The International Association of Amateur Heralds

Elaine

To use a military metaphor, you have blundered into a mine-field and the enemy are lobbing mortar bombs in your direction. It is hard to know which way to turn. By now you may be wishing you had never heard of a Seefeldt coat of arms! I would advise you to to step back from the the rain of well-meaning advice and just concentrate on what Peter Harling said:

Personally ... I would reconstruct the Seefeldt coat of arms by adding 'differences' (these will be explained to you if you decide on this route), the new coat of arms can reflect the family traditions of Seefeldt connection and your son would be able to pass this new coat down to future generations with pride!

A number of our members would be able and willing to undertake this for you.

GJKS wrote:

Peter Harling wrote: The Canadian authority has taken steps to reverse this situation. The first child born to man and wife, be it male or female will bear the arms of the father and pass the arms to his or her children in the next generation.

Unfortunately, this Canadian practice is NOT traditional heraldic practice where the 'arms stay with the name'!
I shudder to think of the Canadian heraldic mish-mash that is now perpetuated by this aberrant policy.
If the arms don't stay with the name, of what possible use are they in attempting to identify someone?

Unfortunately I think their whole cadency system has not been adequately thought out.

Chas Charles-Dunne wrote:

GJKS wrote:

Peter Harling wrote: The Canadian authority has taken steps to reverse this situation. The first child born to man and wife, be it male or female will bear the arms of the father and pass the arms to his or her children in the next generation.

Unfortunately, this Canadian practice is NOT traditional heraldic practice where the 'arms stay with the name'!
I shudder to think of the Canadian heraldic mish-mash that is now perpetuated by this aberrant policy.
If the arms don't stay with the name, of what possible use are they in attempting to identify someone?

Unfortunately I think their whole cadency system has not been adequately thought out.

Wholeheartedly agreed. You would end up with innumerable quarterings after only a few generations.

Maybe this is a discussion for another thread, but in many ways we are a patrilineal culture, after all most people take their father's last name. Who is to say that we should reverse a universal practice of heraldry?

Who is to say that we should reverse a universal practice of heraldry?

The Canadians apparently.

Chris Green wrote:

Who is to say that we should reverse a universal practice of heraldry?

The Canadians apparently.

Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that "(e)very individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on ... sex ..." Robert Watt interpreted that to include the inheritance of arms from both parents. It is unconventional with regards to the historic rules of heraldic inheritance, but is required under the Charter.

Chas Charles-Dunne wrote:Unfortunately I think their whole cadency system has not been adequately thought out.

I don't understand why they didn't just use the traditional system "used" by the College and replace "son" with "child." Two separate lines of cadency marks which are largely ignored makes little sense.

We have completely lost the Seefeldt plot. If people wish to continue the discussion of Canadian heraldic practice please start a thread in the appropriate place.

PS: In Canada shouldn't "heraldry" be "himaldry" or "italdry"? Sorry it just slipped out guv!

It would appear that Elaine has been either ..... put off by comments; found it too complicated; or just simply disappointed about heraldry. I hope we didn't put her off!!!
Regards ............ Peter

Peter Harling wrote:It would appear that Elaine has been either ..... put off by comments; found it too complicated; or just simply disappointed about heraldry. I hope we didn't put her off!!!
Regards ............ Peter

I've actually been ill,then on holiday and now returned. I believe someone thought I was an American,far from it, I am Scottish born of a scottish mother and German father. The family coat of arms I have has been passed down from my father's side. We received it when my Opa died back in the 50s and my knowledge is that it had been passed down throughout his family. My father did not have any sons hence why I passed it on to my son who has since birth the surname of Seefeldt and of course has the Seefeldt blood pumping through him. If he isn't allowed it to be passed to him being the only male left in our side of Seefeldt family here and in Germany. My father was the oldest son as was my Opa,my fathers last remaining brother died last year so where does it go other than to my son or myself. I have a copy of the family book which has information of my Seefeldt family dated back to 1700s....I would love to trace back further but its not so easy living in Scotland with all my elderly relatives that can give me more details of our family history,now dead and my German not so fluent. Internet was not around when my Opa had the family coat of arms hanging on the wall in the old frame so I doubt if he ordered it from there because it had Seefeldt as a name. I have no reason to doubt this Coat of Arms was one of my ancestors that it belonged too.