First of all , there is really no such thing as a "family crest".  A person may be granted a device known as "Arms", or  a "Coat-of-Arms".  The Arms are generally passed to the immediate heir of the original bearer, sometimes with slight modification. However, just because a MacDuff  was knighted and granted Arms, it does not mean that any MacDuff is entitled to bear or display them.   

Having said all that, it is kind of nice to display a fine looking coat of arms on the  wall in the hall that was once granted to a namesake. I'm sure no-one would object to our taking pride in a family tradition.  Just remember that it is a Coat-of Arms,

                                           not a family crest!

Ships don't have "Crests", they have Badges! 

You don't wear a "crest" on your jacket, you wear a badge or emblem!  However, a badge may be a representation of a crest. 

A crest is the device worn on top of a knight's helmet, and comes from the latin crista, which is a cock's comb. Most of the earliest helmets were decorated with a fan-shaped device. The name comes from the latin crista, a cock's comb.

Confused? 

That's why I'm putting together this section of my website.  I would like to try and explain a bit about heraldry, which is where the badges and emblems that we wear on our team jackets, paint on our warships, aircraft and tanks, wear on uniform caps, and put on official letterheads all began.

So......................Next Heraldry Page