Michael Swanson wrote:

One low-level risk is that people can know what you are interested in.  For example, an employer might see that you are really into heraldry, and posting from work, or he may think heraldry is for elitists, etc.  He may even find that you are passionate and argue about things, which may not be a virtue for a particular employer.

A higher level risk is that people can assemble a interest and activity profile from a simple google search of forum postings.  This can be used for targeted email, even though on our forum email is generally not accessible.

 

Of course, the highest level risk is identity theft.  Revealing middle names, and possibly maiden names, birth dates, and locations can be used to find additional information.  Small facts such as these can be used to trick people into giving social security numbers, or passwords, etc.

 

But I don’t want to make too much of these risks.  I only wanted to suggest that not giving a real name in a public forum is rational.  This is especially true for people with high-profile jobs or aspirations.

Hmmm…you seem to know a lot about this sort of thing, Mike. I’ll be sure to hold my identity very close when you’re around.

A rough analogy might be the various genealogy forums & websites.  Its not uncommon to find quite detailed info re: earlier generations but very little re: those still likely to be living.  The exact DOB & mothers maiden name of your great grandfather is of little use to an ID thief, who is really looking for your DOB & who your mama was.

Serendipitously for most heraldry buffs, having only more remote ancestral details is often the most useful info heraldically. This is because more remote "maternal" charges or allusions in new arms are much more suitable than your own mom’s—assuming you intend the arms to pertain to your extended family & not just to your immediate family.  Hypothetically, if your surname is e.g. Fox and your mother’s maiden name is Flowers, a fox within an orle of some sort of flowers would be a natural choice for you & your siblings—but not for your cousins who have no ancestral Flowers.  If Miss Flowers had been your immigrant ancestor’s blushing bride, however, all of their progeny could feel included.  While arms are intended (in part) to identity and inspire a given family (lineage), careless chice of symbols or ancestral allusions can as easily exclude as include.

Similar considerations may apply to other forms of symbolism.  E.g. great-grandpa may have come from thus-&-such a place, or may have been a sailor, or whatever; and all of his descendants can share in honoring that heritage, even if they may personally live elsewhere or follow different occupations etc.  On the other hand, symbols alluding to your dad’s watchmaking shop or musical talents will mean little if anything to cousins living on a farm who can’t find a musically inclined ancestor if their life depended on it.  Again assuming a desire to include, far better to design arms based on the broadest shared heritage, & maybe add or substitute minor charges and/or modify the crest, as differences for different branches of the family, based on their own more immediate maternal connections, residence, talents, etc.

But I’m digressing from ID theft to personal taste in designing arms—sorry ‘bout that!  Others may of course have different preferences & priorities.

hi guys, thank you for all your helpful replies. sorry i did not reply sooner, as work was taking up my time.  as far as canceling my order, its too late, i already got it. but thank goodness you told me what you told me.

i’m going to go back and read everyone’s reply, as i skipped some over.

Michael Swanson wrote:

I am OK with helping someone who does not give his or her name, but is willing to give the paternal great-grandfather’s name.  When leaving messages on a new forum where the messages are public, I think it is within the parameters of sanity that one would not post their name at first, or ever.  These forums are googlable.

Ideally though, if the person is serious, he or she will join ($) and the discussion can occur in the member’s area which is not googlable.

i have no problem saying my name, as i just added it to my signature.

i have to find out my great grandfathers name. i know my grandmothers father name, but don’t know my grandfather. so i will find out a.s.a.p.

again, i can’t thank you guys enough for your replies.

Scream1277 wrote:

i have no problem saying my name, as i just added it to my signature.

i have to find out my great grandfathers name. i know my grandmothers father name, but don’t know my grandfather. so i will find out a.s.a.p.

again, i can’t thank you guys enough for your replies.

Hey if you can’t find any ancestral arms, We all wouldn’t mind (actually enjoy) helping you with designing new ones, especially if you pay (paid?) the member fees

Michael Swanson wrote:

One low-level risk is that people can know what you are interested in.  For example, an employer might see that you are really into heraldry, and posting from work, or he may think heraldry is for elitists, etc.  He may even find that you are passionate and argue about things, which may not be a virtue for a particular employer.

A higher level risk is that people can assemble a interest and activity profile from a simple google search of forum postings.  This can be used for targeted email, even though on our forum email is generally not accessible.

 

Of course, the highest level risk is identity theft.  Revealing middle names, and possibly maiden names, birth dates, and locations can be used to find additional information.  Small facts such as these can be used to trick people into giving social security numbers, or passwords, etc.

 

But I don’t want to make too much of these risks.  I only wanted to suggest that not giving a real name in a public forum is rational.  This is especially true for people with high-profile jobs or aspirations.

One other thing is that potential employers have found blogs and forums and used things people have said to keep people from, or fire them, from their jobs. (I know this is late to the discussion, but my last 2 weeks have been severly hectic).