Can you make your own family coat of arms?

Question

In my Cultural Anthropology class we have a semester project to do on our family and I want some feedback on what other people think about me making my own family coat of arms out of wood and designing it specifically for my family.

Answer 1

Like some of your answers alreay given here, even though this coat of arm name derives and refers specifiaclly to European Caucasian peoples, it would still be best to respect thier usages and meanings. If it is disrespectful to create a coat of arms because only the gods had rights to use one then it would be best to ask permission to not participate in this class and instead prepare a report why you would choose not to do so. This must go for any other culture being studied so if you were not a pope you would not wear or make to wear his or her saturno hat. If you were not an australian hunter you would not attempt to wear the hunter's religious hunting adornments nor would you attempt to enter a cursed pyramid without Egyptain government permission first.

You can make one as would an american or canadian who chooses to remain ignorant and figures they can make whatever they want, but making such a thing would be up to you. This is just the respect of Anthroplogy in which case it would seek permission of the Queen of England or such an agency for approval and blessing before such a project!

Answer 2

forget what these folks are saying

far to serious about the matter i say,

i would add some sort of arms,

the sword, mace, of some sort to show that you cross your familily or betray them, there is a means to deal with such.

Secondly i would have something of harmony to show there is another option, or if you remain a loyal friend to me there is tranquility on the other end, perhaps a dove, or olive tree..

of course a banner in the forefront baring your family name..

and than the rest is all about creativity,

but i would use symbols that mean something to you personally.

hope this helps!

Answer 3

It wouldn't be able to be used as a family coat of arms to be passed on through a family.  The reason for this is that Coats of Arms are a Heraldic honour, meaning that they were given knights and other members of the aristocracy.

However, it doesn't mean you can't.

Answer 4

About the same as printing your own funk4life bucks and trying to get your friends to use them.

Answer 5

That sounds really awesome. It will be a cool thing to keep even after your class is over!

What sorts of things will you have on it??