For centuries families and nations have used coats of arms as ways to describe themselves and what they stand for. Today, many people like to look back on their coats of arms and use them as part of family history or to learn more about their heritage. When interpreting the symbols of heraldry, colors, animals, and symbols all have mean. Here are some of the more common elements in many coats of arms.

Colors: The colors used in coats of arms, whether in background or in motifs, symbolize one or the other virtue. For example, gold stands for generosity, white and silver for peace and sincerity, blue for truth and loyalty and green for hope and joy. Likewise, there are many other colors and their meanings. Then there are colors that are representative of valor and military. For example red is for military strength, maroon for patient victorious battle, purple for royalty and justice and oranges represent high ambition.

Animals figure on coats of arms quite frequently. The lion is the most common. The lion rampant standing on its hind legs represents dauntless courage. The heraldic lion indicates bravery, strength, and valor. The lion features more often in royal crests and many national crests than any other animal.

Next to the lion it is the eagle that is often portrayed on coats of arms. This was the insignia of the great Roman Empire, which now represents the United States. The Eagle stands for nobility, strength, and bravery. Its outspread wings indicate protection. Two-headed eagles indicate a joining of two forces.

The boar represents bravery and the bull symbolizes valor. The cat indicates freedom and alertness, whereas the rooster stands for patient perseverance and dauntless courage. The dolphin signifies speed, compassion, hard work, and love. The dragon is known as a chivalrous defender, and a fish means an honest, large hearted mind full of virtue. The ram shows authority; and the serpent indicates wisdom. Even the unicorn is used to represent extreme courage and virtue.

Besides animals, nature finds its way in coats of arms in the form of plants. All of these plants represent one or the other virtue. Shamrock stands for perpetuity and harvest of hope is depicted by sheaf of wheat. Rose indicates hope, joy, grace and beauty and is the most commonly used plant. Laurel leaves are used to signify victory and lily for purity.

Oak tree in general represents great age, strength, continuous growth and fertility. However, its variations in form of leaves and nuts indicate different things. Acorn is used to depict strength and antiquity.

Besides the animals, plants and colors that are highly symbolic weapons and armor are also used they speak out more clearly. Hands or arms held in arm indicate leadership. Helmet is symbolic of strength, invulnerability and wisdom. The axe stands for military duty, arrow for battle readiness, hammer for honor and dagger depicts justice while a shakebolt shows victory. The spear and spike aptly describe a valiant warrior.