The Motto

A motto was not granted with the Coat of Arms and not all Coats of Arms carry a motto. Once a Coat of Arms is granted it can not be changed, but a motto can be altered at the wish of the owner. Early mottoes were war cries which probably came from the period of the Crusades. But as time and heraldry progressed, the mottoes became more peaceful.

The majority of mottoes are in Latin, which was the language of the educated. The next most common language was French which was the language of gentlemen. A large number of mottoes express religious faith, which is a reflection of a Christian past. The ethics reflected in the mottoes are naturally high, consistent with the purpose and meaning of a family Coat of Arms.