There is no such thing as a family coat of arms.
They were granted only to individuals, and those individuals were exclusively men.
A coat of arms can only be used by the uninterrupted line of male descendants of the person to whom it was granted and is a privilege of nobility.
The heraldic symbol was emblazoned on a warrior’s shield and was also added to the fabric coat worn on the outside of his armor, which is why it’s known as a coat of arms.
Heraldry is the language of symbols or emblems and is the lone surviving custom from the romance and barbarism of feudal times.
Blazoning is the heraldic term to describe a coat of arms.
The unique color, shape, and design emblazoned on the warrior’s shield all distinguished him as friend or foe on the battlefield.
