Family crests are not what you might think. The term "family crest" is sometimes used interchangeably with the heraldic terms "coat-of-arms" or "family shield," but a family crest is actually only one portion of the heraldic display known as a coat-of-arms. The crest is usually the uppermost design element in a coat-of-arms, standing on top of an armor helmet depicted in the coat-of-arms. It is...
