The "Yarnall" Coat of Arms which you see on this site's front page is recorded with the College of Arms in the City of London, England. But to whom does it belong? Here are some comments from the College, itself:

"There is no such thing as a Coat of Arms for a surname, as Coats of Arms belong only to the original grantees and their descendants in the male line. " - The College of Arms, the official register of all Coats of Arms or heraldry in England and Wales; 26th October 1995.

"The Officers of Arms' daily business covers rights to existing coats of arms and applications for new ones; family history research, whether as part of their involvement in rights to or the granting of new coats of arms or not; identification work; and answering queries from all over the world. Neither the Heralds nor the College of Arms are supported from public funds. For this reason, the Heralds have for many centuries been allowed to practise and charge professional fees as experts in heraldic and genealogical matters.

"Anyone who can establish a direct male line of descent from an ancestor whose arms are registered at the College is automatically entitled to those arms. Official recognition of this necessitates recording of the descent in the registers of the College of Arms. The Kings of Arms' jurisdiction covers all those countries of which Her Majesty is Queen except Scotland and Canada, where Lord Lyon King of Arms and Canada Herald respectively have jurisdiction. Special arrangements apply to citizens of the United States. In 1983 The College of Arms Foundation Inc. (USA) was established to act as a focus for greater public interest in and support of the College's activities in the U.S.A."

Further "A coat of arms is usually granted, certified, registered or otherwise recognized as belonging to one individual alone, and that only his direct descendants with proven lineage can be recognized as eligible to inherit the arms. Exceptions to this rule are rare. It is highly inappropriate for one to locate the arms of another person sharing the same surname, and to simply adopt and use these arms as one's own. In order to properly claim the right to existing arms, one should approach an office of arms offering genealogical proof of proper kinship, and to receive confirmation of the right to bear the arms and thus to be recognized by the heraldic community as legitimately bearing the arms." - The American College of Heraldry

Anyone who wishes to enquire about a coat of arms should consult the Officer in Waiting, at the College of Arms, London. (see address above)

SO - If the heraldic display on our Front Page belongs to you, through a proven and registered direct line of descent from the original grantee, please, let me know.