Some of Our Favorite Mottoes from Coats of Arms

Selected mottoes (with translations) listed by the first letter of the surname:

A B C D
E F G H
I-J K L M
Mc N O-P Q-R
S T U-V W
  X-Y-Z  

 

Many mottoes in heraldry speak loftily of virtue, courage, loyalty, strength, and faith.
After all, why have a motto that's depressing or that speaks ill of your family!
These are just a few of our favorites.
     
Family Name Original language English translation (if needed)
Hartcup A coeur valliant, rien impossible. To a valiant heart, nothing is impossible.
Carnagie, Carnegie Alis aspicit astra. Flying, he keeps his eye on the stars.
Perrott Amo, ut invenio. I love as I find.
Bacchus, Bedingfield, Buller, Chinn, Drake, Flounders, Gothard, Graves, Greaves, Illidge, Manningham-Buller, Wedderburn, Weston The eagle does not catch flies.
Bennet, Bennett, Creswell, Germain, Sackvill(e), Yoda? Aut nunquam tentes, aut perfice. Either do not attempt, or complete.
Bysse Bis vincit qui se vincit. He conquers twice who conquers himself.
Becher Bis vivit qui bene vivit. He lives twice who lives well.
Boss Cada uno es hijo de sus obras. Every man is the son of his works.
Acraman, Anstey, Beadon, Berens, Bower, Brownlow, Bunbury, Butler, Cambridge, Cook, Coutts, Croft, Cust, Davies, Deline, Frank, Grattan-Guinness, Graves, Hall, Harmer, Hill, Hood, Longley, Lukis, Maitland, Manning, Mathie, Miller, Partridge, Pickard-Cambridge, Round, St. Paul, Savory, Sheriff, Sherrif, Sturges, Swyne, Thurston, Turnour, Woodcock, Womack Esse quam videri. To be, rather than to seem.
Wells In scientia veritas in arte honestas. In science truth, in art honour.
Haslen, Hasler Qui nucleum vult, nucem frangat. Who so wishes the kernel must crack the nut.
Wilson Sequitur patrem non passibus aequis. He follows his father with unequal steps.
Petty Ut apes, geometriam. As bees, geometry.
Hoskyns Vincula de linguae vel tibi linguae dabit. Lay restraint on thy tongue or thy tongue will lay it on thee.
Mackenzie Virtute et valare luceo non uro. By virtue and valour I shine, but do not burn.
Scarta, Scarth, Scras, Scrase Volando, reptilia sperno. Flying, I despise reptiles.
Maybee, d'Mailly, Mabille Singulare Aude

Dare to be Unique or
Dare to be Extraordinary
McGilevray, McBean, Gillies, MacPherson, McGilleray, Gillespie, Gillis, Grant, Keir-Mackintosh, McCombie, McCrombie, McGillivray, McIntosh, Mackintosh Touch not the cat without a glove.
(Touch not the cat, but a glove.)
Robertson, Forbes Dinna waken sleeping dogs.
Crockett Crow not, croke not.
Order of the Garter Honi soit qui mal y pense. Shame to him who evil thinks.