The Registry
The U.S. Heraldic Registry is a private enterprise that offers registration of personal, organizational, and civic heraldry. The Registry is cosmopolitan and invites applications from all countries. In addition to the on-line roll of arms, the Registry's services include artwork, certificates of registration, and design help.
Registration
Free registration includes a blazon (written description) and a unique registration number recorded on a personal web page in the roll of arms. Upgraded registration adds a certificate with an emblazonment (a picture of the coat of arms) to the web page.
Why register a coat of arms?
- To record and display one's coat of arms in a publicly accessible database.
- To distinguish one's coat of arms from bogus "surname” heraldry.
- To help prevent others from unintentionally assuming one's coat of arms.
- To prove one's coat of arms was acquired or used on a particular date.
- To record one's design in written form called a blazon.
- To preserve one's design for future generations.
- To create an heraldic honor or memorial for a family member.
- To promote an organization's visibility on the internet.
International Heraldry Day (IHD) focuses one day each year when heraldry in all its forms is celebrated worldwide. Regardless of jurisdiction, geographic area, customs, favored styles and favored period, the community focuses on wider joys of heraldry. The goal of the organizers is that eventually all heraldry enthusiasts will acknowledge the event in the years to come. IHD was celebrated for the second time on June 10, 2014 in social media, on several forums and social media networks and through personal efforts of heraldic enthusiasts across the globe. The celebration was started in 2013 primarily by the International Association of Amateur Heralds (IAAH) who are an online community of heraldic enthusiasts. A “grass roots” movement, started by Tomasz Steifer (Poland), a Fellow of the IAAH described the effort:
Polish Heraldic Community , in the persons of the representatives of the Board, Tomasz Steifer, Vice-President of PHC and Pawel S. Towpik, Secretary of the Board, proposes to create a new tradition - the International Day of heraldry. This was to a great, over political, international opportunity for meetings, conferences and taken away heraldic organization, heralds and heraldist of different countries and continents, to the posting of flags, especially heraldic, dress in heraldic tunics and tabards, etc.
We propose that this international day of heraldry at 10 June. On that day, in the year 1128, in Rouen was knighted, by his future father in law, Henry I Beauclerc, Godfrey Plantagenet. Suspended during the ceremony on the neck of a young knight shield blue decorated six golden lions, is recognized by most of the heralds, for the first time in history, fully formed coat of arms.”