# Armiger

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Person entitled to bear a coat of arms

For other uses, see [Armiger (disambiguation)](/source/Armiger_(disambiguation)).

Part of a series on Heraldic achievement External devices in addition to the central coat of arms Escutcheon Field Supporter Crest Torse Mantling Helmet Crown Compartment Charge Motto (or slogan) Coat of arms Heraldry portal v t e

In [heraldry](/source/Heraldry), an **armiger** is a (natural or [juridical](/source/Juridical_person)) person entitled to use a [heraldic achievement](/source/Achievement_(heraldry)) (e.g., bear [arms](/source/Coat_of_arms), an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be **armigerous**; a [family](/source/Family) or a [clan](/source/Clan) likewise.

## Etymology

The Latin word *armiger* literally means "arms-bearer". In high and late medieval England, the word referred to an [esquire](/source/Esquire) attendant upon a [knight](/source/Knight), but bearing his own unique armorial device.[1]

*Armiger* was also used as a Latin [cognomen](/source/Cognomen), and is now found as a rare surname in English-speaking countries.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Modern period

Today, the term *armiger* is well-defined only within jurisdictions, such as [Canada](/source/Canada), the [Republic of Ireland](/source/Republic_of_Ireland), [Kenya](/source/Kenya), [South Africa](/source/South_Africa), [Malta](/source/Malta), [Spain](/source/Spain), and the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom), where [heraldry](/source/Heraldry) is regulated by the state or a heraldic body, such as the [College of Arms](/source/College_of_Arms), the [Chief Herald of Canada](/source/Chief_Herald_of_Canada), the [Court of the Lord Lyon](/source/Court_of_the_Lord_Lyon) or the [Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland](/source/Office_of_the_Chief_Herald_of_Ireland). A person can be so entitled either by proven (and typically [agnatic](/source/Agnatic)) descent from a person with a right to bear a [heraldic achievement](/source/Heraldic_achievement), or by virtue of a grant of arms to himself. Merely sharing the same family name of an armiger is insufficient.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] British armigers are considered [gentlemen](/source/Gentleman) and equated to [untitled nobility](/source/British_nobility) by organisations such as the [CILANE](/source/CILANE) and the [Order of Malta](/source/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta), a grant of arms confirms or confers such [gentle](/source/Gentry) (untitled noble) status. This is not the case for Continental armigers, who may bear noble or merely [burgher arms](/source/Burgher_arms) with the latter according no social precedence.[2]

The usage of a heraldic achievement is usually governed by legal restrictions; these restrictions are independent of the [copyright](/source/Copyright) status and independent of a coat of arms depiction. A coat of arms represents its owner. Though it can be freely represented, it cannot be appropriated, or used in such a way as to create a confusion with or a prejudice to its owner.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands), only the heraldry of noble families is regulated.

In [Sweden](/source/Sweden) and [Finland](/source/Finland) the nobility has had, since 1762, the prerogative to use an open helmet, while others use a closed helmet.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In Britain, the untitled nobility uses closed helmets.[2]

In the [Spanish](/source/Spain) nobility, *armígero* was a low specific rank to which a certain group of untitled nobles were entitled. In modern heraldry, the term *blasonado* is also used.[3]

## Further reading

- Coss, Peter R. (1995). ["Knights, esquires and the origins of social gradation in England"](https://books.google.com/books?id=HKjJKo7WtnEC&dq=Knights,+esquires+and+the+origins+of+social+gradation+in+England.+Transactions+of+the+Royal+Historical+Society&pg=PA155). *Transactions of the Royal Historical Society*. Sixth Series. Cambridge University Press. pp. 155–78. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780521552004](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780521552004).

