articles

feeds

Latest

good reads

Bird family crest

Posted 14 Jan 04 by Scott Andrew Bird. Filed in Heraldry.

In the early 1480s Richard III incorporated the College of Arms, to oversee the granting and use of Arms. In the 1500s the regulations were much tightened: a property requirement of land worth ｣100 per annum, or property of ｣300 per annum was introduced and control over the use of arms was tightened. From 1530 the King of Arms made Visitations of the country to examine claims. After considering the evidence provided by the family, they either confirmed or disclaimed the right. A large number of pedigrees were collected.

The Visitations took place between 1530 and 1686, at roughly twenty or thirty year intervals. Other published Visitations for Cheshire exist for 1533, 1580, 1613, 1633.

From The Heraldic Visitation of Cheshire, 1580 :

Argent, on a cross flory between four martlets Gules, a martlet Or;
a canton Azure, charged with a crescent for difference, Gold.

What the crest signifies

Argent (silver or white) : Peace and sincerity
Azure (blue) : Truth and loyalty
Canton : As in a flag borne at the top corner of the shield; reward from the sovereign for performance of eminent service
Crescent : One who has been honored by the sovereign; hope of greater glory (horns to the chief)
Cross flory (cross flowered at each end) : One who has conquered
Gold : Generosity and elevation of the mind
Gules (red) : Warrior or martyr; Military strength and magnanimity
Martlet (footless swallow) : Symbol of the fourth son (mark of difference); may signify one who has to subsist by virtue and merit, not inheritance

Copies of the text are illustrated below.

Acknowledgements

This information is largely based upon that in www.fleurdelis.com/meanings.htm

Enjoy this site? Why not say thanks with a cup of coffee; or perhaps a a book. You can never read too much.

Other entries you may enjoy

You may also be interested in these entries:

Comments

Could the person who set up the genealogy of Alfred Bird in the scottbirdfamilytree.com website please contact me? I think Alfred was my great-grandfather's brother (my g-g-father was Charles Ernest Bird).
Thanks

Posted by: Susanne Holzknecht (nee Bird) | October 7, 2004 5:17 AM

My grandfather Roland Edwin Bird (born 1903) Crystal Palace Uk, was the son of Edwin Francis William Bird (born 1869 died 1940) he was married to Eliza Nugent possibly in Australia. Edwin F W Bird had the following brothers/sisters Marriane Jane Bird (1860 - ?), Ellen Bird (1862-1862), Louisa Helen Bird (1864-1873), Fanny Rose Bird (1867-?) Edwin Frederick Bird (1866-1867) & William Henry Bird (1870-1875). Their parents were Edwin Bird (1828-?) and Mary Anne Roache (1841-?) they were married at St Francis Cathedral Melbourne Australia 10/09/1859. If any of these names are connected to your family I would love to hear from you. Thanks

Posted by: Jamie Bird | July 8, 2005 4:35 PM

Receive an email when there are new comments on this post :

Welcome.

Welcome to the Family Tree of noted Australian writer and photographer Scott Andrew Bird. Here you'll find a number of fascinating aspects to this ever-growing database, including :

the tree itself (currently produced using Reunion and The Next Generation)
Scott Andrew Bird's Ahnentafel (the first 20 generations, anyway)
links to various genealogy articles by this site's authors
an index of surnames found in the abovementioned tree, and their origins
overviews of the key locations lived in by the families in this tree
overviews of the key occupations held by people in this tree
photographs of many family members

Additionally, there are a great many certificates, grave photos and other source material which is freely available to other people researching the same family lines. Send me an email or leave a comment on this site.

Scott Bird's Family Tree

history of the Bird family