What Do The Coat of Arms Heraldic Symbols Mean? (A-H)

Heraldry Dictionary (A-H).

What do the coat of arms symbols mean?

Heraldry has a tradition going back centuries, and there are heraldic symbols that feature on coats of arms for every letter of the alphabet. If you are conducting your own surname history research, you may indeed have discovered coat of arms heraldic symbols within your own ancestral heritage. Here are a few of the coat of arms heraldic symbols in use in heraldry. The heraldry dictionary will certainly help you to decipher the meanings behind some of the imagery.

Acorn – used on a coat of arms to signify independence
Badger – a symbol of bravery, as well as perseverance and protection
Cat – signifies liberty, vigilance and courage
Dog – often the symbol of faithfulness and guardianship on a coat of arms
Enfield – A fictitious animal from Irish heraldry
Fish – heraldic symbols of prowess and fortitude
Goat – A symbol of practical wisdom and diplomacy
Horse – readiness to act for one’s country

Of course, these are just some abbreviated descriptions of the allegorical meanings behind heraldic symbols commonly found in coats of arms.  In addition, visit our Heraldry Symbols and Their Meaning page for more information.  Got a strange symbol on your Coat of Arms? Please do add it here and we’ll see if we can find out what it means and so we can add it to the heraldry dictionary!

Find out if we have the coat of arms and surname history for your surname.