"With differences to" is a term used in heraldry. If an individual is granted a coat of arms, no one else may use that particular design and all the bits associated with it. The coat of arms can be inherited upon the holder's death by one and only one heir. If other members of the family want to use certain symbols in their own of arms, they may do so, but they can not use an exact replica. For example, if I want to design my own personal coat of arms, I could borrow elements from a van der Schee coat of arms that was approved in the 16th century, for example two silver knives in saltire (crossed) on a blue background. However, I would add a representation of the upper battlements of the gate of Fort Garry to commemorate my service in the Fort Garry Horse. I would also add the crest (the part that comes out of the helmet) of RMC, depicting the armoured forearm and three maple leaves in the hand, to commemorate my graduation from the Royal Military College. If approved by the Canadian Heraldic authority, it would by solely my coat of arms and I could bequeath it to only one heir. Others, my other child for example, could add differences, such as a garb (sheaf) of wheat to denote a Saskatchewan connection. But that child could not use the same coat of arms as the sibling who inherited it.
I hope this goes some way to explaining the difficult to understand language of heraldry. I would be happy to answer other questions on the subject, but I will have to consult my reference books.
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31-12-09, 12:45 AM
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