SYMBOLISM OF HERALDIC COLORS, FURS, LINES & ORDINARIES or...
What does it mean if your coat of arms bears a red boar's head?
The following descriptions and meanings are gleaned from a variety of sources, some of which disagree on those meanings. The most commonly accepted meanings are given, but scholars vary in the their opinions concerning the reliability of any "commonly held" historic meanings for coats of arms and crests.
For examples of the different positions for heraldic animals, see our "Sample Lions In Heraldry" page.
The most common heraldic symbols and their meanings
as suggested by some historians.
(G THROUGH K)
For a list of symbols and their meanings, without illustrations, visit Meanings: All.
For a list of all symbols and their meanings with illustrations (page may take a while to load to your screen), visit Symbolism.
| Element | Illustration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Galley |  |
See Ship |
| Gannet (duck without beak or legs) |  |
One who has to subsist by virtue and merit |
| Garb (wheatsheaf) |   |
The harvest of one's hopes has been secured |
| Garlic |  |
Protection, strength and courage |
| Gauntlet |  |
Armed for the performance of martial enterprise |
| Gavel |  |
Justice; legal authority |
| Gem or Jewel |  |
Supremacy |
| Geranium |  |
True friendship |
| Gillyflower (tawney quatrefoil) |  |
Hope and joy |
| Ginseng |  |
Passion, prosperity, permanence, health |
| Globe |            |
Worldliness; world travel |
| Goat |    |
One who wins through politics rather than war |
| Gobony or Gobbony (See Compony) | Constancy | |
| Goose |   |
Resourcefulness |
| Gorged (around neck) |  |
High dignity |
| Grape leaves | Plenty, freedom, rebirth | |
| Grapes |  |
Liberality, felicity, and peace; also, association with wine-making and abundance |
| Grasshopper |  |
Noble and home-bred |
| Grenade |  |
One who has dared the terror of such a weapon in battle |
| Greyhound |  |
Courage, vigilance, and loyalty |
| Griffin | See Examples of Griffins | (Head, wings, and talons of an eagle with the body of a lion); Valour and death-defying bravery; vigilance; Guardian of treasure |
| Gyronny |  |
Unity (six- or eight-part division of the shield) |
| Hammer |    |
Honour; emblem of the smith's trade |
| Hand |           |
Pledge of faith, sincerity, and justice; two right hands conjoined represent union and alliance |
| Hand, red |  |
Mark of a baronet |
| Hare (see Rabbit) | One who enjoys a peaceable and retired life | |
| Harp |   |
Well-composed person of tempered judgment; contemplation; mystical bridge between heaven and earth |
| Harpy (virgin's face, neck and breast with the body of a lion) |
 |
Ferocity under provocation |
| Hart (male deer) - See Stag/Buck | Peace and harmony | |
| Hawk (Falcon) | (See Examples of Falcons/Hawks) | One who does not rest until objective achieved |
| Hawks' lures: |  |
One who is fond of the highest pursuits, such as hunting and falconry |
| Hazel branch or leaves |  |
Hope and joy; Communication, reconciliation and peace |
| Head (Human) |  |
Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades |
| Heart, Flaming |  |
Intense, burning affection |
| Heart, Human |    |
Charity and sincerity |
| Hedgehog |  |
"Provident provider" acc. to Sloane Evans |
| Heliotrope |  |
Pleasure; Eternal love & devotion |
| Helmet | (See Examples of Helmets) | When depicted on the shield, denotes wisdom and security in defense; strength, protection, invulnerability |
| Hibiscus |  |
Delicate beauty |
| Hind (female deer) |   |
Peace and harmony |
| Holly |   |
Truth; Foresight and defense |
| Horns | Strength and fortitude | |
| Horse (See also Seahorse) |
See Sample Horses | Readiness for all employments for king and country |
| Horseshoe |  |
Good luck and safeguard against evil spirits |
| Hourglass |   |
Flight of time; mortality |
| Housemark |  (example) |
Presumably adopted by the bearers as forms of unique identification of European homes |
| Huitfoil (double quatrefoil) |
 |
Mark of cadency for the ninth son |
| Human Head | |
Honour (if the head of a Blackamoor, it refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades) |
| Humettee |  |
Describes an element that does not touch the sides of the shield |
| Hunting Horn |  |
One who is fond of the chase, of high pursuits |
| Hyacinth |  |
Games, Sports, Playfulness |
| Hydra (dragon with seven heads) |  |
Conquest of a very powerful enemy |
Ichthus (Greek for "Fish") |
 |
Belief in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior |
| Increscent/Increment |  |
One who has been honored by the sovereign; hope of greater glory (crescent with horns to the dexter) |
Inescutcheon (See "Escutcheon of Pretence") |
||
| Infinity Symbol |  |
Infinity |
| Insignia - Marine Corps |  |
|
| Insignia - Naval Academy |  |
|
| Ivy Leaves |  |
Strong and lasting friendship |
| Inkhorn or Inkwell |   |
Art of writing and educated employment |
| Iris |  |
Faith, wisdom, friendship, hope, valour |
| Jaguar |  |
Power, ferosity, and valor; the power to face one’s fears. |
| Jasmine |  |
Attachment |
| Jessamine (white quatrefoil) | See "Quatrefoil" | Hope and joy |
| Jessant de lis |  |
With a fleur-de-lis shooting out, i.e., from the mouth of a leopard or lion; Represents dominion over France. |
| Keys |  |
Guardianship and dominion |
| Knight (especially on horseback) |   |
The soul guiding the body; man's journey through life |
