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Q. Do you have names from all over the world on your database? A. We currently have in
excess of half a million family names from all over the world
on our database. In addition we have the largest library of
its kind in the world with access to information on millions
of other names. While the majority of names on our database
tend to be of European origin we also have Asian, Middle
Eastern and African-American names on our database. A. H & C's Family Name Histories are available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Our Family Name Histories are prepared in the language requested by the original customer. Many family name histories are written in the language of their country of origin, while most of our histories are also available in English. Where a Family Name History can not be found in a particular language, but exists in another of the six languages, a translation fee may apply. Q. Are the Family Name Histories completely authentic? A. Yes, each of our Family Name Histories has been individually researched at the specific request of a customer. Each fact contained in our family name history has been inserted because of its relevance to that particular family name. Q. Does Heraldry & Crests carry out Genealogy research? A. No, the practice of researching the origins of family names is called ONOMASTICS whereas GENEALOGY is research into the origins or ancestry your own family. HOWEVER the outline of the history of the origin of your family name is often a good place to begin research of your genealogy in that it may offer useful pointers to the country or locality in which the name was originally found in addition to other useful information, such as bearers of the name and migration information. Q. What is a Coat of Arms? A. A Coat of Arms is an
identifying mark or heraldic form of identification dating
back to the European middle ages. The practice has its origins
in the necessity to enable identification on the battlefield
and out of this it developed, in parallel, into a form of
denoting military or other types of distinguished recognition
for individuals, families, organizations or institutions. The
actual coat of arms itself is composed of a blazon of arms (in
the shape of a shield) containing specific artwork (charges)
in a combination of nine heraldic colors and metals (Or -
Yellow/Gold, Azure - Blue, Argent - White/Silver, Sable -
Black, Vert - Green, Gules - Red, Purple, Orange and Brown).
This blazon is traditionally surmounted by a helmet on which
is displayed the crest (which may be related to the charges of
the blazon). This combination is further enhanced by heraldic
supporters such as unicorns or lions and a mantle purporting
to represent the cloak worn by a knight which generally
carries the predominant colors contained in the blazon. Q: Is there a Coat of Arms listed
under my name? Q. Can a name have more than one Coat of Arms? A. Yes, there are often more than one Coat of Arms displayed with a particular family name. Different branches of a family or particular individual bearers of a name may often have been granted their own Coat of Arms. Our research normally makes reference to the earliest Coat of Arms associated with the name. Q. Can the same Coat of Arms be associated with more than one family name? A. Yes, there are often cases of a number of family names being associated with one particular Coat of Arms. Also due to the consistency and universality of heraldic art, the same Coat of Arms may be associated with two entirely different names in two different countries. Q. Is it possible to establish when and where a particular Coat of Arms has been granted and to whom? A. Yes, however, not all source references give this much information regarding the granting of a Coat of Arms. Q. Is it possible to get one's own individual unique Coat of Arms? A. Yes, Coats or Arms for individuals or organizations are still granted (on payment of a fee and subject to an evaluation procedure) by some chief heralds or heraldic colleges around the world. Q. Are Heraldry & Crests products available worldwide? A. Yes, the shipping and handling rates listed in our web store are for U.S. customers. However we can, and do, ship around the world and can advise overseas customers of shipping rates to any destination. H & C also have dealers and franchisees operating in retail outlets and other locations in over 25 countries worldwide. Q. What is the delivery time for H & C products? A. H & C aspire to ship most orders within 2 weeks, however customers should allow up to 90 days for delivery, especially with regard to specialized orders such as Embroideries and Family Name Histories requiring additional research. Q. Is it possible to become a Heraldry & Crests dealer selling Family name histories and coats of arms myself? A. Yes, we are always looking for new H & C dealers. You can find out more by visiting our 'Become a Heraldic Consultant' section. Q. Does Heraldry & Crests have an associate/partner program? A. Yes, Heraldry & Crests has an associate program where we offer up to 15% commission on sales made to customers who access our site through an associate link. You can find out more details about our associate program here. Q: How long has The Heraldry &
Crests been in business and doing this?
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