky battlefield, being able to spot your ally’s shield design could mean the difference between a hug (well, maybe not a hug) and a sword swing to the head.

Even today, when people design coats of arms for families, towns, or clubs, the shield remains the base. Think of it as the canvas. And everything else hangs off it.

(So basically, no shield = no coat of arms.)

2. The Helmet and Mantling

But what about the squiggly, leafy-looking stuff draped around the helmet in drawings? That’s the mantling. 

In real life, it was a piece of cloth tied to the helmet to block the sun. After a few sword fights, the cloth would naturally get slashed, ripped, and ragged, so when artists drew coats of arms, they included mantling as fancy, flowing decoration.

Think of the helmet and mantling as a nod to the gritty battlefield days of heraldry. Without them, the coat of arms feels unfinished. Kind of like a knight who forgot his helmet at home.

(And no, mantling isn’t technically required for the coat of arms to “exist,” but it’s part of the traditional trio. Without it, your design looks kind of… naked.)

3. The Crest

Finally, we reach the top: The crest. Perched above the helmet, the crest was originally a 3D object. Think of a sculpture made of wood, leather, or even feathers that sat on a knight’s helmet. Its job is to make the knight look taller and scarier.

In artwork, the crest sits on a wreath, which is basically a twisted band of cloth that also holds the mantling in place. Together, they crown the coat of arms.

The crest serves as a kind of “nametag.” While the shield showed your colors and patterns, the crest was an extra way to stand out. Families passed crests down through generations, and some even became symbols on rings, stamps, or seals.

The crest is considered one of the essential parts of a full, traditional design.

Why These Three Elements Matter

You might be thinking: Can’t I just have a cool shield with a lion and call it a day?

Well… sort of. But if you want your coat of arms to be complete and traditional, these three elements (the shield, the helmet and mantling, and the crest) work together like a perfect trio.

• The shield pays tribute to origins, values, and achievements.

• The helmet and mantling give history.

• The crest gives identity and personality.

Together, these three turn a flat design into a full “achievement of arms” (that’s the fancy term for the complete setup). Lack one, and your coat of arms might not carry the same weight or traditions as your ancestors. 

It’s kind of like a pizza. Sure, you could eat just the crust or just the cheese, but the real magic happens when all the pieces come together. 

So… What If Yours Is Missing Something?

Maybe you’ve seen a coat of arms without mantling. Or maybe the crest is missing. Does that mean it’s fake? Not exactly. Some coats of arms throughout history were simplified, especially when used on flags, rings, or seals.

But the full, traditional version, the one that connects back to real armor on real knights, always includes those three main parts.

So, if you’re finding your family crest, think of it like this: shield, helmet with mantling, and crest. That’s your starter pack. 

Everything else, like mottos, supporters (those animals or people standing beside the shield), or decorative flourishes, is great for additional context. They’re not required, but they can give fascinating clues about your family’s story.

Sometimes, coats of arms included references to a family location (a castle tower for a walled city or waves for a coastal region) or jobs. Even surnames influenced designs, with symbols acting almost like visual puns (called canting arms), where the image hints at the family name itself.

These little extras aren’t “mandatory parts” of a coat of arms, but they turn it from just a formal design into a piece of family history in art form! 

Heraldry and Heritage

Coats of arms may look like pretty medieval artwork, but they’re actually packed with meaning. Each part has roots in the real gear knights wore, and together they form a visual language that’s lasted for centuries.

So, now you know the three essentials of every coat of arms. But what if you’ve already spotted a crest with your surname online? That’s where things get interesting.

Before you frame it or slap it on a mug, make sure it’s actually connected to your family history. Here’s our step-by-step guide: Found a Family Crest Online—What Now?

 

Image Credits:

CoA of Davy de la Pailleterie family via Wikimedia Commons, Source

Entstanden in Süddeutschland via Wikimedia Commons, Source

Wappen des K.St.V. Wiking im KV zu Aachen via Wikimedia Commons, Source

A knight with an eagle crest at the Saracen Joust in Arezzo, Tuscany via Wikimedia Commons, Source