How to Come Up with a Family Crest

Family crests are a way of symbolizing traits and characteristics of your blood line. Perhaps they were known for being courageous or smart. Maybe your family is royalty and they show it with a noble creature. In the medieval era, it was very common for royal families to try and overshadow other families' crests in order to seem more important. Crests were considered essential for royalty and were sought after by poor families. In any case, a crest requires simple things in order for it to be called a crest. To make a crest, you must have a color, a jewel, and a symbol.

Crests need color for them to come alive! Colors represent different emotions and feelings, so you need to choose one that conveys your family well. For example, yellow is associated with happiness and joy. If your family is fun and kind, perhaps the color that represents them would be yellow. You can even have two or three colors if you can't choose just one. Different combinations include: yellow and red, blue and purple, green and yellow, purple and yellow, and many others. The color of the crest is usually the backdrop of the crest, so if you wish for the color to be seen quite well, make sure it is bold or bright. Color is a definite requirement for a family crest.

A stone or jewel makes a family crest all the better. Just like colors, jewels represent different things. Jewels can also show a families' most popular birthstone. If many members of a family have birthdays in May, then they may choose to have the emerald on their family crest. Jewels may be chosen to compliment the crest's color also. Crests can have a combination of jewels and precious metals, such as gold and silver. There are many different types of jewels to choose from, including diamonds, rubies, amethysts, emeralds, garnets, topazes, and even pearls. Jewels make the family crest much classier.

The symbol of the family crest is the main attraction. Many families pick an animal that represents their family well. Animals can stand for many things. For example, lions are associated with bravery and courageousness. Some popular animals for crests are snakes, ravens, lions, bulls, eagles, and hogs. The symbol of your family crest doesn't have to be an animal. It can be an object, like a heart. A heart could stand for love or kindness. Other objects include: a brain, a flag, a ship, a coat of arms, and a map. If you're really creative, the crest can contain a small scene, such as a battle, that tells a story about your family.

The elements of a family crest are color, a unique jewel, and an original symbol. Crests are also good for letter stamping. When you seal a letter, you can stamp your family's crests on it so the person receiving it can know instantly who it is from. Family crests were originally worn on knight's shields and armor. They were also sewn onto tapestries that were displayed in a family's dining hall. Wherever you display your crest, be sure to show it with pride.