BOOKS OF HERALDRY

The most important books of heraldry:

RIETSTAP, J.B. ARMORIAL GENERAL.
Précédé d'un Dictionnaire des Termes de Blason. 2nd edition 1887, Reprint 1990. 2 volumes limited edition 1200 + 1328 pages. This most important reference work contains the blazons of thousands of Coats of Arms covering the whole world, arranged alphabetically under surnames. Written in French.

RIETSTAP, J.B. ARMORIAL GENERAL Précédé d'un Dictionnaire des Termes de Blason. 2nd edition 1887,  2 volumes edition 1200 + 1328 pages.+ Dictionary of heraldry with images.

Rietstap Armorial General  is a multi-volume work on the coats-of-arms of the world; it is both monumental and without equal, and is the most exhaustive undertaking of its kind. Needless to say the volumes are in French, but the information is stereotyped, and easily understood. The Armorial General is the most authoritative work on the coats-of-arms in the world. The descriptions of the arms cover those of  more than 100,000 families, alphabetically arranged and accurately described. The work was compiled from hundreds of armorials and it contains an extensive glossary of terms. In addition to a full description of the arms, most entries identify the nationality of the arms bearer, his title, and the date his title was conferred. The basic text was established with the publication of the second edition, corrected and enlarged, of 1884-1887. This most important reference work contains the blazons of thousands of Coats of Arms covering the whole world, arranged alphabetically under surnames. Rietstap is the most thorough armorial of European armory in existance.

Johan Baptiste Rietstap. Born: Rotterdam 05-12-1828, Died: 12-24-1891

ROLLAND, V. and H.V. ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE ARMORIAL GENERAL by J.-B. Rietstap.
Reprint 1991. 6 volumes bound in 3. 2029 pages. of illustrations showing about 85,000 shields of Arms in black and white arranged in alphabetical order of surnames and hatched for colours.

VERMONT, E. de V. (Ed.) AMERICA HERALDICA.
A Compilation of Coats of Arms, Crests and Mottoes of Prominent American Families settled there before 1800. Illustrations by Auguste Leroy. 1886, Reprint 1965. 224 pages. 400 illustrations Also includes Gore's Roll of Arms, Prince's List of Esquires, Passengers on the Mayflower, etc.

FAIRBAIRN'S BOOK OF CRESTS OF THE FAMILIES OF GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND.
Reprint 1996 of the 4th and best revised and enlarged edition 1905. 2 volumes in 1. xiv + 611 pages. Index of Family Names and blazons 95 pages. Index of Mottoes and translations 45 pages. Key to plates 8 pages. Dictionary of Heraldic Terms 314 plates, each showing about 15 illustrations of Crests. Suitable for identifying Crests or looking up Family Crests.

ELVIN, C.N. A DICTIONARY OF HERALDRY.
With upwards of 2,500 illustrations. A reprint of this most complete Dictionary of heraldic terms with each one clearly illustrated. First published in a very limited edition in 1889. This is very easy to use with a completely alphabetical index.

PINCHES, R.V. and WOOD, A. A EUROPEAN ARMORIAL.
An Armorial of Knights of the Golden Fleece and 15th century Europe, from a Contemporary Manuscript. 1971. 4to. 11 colour plates and 75 full page black and white lustrations 222 pages. Genealogies and a map. Full index of names.

BURKE'S GENERAL ARMORY.
The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales: comprising A Registry of Armorial Bearings from the Earliest to the Present Time, by Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms. Reprint 1984 of the 1884 last and best edition 1185 pages. The greatest collection of Coats of Arms, arranged alphabetically under surnames.

ELVIN'S MOTTOES REVISED.
A Handbook of Mottoes with a Supplement and Index by R. Pinches. Based on the original edition of 1860 by C.N. Elvin. 1971, Reprint 1987. 308 pages. A new index of names gives this work a new dimension.

WAGNER, A.R. HERALDS OF ENGLAND.
A History of the Office and College of Arms. Royal 4to. 1967, Reprint 1985 limited edition of only 400 copies. xxvi + 609 pages. 44 magnificent full page plates, 13 in colour, of which 3 are double-page.

PAPWORTH'S ORDINARY OF BRITISH ARMORIALS.
An Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms belonging to Families in Great Britain and Ireland, upon an entirely new plan by J.W. Papworth and A.W. Morant. 1874, Reprint 1985 with a new introduction by J. Brooke-Little, Richmond Herald. xxii + 1125 pages. The only work which enables coats of arms to be identified from a description or picture.

GALBREATH'S PAPAL HERALDRY.
New edition revised by Geoffrey Briggs, 1972. 156 pages. 8 fine colour plates and 206 black and white illustrations. Revised and brought up to date from Professor Donald Lindsay Galbreath's own copy and manuscript amendments.

PINCHES, J.H. and R.V. THE ROYAL HERALDRY OF ENGLAND.
With 35 Genealogical Tables and Historical Notes. xviii + 334 pages. 9 superb full page colour plates and hundreds of beautiful black and white illustrations, many from contemporary sources and some additional drawings by Dan Escott. The first complete reference book on Royal Heraldry.

URQUHART, R.M. SCOTTISH BURGH and COUNTY HERALDRY.
1973. xii + 274 pages. and 220 illustrations of arms. The first new work on Scottish Civic heraldry for 70 years, all the Burgh and County arms are here illustrated and blazoned and the reasons for their adoption given.

JOHNSTON, G. Harvey. SCOTTISH HERALDRY MADE EASY.
2nd edition Reprint 1972. xv + 221 pages. 7 plates and text illustrations. Includes lists of Crests, Mottoes, Family Histories, Glossary, etc.

Dictionary of English Surnames by R. M. Wilson, Percy H. Reaney
First was published in 1958 as "A dictionary of British surnames". This third edition gives the meaning of over 16,000 English surnames and their variants, together with early forms and their sources and dates. Arranged alphabetically, with a cross-reference system for variant spellings. Another of my standard references.
Dictionary of English Surnames

CRAVEN, Maxwell. A DERBYSHIRE ARMORY. (Derby Rec.Soc.) 1991.
xxiv + 205 pages. Index. Arranged in alphabetical order of surnames. Illustrations of arms. Includes the Arms given in the 4 Visitations of Derby.

The Surnames of Wales : For Family Historians and Others by John Rowlands, Sheila Rowlands
This is not quite as detailed in the area of family history as would suit my needs. Still, it is a useful reference for anyone with a general interest in Wales and its surnames. The major thrust of the work is to map the distribution of names by area.
The Surnames of Wales

MACLYSAGHT, E. IRISH FAMILIES, THEIR NAMES, ARMS and ORIGINS.
4th edition revised and enlarged, 1985. 248 pages. Index. Maps. 243 arms in colour.