There
is no such thing as a 'coat of arms for a surname'. Many people
of the same surname will often be entitled to completely different
coats of arms, and many of that surname will be entitled to no
coat of arms. Coats of arms belong to individuals. For any person
to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it
granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male line from
a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past.
"Coat
of Arms" are thought to have originated in Germany in the
late 12th century and to have been imported into England by the
Normans. The Crusades and the tournaments that drew together knights
from many countries caused heraldry to flourish in Europe. The
embroidering of family emblems on the surcoat worn over chain
mail in the 13th century accounts for the term "coat of arms."
The use of armorial bearings spread rapidly thereafter.
It
is also popular misconception that the word 'crest' describes
a whole coat of arms or any heraldic device. It does not. A crest
is a specific part of a full achievement of arms: the three-dimensional
object placed on top of the helm.
The
right to display arms is reserved to armigers. Armigers are those
who have either been granted the right to bear arms by the Crown
or the Estates, such as by being granted the titles of Lord/Lady,
Baronet, Viscount/ess, Count/ess Royal, and Prince/ss, or those
who have earned the right to bear arms by virtue of being Knighted.
Non-Knightly armigers may display their arms on their person in
any shape so long as it is no more than six inches on its longest
edge. Knightly Peers have the further right to display their arms
on an heraldic tabard. Landed Knights, and Royal and Imperial
Peers have the further right of livery.
Armorial
bearings are for distinguishing persons of, and within, a family,
cannot descend to, or be used by, persons who are not members
of the family. The surname indicates the family to which a family
belongs. A person named Macdonald cannot bear a Ross coat of arms,
or any part of it. There is no such thing as a "family crest"
or "family coat of arms" which anyone can assume, or
a whole family can use.
The
parts of the armorial bearings consist of:
-
The Shield, bearing the basic device
- The
Helmet, with its Crest, which sits on top of the helmet
- The
Motto in a scroll
- The
Mantling or cape, which kept the sun off the wearer's armour
in hot weather
- Very
rarely, two Supporters on either side of the shield, which are
external attributes of the arms of Peers, Chiefs and a very
few other persons of special importance.
There
are likely Caldwells who have held "Coat of Arms", however
they technically aren't something that everyone with the same
surname can lay claim to.
Sources
- College
of Arms, U.K.
- Electric
Scotland
- Buthlaw's
Armorial
- The
Chief Herald of Canada, Canada