A Roll of Early American Arms

Heraldry in the USA
A Roll of Early American Arms

Compiled by Eric Hall, Arian Collins, and Joseph McMillan
Illustrated by Eric Hall, Robert Tucker, Scott Denison, Joseph McMillan, and Chuck Glass

Personal heraldry has been used in what is now the United States since the earliest European settlements. This roll of arms borne in the present-day United States before 1825, compiled by AHS members, is intended to document the vitality of the American heraldic tradition over the years.

Note: Arms are included in this roll based on use as attributed by the sources given. Where it has been possible to validate the user's right to the arms or actual use of them, that information is provided. Names given in italics indicate that we are unaware of any contemporary evidence that the person to whom the sources attribute the arms actually used them, but this should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence of non-use of the arms.

Arms are indexed by the first letter of the armiger's last name. Names beginning with the particules "de," "von," "van," and the like are generally found under the name of the principal word in the surname. Where a person bore multiple surnames, or a surname and title, the arms appear under the name by which he or she is best known in the United States.

ARM NAME BLAZON COMMENTS SOURCE
Whitney, John, (in Watertown, Mass, 1635)

Paly of six Or and Gules a chief Vert.

Crozier 1
Whitmore, Thomas (in Wethersfield, Conn, 1639)

Argent on a chief Azure three martlets Or

See 'Wetmore' above.

Crozier 1
Whiting, Henry (Gloucester Co, Va, ca 1660-1720)

On a chevron between three leopards' (or wolves') heads three trefoils [tinctures not given]

Tomb of his daughter Catherine Whiting Washington, Highgate, Gloucester Co, Va (d. 1743). Bolton says these are the arms of Markham.

Bolton
Whiting, William (Hartford, 1659-Newport, 1724)

Azure a lion's head erased Or between two flaunches Ermine in chief three roundels Or

Seal on document of 1687

Crozier 1, Bolton
Whiting, Rev Samuel (in Massachusetts, 1636)

Per saltire Azure and Ermine a lion’s head erased and in chief three roundels Or

On a bookplate of (apparently) a descendant

Crozier 1, Matthews, Bolton
Whiting, ----- (New England, ca 1800?)

Per saltire Azure and Argent in fess point a leopard's face and in chief three roundels Or

"Very old" painting, apparently in style of Coles, "by the name of Whiting." Arms confirmed to Nathaniel Whiting of Desford at the 1619 visitation of Leicestershire.

Bolton
Whiting, Maj William (in Hartford, 1639)

Azure a leopard's face Or between two flaunches Ermine, in chief three roundels Or

NEHGS #210
Whiteley, Arthur (in Massachusetts, 1676)

Argent on a chief Gules three garbs Or

Crozier 1, Matthews
1. Whitehead, Richard (of King William Co, Va, 1673)
2. Whitehead, Philip (of King William Co, Va, 1701)

Azure on a chevron between three buglehorns Or three martlets Azure

1. Seal on a deed
2. Seal on a deed
Tinctures may be speculative.

Bolton, Crozier 2, NEGHS #558
Whitebread, William (New York, mid-1700s)

Azure on a chief Or a demi-lion issuant Gules

Bookplate by Dawkins

Bolton