The International Association of Amateur Heralds

We're probably all familiar with the letters patent issued by the College of Arms and the Lord Lyon. But what about the official grant or registration documents from heraldry authorities in other countries?

Here are a few which I found online. Please feel free to add more if you wish.


From AUSTRIA, a 1979 certificate from the state governor of Upper Austria, confirming that the state government has granted these arms to the municipality of St Martin im Innkreis ...


... and a 2012 certificate from the state governor of Burgenland for the municipal arms of Weiden bei Rechnitz.

An example from FLANDERS : a 2006 grant of arms to Louis Finet. The unusual line of partition is blazoned as "lindenbladvormig", which means "linden leaf-shaped".


From IRELAND, the 1961 grant of arms to US President John F. Kennedy and other descendants of his great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy. Irish grants of arms can be bilingual, as in this example, or in English only or Erse only.

A KENYAN example : the grant of arms to the Kianda School.


From the NETHERLANDS, a 2009 certificate confrming the arms granted to the Steenwijkerland municipality by royal decree.

An example of the current SOUTH AFRICAN form of registration certificate, in this case the 2013 arms of the SA National Youth Orchestra.


And from the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the 1990 grant of arms to the Adjutant-General's Corps of the US Army.

Thank you for sharing this nice collection. It's nice to see the variety of design.

Ditto Mark!