## See also

- [Heraldic Achievement](/source/Achievement_(heraldry)) – Full display of coat of arms

- [Armigerous clan](/source/Armigerous_clan)

- [Heraldry](/source/Heraldry) – Discipline of the design and study of coats of arms

- [Law of heraldic arms](/source/Law_of_heraldic_arms) – Law governing possession and use of arms

- [Women in heraldry](/source/Women_in_heraldry)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Uden, Grant (1968). [*Dictionary of Chivalry*](https://books.google.com/books?id=V_EdQAAACAAJ). Harmondsworth: Kestrel Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7226-5372-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7226-5372-7).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) ["Grande-Bretagne – CILANE"](https://cilane.eu/index.php/what-is-cilane/member-associations/associations-list/grande-bretagne/). Retrieved 10 February 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["ELENCO DE GRANDEZAS Y TITULOS NOBILIARIOS ESPAÑOLES 2017. Page 303"](https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/6159199.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 9 January 2024.

## External links

- The dictionary definition of [*armiger*](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/armiger) at Wiktionary

v t e Heraldry Authorities Grant of arms History origin Law of arms Officers of arms King of Arms herald private pursuivant Societies Visitation Types National dominion civic Ecclesiastical papal Burgher Women Attributed Topics Armiger Augmentation abatement Ancient and modern Alliance courtesy Blazon Cadency distinction Canting Debased Dexter and sinister Field divisions variations Fraud Marshalling dimidiation impalement quartering National traditions Societies Achievement Coat of arms Crowns and coronets Crest Compartment Escutcheon Helmet Mantling pavilion Motto slogan Supporter Torse Charges Attitudes Erasure Fimbriation Lines Ordinaries variations Geometric Annulet Bar Base Bend Bordure Canton Chevron Łękawica Componée Crescent Star and crescent Cross Crozier head Chief Esquarre Esquire Fess Fillet Flaunch Gore Goutte Gusset Gyron Hamade Inescutcheon Label Lozenge Mount Orle Pale Pall Pile Roundel Bezant Fountain Saltire Side Star Beasts Bear Boar Bull/ox Dog/hound Camelopard Hind/stag Kangaroo Leopard Lion Wolf Birds Alerion Black swan Cock Crow Dove Eagle Double-headed Triple-headed Szaszor Martlet Pelican Other Aurora Bee Caldron Carbuncle Clarion Cossack Crapaudy Dolphin Emmet Fire basket Ged Heart Lucy Mill Pizzle Portcullis Reremouse Scallop Serpent Sun Trident Vol Wolfsangel Legendary Allocamelus Alphyn Amphiptere Basilisk Biscione Chollima Cockatrice Dragon Chinese Enfield Garuda Griffin/Keythong Harpy Hippocampus Hippogriff Lampago Lindworm Manticore Mermaid Musimon Ouroboros Pantheon Panther Pegasus Phoenix Salamander Sea-griffin Sea-lion Tyger Unicorn Winged lion Woodwose Wyvern Yale Plants Fleur-de-lis Laurel wreath Oak Quatrefoil Rose Shamrock Trefoil Thistle Turnip Waterlily/Seeblatt Knots Bourchier Bowen Cavendish/Savoy Dacre Harrington Hastings/Hungerford Heneage Hinckaert Hungerford knot Lacy Ormonde/Wake Savoy Stafford Tristram/Bowen Wake Tinctures Rule of tincture Tricking Hatching Metals Argent (white) Or (gold) Colours Gules (red) Sable (black) Azure (blue) Vert (green) Purpure (purple)1 Furs Ermine Ermines Erminois Erminites Pean Vair Potent Stains Murrey (mulberry) Sanguine (blood red) Tenné (tawny) Rare metals1 Copper Bronze Buff (United States) Rare colours1 Amaranth Aquamarine Bleu celeste (sky blue) Brunâtre (brown) Buff (Canada) Cendrée (ashen-grey) Horizon blue Ochre Orange Rose (pink) Realistic Proper Carnation Diapering Applications Bookplate Hatchment Flag banner of arms Badge Ordinary of arms Roll of arms Illyrian Seal equestrian Tabard Trophy of arms Related Mon Emblem socialist Logotype Phaleristics Vexillology Sigillography 1 Non-traditional, regional, or rarely used (sometimes considered unheraldic) List of oldest heraldry Heraldry portal resources

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Armiger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armiger) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armiger?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.