Thanks Joe et al for your comments, ideas, etc.  I wasn’t definitely planning to change my arms, more thinking out loud (in written form) about what to do if I came upon proof that I was entitled to arms of a distant ancestor.

I like my arms just fine, but I do admit to being occasionally jealous when I see those of you and others who have arms that you’ve either inherited from many generations past or have created arms that are derivative of arms of an ancestor.

Thanks again.

Arriano:

By my comment on the issue of registration, I didn’t mean to imply that you couldn’t change your arms if you really wanted to because they were registered.  I was just trying to challenge you to think more about it, and to point out that arms are connected with the name and not just the male bloodline.  Now, if it was a matter of you not liking your arms, or something displeased you about them, then having them registered should not stop you from changing them.  A registration is not a grant of arms.  It’s simply a record.  In those cases of granted arms, you get what they grant to you.