ahneninfo.com	GENEALOGY / HERALDRY / INTERNET / CONTACT / HOME
DEUTSCH	Family tree / Family chronicle / Family coat of arms We investigate family chronicles and family coats of arms for 15 years - professionally and personally Our customers are private people, institutes and enterprises

C O A T S O F A R M S - GESCHICHTE - WAPPEN HEUTE - WAPPENSUCHEN - DICTIONARY (DE)

C O A T S O F A R M S Coats of Arms have first been used in the 12th century to mark the armour of the knight to be able to tell them apart. The word ‘heraldry’ also comes from this time. It comes from the herald who was a messenger in the army. The medieval legislation of the coats of arms was applied until the 19th century. Although coats of arms were very popular by the peers they weren’t a privilege of the upper-class. Everybody could have one. They were and still are designed after a few specific heraldic rules. As opposed to the townsfolk who often had coats of arms, the peasantry preferred their ‘Hauszeichen’. That’s the reason why a lot of family don’t have a really old coat of arm. Most of the family crest were made during the middle of the last century (1950s and 60s).