Family crest or coat of arms? What surname shops don't tell you

Search for your surname and "family crest" and you'll find shops happy to sell you a mug. The trouble is that, in British heraldry, arms have never belonged to a surname. They belonged to a person, and passed down a particular line of descent.

Crest is not the whole thing

Strictly, the crest is only the small figure that sits on top of the helmet. The whole picture — shield, helmet, wreath, crest, mantling and motto — is the coat of arms, or achievement. "Family crest" has stuck as everyday language, so don't worry about using it, but it helps to know what you're looking at.

Why surname arms are usually misleading

Two families called Smith may have no connection at all. A design sold "for your surname" was made for one historical person, and may have nothing to do with your family. Displaying someone else's arms as your own was frowned upon for centuries.

The alternative

Design something new that tells your own story. It won't be official heraldic arms — those come from the College of Arms or, in Scotland, the Court of the Lord Lyon — but it will be honestly yours, and nobody else will have it.