The role of colors in a family crest

Many people look at a family crest or coat of arms and do not realize that each element has an individual meaning. The patterns, the shape and even the color of the different elements contribute to telling a story about the individual to whom the crest was granted.

The Rules of Heraldic Design

There are some basic rules to heraldic design. The first rule, which governs how the colors can be used or combined on a coat of arms, is referred to as the rule of tincture. This rule was first set down by Humphrey Llwyd in 1568. Llwyd states that "metal should not be put on metal, nor color on color".

The colors that are used on a coat of arms or shield are azure (blue), gules (red), sable (black), purpure (purple) and vert (green). The metals that are used in heraldic design are or (gold) and argent (silver). The alternate names for these colors and metals comes from the fact that at the time heraldry was codified the clerks were writing in French. On some shields, the color grey is used to represent silver areas and yellow is used to represent areas that would normally be colored gold.

Why these rules were developed

It may seem to be nonsensical that there would be rules governing which combinations of metals and colors were allowable. However, when you consider the fact that the purpose of a shield was to make a knight easy to identify and that some color combinations are difficult to see easily, it makes more sense. From a practical sense it is much more difficult to place one color of enamel over another or one metal next to another when creating a shield.

Exceptions to these rules

There are some exceptions to the rules of coloring. The first concerns heraldic furs. These were patterns that represented the fur of certain animals. Some examples of heraldic furs include ermine and vair. They were usually placed onto a background or field that was one color even though this meant putting one color on top of another. Another exception is that if one of the figures (called charges) on the coat of arms is colored the way it would be naturally, it was allowed to be placed on the coat of arms even if it violated the color on color rule.

What the colors actually mean

Once you are aware of how a coat of arms was designed, it is then possible to move on to what each of the colors meant. The way that these colors were combined with symbols could tell a lot about a person and their actions.
The color red (or gules) was used to represent a person who was a warrior or who was martyred. It can also mean military strength as well. Azure, or blue, represented strength or loyalty in the person who bore the coat of arms. Vert (green) signified hope or a person who was loyal in their love. Sable or black represented constancy or grief. Purpure was much less commonly used on shields and is usually not considered to be one of the common heraldic tinctures. A shield which included gold areas usually signified that a person had been generous. A silver or argent section represented someone who was sincere or who was trying to bring peace.