"CANTON. The French word for corner. It is a small square figure, generally placed at the dexter chief of the shield, as in the annexed example." -Hall, 1862

Canton

"CANTON. The French word for corner. It is a small square figure, generally placed at the dexter chief…

"The canton is a square part of the escutcheon, usually occupying about one-eighth of the field; it is placed over the chief at the dexter side of the shield: it may be charged, and when this is the case, its size may be increased. The canton represents the banner of the ancient Knights Banneret. The canton in the example is marked A." -Hall, 1862

Canton Ordinary

"The canton is a square part of the escutcheon, usually occupying about one-eighth of the field; it…

"Argent, a chaplet proper. CHAPLET. An ancient ornament for the head, granted to gallant knights for acts of courtesy. It is frequently borne as a charge in a shield of arms, and always tinted in its natural colours." -Hall, 1862

Chaplet

"Argent, a chaplet proper. CHAPLET. An ancient ornament for the head, granted to gallant knights for…

"Checky, sable and argent. CHECKY. The field covered with alternate squares of metal and fur." -Hall, 1862

Checky

"Checky, sable and argent. CHECKY. The field covered with alternate squares of metal and fur." -Hall,…

"Chequée is when the field is divided by lines perpendicular and horizontal, crossing each other, the squares formed by these lines being blazoned of two tinctures arranged alternately."—Aveling, 1891

Chequée

"Chequée is when the field is divided by lines perpendicular and horizontal, crossing each other,…

"Or, a chevron gules. CHEVRON. This ordinary is supposed to represent the rafters of the gable of a house." -Hall, 1862

Chevron

"Or, a chevron gules. CHEVRON. This ordinary is supposed to represent the rafters of the gable of a…

Argent, two chevronels, gules. The diminutives of the chevron, according to English Heraldry, are the chevronel, which is half the breadth of the chevron. -Hall, 1862

Shield Showing Chevron

Argent, two chevronels, gules. The diminutives of the chevron, according to English Heraldry, are the…

"Argent, two chevronels gules. CHEVRONEL. The diminutive of the chevron, being one half its size." -Hall, 1862

Chevronels

"Argent, two chevronels gules. CHEVRONEL. The diminutive of the chevron, being one half its size." -Hall,…

Gules, three couple-closes interlaced in base, or ... the couple-close ... is half the chevronel. -Hall, 1862

Shield Showing Chevronels

Gules, three couple-closes interlaced in base, or ... the couple-close ... is half the chevronel. -Hall,…

"Argent, a chief, azure, indented. The chief is an ordinary terminated by an horizontal line, which, if it is of any other form but straight, its form must be expressed; it is placed in the upper part of the escutcheon, and occupies one third of the field." -Hall, 1862

Chief Indented

"Argent, a chief, azure, indented. The chief is an ordinary terminated by an horizontal line, which,…

"Or, a chief gules, indented. INDENTED. A serrated figure, much smaller than the dancette." -Hall, 1862

Chief Indented

"Or, a chief gules, indented. INDENTED. A serrated figure, much smaller than the dancette." -Hall, 1862

"Argent, on a chief, gules, two mullets, sable. The chief is an ordinary terminated by an horizontal line, which, if it is of any other form but straight, its form must be expressed; it is placed in the upper part of the escutcheon, and occupies one third of the field." -Hall, 1862

Chief Ordinary

"Argent, on a chief, gules, two mullets, sable. The chief is an ordinary terminated by an horizontal…

The heraldic coat of arms of Spencer Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.

Arms of Spencer Churchill

The heraldic coat of arms of Spencer Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.

A circle shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

Circular Shield

A circle shape of a shield or escutcheon in heraldry.

