The Family Heraldry and Flags

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Family Shields and Heraldry
Cook, Allen, Latham, Miller, Avery
Fortune, Merrick, Adkins, Petty, Page

Flags
and other information

Dell's family heraldry

The Shield

The shield of the Arms most frequently referred to in association with the name Cook is described in heraldic language as: "Quarterly purpure and argent, in sinister chief a horseshoe."

Translated into modern English this is: "A shield divided into quarters of purple and silver with a purple horseshoe top right." Argent is Silver, one of the metals of a shield usually painted white. It represents Peace and Sincerity. The horseshoe is the symbol of good luck.

The Mottoes

Mottoes were not originally part of the grant of Arms and the earliest, do not include them. Around the 14th century they became a fashionable accessory to the arms. Frequently differing mottoes were applied to names as expressions of family beliefs and codes of honor.

The name Cook used the Latin "Esse quam videri." Translated into English "To be, rather than to seem."

The Crest

The Crest most frequently associated with the name Cook is: "An ostrich holding in the beak a horseshoe argent."

(There are other variations with the spelling of Cooke.)

It is a popular misconception that the word 'crest' describes a whole coat of arms or any heraldic device. It does not. A crest is a specific part of a full achievement of arms: the three-dimensional object placed on top of the helm.

A Crest, fashioned of wood or boiled leather, was often worn as an attachment to the helmet at tournaments when horsemen jousted with lances to prove their valor and courage. The Crest most frequently associated with the name Cook is: "An ostrich holding in the beak a horseshoe argent."

The Coat of Arms

During the Middle Ages battle armor was essential. Supporters of warring noblemen distinguished themselves by adopting matching symbols, patterns, and colors which were emblazoned onto their clothing and horse trappings. This clothing gave rise to the term "Coats of Arms".

Taken from THIS HERALDRY & COAT OF ARMS WEB RING site owned by " Michael W. Cook "
"Coats of Arms do not belong to surnames. There is no such thing as a 'coat of arms for a surname'. Many people of the same surname will often be entitled to completely different coats of arms, and many of that surname will be entitled to no coat of arms. Coats of arms belong to individuals. For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past."

King's Herald

At the behest of the monarch, Heralds were sent throughout the land to authorize the designs which had been chosen.
In time this organization and authorization became known as Heraldry.

Another version

These two not
really ours !!

Family name history: Latham is the name of several small towns in England. It developed from two words: "layth," a barn, and "ham," an enclosed field. People in Medieval England tended to stay in one area all their lives, so it was not unusual for them to take their names from the place where they lived. Sometimes a family would take possesssion of an estate and call it after their surname.

Leatham and Leathom are two older spellings of the name, which may also mean, "the house near the barn". "Ham" in Middle English could mean either house or enclosed field depending on the pronunciation. One of the first appearance of the name on English records was in the year 1266.

George's family heraldry

Family name history: "The origin of the Irish surname Fortune and it's variants O"'Fortune, Fortin and Forty are of English origin, havin;g been brought to Ireland by English settlers. Here the name is of nickname origin;, derived from the Latin "fortuna", meaning "chance, fate, fortune" and indicating "a fortunate or lucky person". The name is however, also found in Scotland, and ntroduced into Ireland during the Plantation period of the 17th century. The name is an anglicized form of the Gaelic "O Fairtcheirn" and of patronymic origin, derived from a personal name meaning"overlord". This surname was brought to America by Irish immigrants in the 19th century.

Blazon of arms: A fess embattled azure between three mullets gules. Crest: Orn a ducal coronet a mullet between two branches of laurel in orle all proper."

The Fortune coat of arms seems to come in 2 or 3 styles the most common one seems to be the one to the left. A stag upon a yellow wheel, surrounded by eight penzants.The motto is Fortuna fungacior undis, meaning Fortune is more transient than the waves.

*This Fortune coat of arms through the courtesy of Frankie's Irish Fortunes: Fortunes from Wexford

Merrick

Fortune crest

In law's family heraldry

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