I’ve spent many, many hours over the years pouring over heraldic books and family trees to ensure as much as possible that each name below in entitled to use the coat of arms illustrated, whether in reality or in theory. The arms are subject to different rules depending on their country of origin. As in previous years they are a mixture of family, personal, marital and official arms. I’ll explain these first. Different nations will have variations of these descriptions.
Family – arms inherited through the father’s family and generally only used by the senior bloodline heir. Children and family members who belong to a junior line may be required to add differences to the arms.
Personal – arms granted by a recognised heraldic authority to, or inherited by, the person listed. I’ve included people entitled to use differences, as mentioned above.
Assumed – arms originally adopted by a person or family where no recognised heraldic authority existed in their lifetime or location. The arms may be in use in other nations by people of the same family name, often unrelated.
Marital – this is complicated: traditionally, wives adopt the arms of their husbands. If she has her own arms she can show them side by side with her husband’s on one shield, or (as an heiress) on a little shield on top of his. Heraldic authorities have modified the rules to included same-sex married couples.
Arms of Office – arms of a corporate, municipal, religious or educational institution, etc., of which the person was the nominal head and entitled to use in relation to their duties during their term of office.
One thing to remember is that in some nations unmarried women put their arms on a diamond-shaped lozenge or an oval instead of a shield. For the sake of visual uniformity I have use shields throughout.
B) Sybil Bedford (1911-2006), Anglo-German writer. Family arms: the arms of her paternal family, the Schoenebecks. For more information see here.
C) Mark Chatfield (1953-1998), US Olympic and Gay Games swimmer; cellist. Family arms: those granted by the College of Arms to Mark’s direct ancestor Richard Chatfield (1500-1586). I’ll write more about Mark’s arms next month.
D) Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980), Polish artist. Marital arms: her arms as Baroness Kuffner de Diószegh, being those of her Czech husband Baron Raul Kuffner de Diószegh (1886-1961).
E) Rev. Peter Elers (1930-1986), Vicar of Thaxted, Essex; 1st President of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement. Family arms: those of his paternal family, originally from Germany, which were confirmed for use in England by the College of Arms in 1836.
F) Simon Fanshawe (b.1956), English broadcaster and writer. Family arms: those used by his direct male ancestors since 1649. The cross and checks are an “augmentation of honour” awarded by the College of Arms in 1649 in recognition of several members of the family having been Remembrancer of the Exchequer.
H) Mrs. Phebe Coffin Hanaford (1829-1921), the first woman in the US to be ordained as a Universalist minister. Family arms: those of her father’s direct male-line ancestor Tristram Coffin (1609-1681).
I) Ryurik Ivnev (1891-1981), Russian poet, novelist and translator. Family arms: those of his paternal ancestors, the Kovalyov family. Ivnev’s real name was Mikhail Aleksandrovich Kovalyov.
L) Lionel Johnson (1867-1902), English poet and essayist. Family arms: those of his grandfather, Sir Henry Allen Johnson (1785-1860), 2nd baronet.
K) Robert Kitson (1873-1947), English artist and architect of Casa Cuseni. Personal arms: those he was entitled to use as the son and heir of John Kitson (1843-1899). The star indicates that Robert’s father was a third son.
L) Sir Thomas Lipton, 1st Bt. (1878-1931), Scottish tea merchant. Personal arms: granted to him by the English College of Arms in 1902.
N) Pola Negri (1897-1987), Polish-American actor and star of the Silent Screen. Marital arms: the arms of the Polish Godziemba clan which her husband Count Eugeiusz Dubski was entitled to use.
O) Edward Onslow (1758-1829), English MP. Personal arms: those he used as the 2nd son (indicated by the crescent) of the 1st Earl of Onslow.
P) Casimir Pulaski (1745-1779), Polish-born officer in the American Revolutionary arms. Family arms: for more information see here.
R) Capt. Edward Rigby (pre 1670-after 1711), English naval captain of HMS Drago. Family arms: those depicted on his portrait.
S) Nicole Stéphane (1923-2007), French actor, film producer and director. Family arms: those of her paternal family, the French de Rothschilds (Nicole was born Baroness Nicole de Rothschild).
U) Rev. Nicholas Udall (1504-1556), English schoolmaster and playwright. Arms of office: those of Eton College of which Rev. Udall was Head 1534-1541.
V) Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann (b.1958), Bishop of Monmouth, the 1st openly lesbian bishop in Wales. Arms of Office: her arms as bishop, being those of the diocese of Monmouth.
W) Anne Whitney (1821-1915), American sculptor. Assumed family arms: those used by some descendants of John Whitney (1621-1692), Anne’s ancestor, who arrived in New England in 1635. This is one of several variations.
Y) Cardinal York, Prince Henry Stuart (1725-1807), Duke of York and pretender to the British throne. Personal arms: those he used as a British prince and Roman Catholic cardinal. He was referred to by his title not his family name.
Z) Lydia Zinovievna-Annibal (1866-1907), Russian writer and playwright. Family arms: those of her paternal family, the Zinovieva family.
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