"Azure, three clarions or. CLARION. A horn or trumpet borne in this shape in English and German coat-armour." -Hall, 1862

Clarion

"Azure, three clarions or. CLARION. A horn or trumpet borne in this shape in English and German coat-armour."…

"CLOSE. A bird with its wings closed." -Hall, 1862

Close

"CLOSE. A bird with its wings closed." -Hall, 1862

"Gules, an angel erect with wings expanded or, dress closegirt. CLOSEGIRT. A figure whose dress is fastened round the waist." -Hall, 1862

Closegirt

"Gules, an angel erect with wings expanded or, dress closegirt. CLOSEGIRT. A figure whose dress is fastened…

Gules, two barrulets, argent. The barrulet is half the width of the closet. -Hall, 1862

Shield Showing Closet

Gules, two barrulets, argent. The barrulet is half the width of the closet. -Hall, 1862

"Or, two closets azure. CLOSET. A diminutive of the bar, being only one half its width." -Hall, 1862

Closets

"Or, two closets azure. CLOSET. A diminutive of the bar, being only one half its width." -Hall, 1862

"COCKATRICE. A chimerical animal, a cock with a dragon's tail and wings." -Hall, 1862

Cockatrice

"COCKATRICE. A chimerical animal, a cock with a dragon's tail and wings." -Hall, 1862

"A field of any charge divided into a row of small squares."—Aveling, 1891

Componée

"A field of any charge divided into a row of small squares."—Aveling, 1891

"Argent, an inescutcheon azure, border compony, or and gules. COMPONY. A term applied to a bordure, pale, bend, or any other ordinary, made up of squares of alternate metal and colour." -Hall, 1862

Compony

"Argent, an inescutcheon azure, border compony, or and gules. COMPONY. A term applied to a bordure,…

"Two or more annulets interlacing each other."—Aveling, 1891

Annulet Conjoined

"Two or more annulets interlacing each other."—Aveling, 1891

"Degraded means placed upon degrees, or steps."—Aveling, 1891

Cross Nowed, Degraded and Conjoined

"Degraded means placed upon degrees, or steps."—Aveling, 1891

"Gules, a bend argent, coticed of the same. COTICE. One of the diminutives of the bend: cotices are generally borne on each side of the bend. The cotices are frequently of a different tincture from the bend they cotice." -Hall, 1862

Cotice

"Gules, a bend argent, coticed of the same. COTICE. One of the diminutives of the bend: cotices are…

Argent, a riband vert. The riband, which is one third less than the garter and the bendlet, must never occupy more than one sixth of the field. -Hall, 1862

Shield Showing Cotice

Argent, a riband vert. The riband, which is one third less than the garter and the bendlet, must never…

"Counter-componée has two rows of squares, with a metal and color alternating."—Aveling, 1891

Counter-Componée

"Counter-componée has two rows of squares, with a metal and color alternating."—Aveling,…

"Counter-vair is when the arrangement of the little shields or bells is varied so that those of the same tincture are placed base against base and point against point."—Aveling, 1891

Counter-Vair Shield

"Counter-vair is when the arrangement of the little shields or bells is varied so that those of the…

A shield or escutcheon emblazoned with the fur, vair, represented by alternating azure (blue) and argent (silver) bell shapes with horizontal lines.

Counter-Vair Shield Fur

A shield or escutcheon emblazoned with the fur, vair, represented by alternating azure (blue) and argent…

Or, a cross, gules. THE CROSS ... as its name imports, was the distinguishing badge of the Crusaders, in its simplest form. It was merely two pieces of list or riband of the same length, crossing each other at right angles. The colour of the riband or list denoted the nation to which the Crusader belonged. The cross is an honourable ordinary, occupying one fifth of the shield when not charged, but if charged, one third. -Hall, 1862

Couple-Close

Or, a cross, gules. THE CROSS ... as its name imports, was the distinguishing badge of the Crusaders,…

"Argent, three couple-closes interlaced vert. COUPLE-CLOSE. One of the diminutives of the chevron, half the size of the chevronel." -Hall, 1862

Couple-Close

"Argent, three couple-closes interlaced vert. COUPLE-CLOSE. One of the diminutives of the chevron, half…

"Azure, a crescent argent. CRESCENT. The half moon with its horns turned upwards." -Hall, 1862

