Design your own family coat of arms

Shield Pick which shield or other shape you want to use for your crest. Knights would design their shield to show their family and its honour. Your shield should include something that you or your family love to do. It could be your favourite hobby or something you are proud of. You can split the shield up into sections if you would like to include more than one hobby, achievement or pastime.

Helm This is the helmet that sits above the shield. Knights used this like a label. Sometimes strong animals like lions of big dogs were used instead to show people that the knight was brave in battle. What do you want people to know about you?

Mantling This forms the backdrop to the coat of arms. Choose two colours for your mantling to help the shield stand out.

Supporters These are usually animals on either side of the shield but can also be people or mythical creatures. Do you have any favourite animals or people you want to include?

Crest This is at the top of the coat of arms and shows something associated with your name. It could be an animal that rhymes with it or something that represents it. It could even be a person doing something that you like to do, or something that reflects part of your character

Compartment This sits slightly behind and above the motto, underneath the shield. It is usually a grassy foundation for the supporters to stand on and in might have flowers on it as well.

Motto This is at the bottom of the coat of arms and historically would have been written in French. It should describe the values of the person or family that the arms are for. The Royal coat of arms’ motto says, ‘Dieu Et Mon Droit’, meaning ‘God is my right’. Your motto should describe your general motivation or ambition, or maybe something that you find inspiring. You may want to ask your parents, friends or teachers to help you. It could be a slogan that you particularly like, for example, ‘practice makes perfect’, or perhaps even a play on words.

If you get stuck and don’t know what to put on, think about these questions:  What things does your family do together?  Where did you all last go on holiday?  What sports or activities do you do?  What things do you all like doing? (music, television, computer games?)  Do you have any pets?  What is your best memory of your family?