Crescent

"Azure, a crescent argent. CRESCENT. The half moon with its horns turned upwards." -Hall, 1862

"A half-moon shaped charge, with its horns turned upwards."—Aveling, 1891

Crescent

"A half-moon shaped charge, with its horns turned upwards."—Aveling, 1891

"CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross

"CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall,…

"Cross bottonny. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Bottonny

"Cross bottonny. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of…

"Azure, a cross couped argent. COUPED. From the French word couper, to cut. The cross in the example is couped, part of it being cut off, so as not to touch the edges of the shield." -Hall, 1862

Cross Couped

"Azure, a cross couped argent. COUPED. From the French word couper, to cut. The cross in the example…

"Cross crosslet. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Crosslet

"Cross crosslet. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of…

"Cross Crosslet on Grieces. GRIECE. In heraldry, a degree or step, as one of the steps upon which crosses are sometimes placed." -Whitney, 1911

Cross Crosslet on Grieces

"Cross Crosslet on Grieces. GRIECE. In heraldry, a degree or step, as one of the steps upon which crosses…

A Cross double-parted.

Cross Double-Parted

A Cross double-parted.

A Cross engrailed.

Cross Engrailed

A Cross engrailed.

"Cross fitchy. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Fitchy

"Cross fitchy. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

A Cross flamant.

Cross Flamant

A Cross flamant.

A heraldic shield with a charge cross in which the extremities terminate with fleurs-de-lis.

Cross Fleur-De-Lis

A heraldic shield with a charge cross in which the extremities terminate with fleurs-de-lis.

"A Cross Fleury, or Fleurie, is borne in the arms of Lord Brougham and Vaux. It is not very unlike the Cross Patonce, but the extremities are less spreading."—Aveling, 1891

Cross Fleury

"A Cross Fleury, or Fleurie, is borne in the arms of Lord Brougham and Vaux. It is not very unlike the…

"Cross flory. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Flory

"Cross flory. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

"Cross moline. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Moline

"Cross moline. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

"Cross of Calvary. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross of Calvary

"Cross of Calvary. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of…

A heraldic shield with a charge of a cross with four ermine spots.

Cross of Four Ermine Spots

A heraldic shield with a charge of a cross with four ermine spots.

Gules, a saltier, argent. The saltier was formed by making two pieces of riband cross diagonally, having the appearance of the letter X, or, speaking heraldically, the bend and bend sinister crossing each other in the centre of the shield. The saltier, if uncharged, occupies one-fifth of the field; if charged, one-third. -Hall, 1862

Cross Ordinary

Gules, a saltier, argent. The saltier was formed by making two pieces of riband cross diagonally, having…

A heraldic shield with a Cross patée charge.

Cross Patée

A heraldic shield with a Cross patée charge.

A variation of the heraldic charge Cross patée, with concave colors.

Cross Patée Concaved

A variation of the heraldic charge Cross patée, with concave colors.

"Cross patonce. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Patonce

"Cross patonce. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

"Cross patriarchal. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Patriarchal

"Cross patriarchal. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any…

"Cross pattee. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Pattee

"Cross pattee. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

"Cross potent. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Potent

"Cross potent. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

"Cross quadrate. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Quadrate

"Cross quadrate. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of…

"Cross quarter-pierced. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Quarter-Pierced

"Cross quarter-pierced. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than…

"Cross Quarterly is a Cross cut by a partition line, and the tinctures reversed or counter-changed."—Aveling, 1891

Cross Quarterly

"Cross Quarterly is a Cross cut by a partition line, and the tinctures reversed or counter-changed."—Aveling,…

"Cross raguly. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others." -Hall, 1862

Cross Raguly

"Cross raguly. CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the…

"The Cross Recercelée is very similar to the Cross Moline, but the extremities are curled backwards."—Aveling, 1891

Cross Recercelée

"The Cross Recercelée is very similar to the Cross Moline, but the extremities are curled backwards."—Aveling,…