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
Wendell, Evert Jansen (Emden, Ger, 1615-Albany, N.Y., 1656)

Per fess, in chief Azure a ship under full sail proper, in base Argent two anchors in saltire crowns upward Sable

Arms on stained glass window formerly in Old Dutch Church, Albany, ca 1656

Crozier 1, Bolton, Matthews
1. Wenckum, Aeltje van (in Rensselaerwyck, New Netherlands, 1648)
2. Wenckum, Gerrit van (in Rensselaerwyck, New Netherlands, 1648)

Azure three crowns Or

1. Wife of Brant Aertz van Slichtenhorst
2. Nephew of Aeltje van Wenckum, #1
Quartered with van Rensselaer in window formerly at Old Dutch Church, Beverwyck (now at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, with azure field faded to clear).

1. NEHGS #417
2. NEHGS #417, NYG&BR 64:246
''Welton, John (in Waterbury, Conn, 1679)

''Argent a cinquefoil and on a chief Gules a demi-lion Argent

Crozier 1
Welsteed, Rev William (Boston, 1695-1753)

Azure a bend checky Argent and Gules

On a flagon left to the Second Church of Boston; Bolton says arms of Steer

Bolton
Welsh, Samuel (d. Philadelphia, 1702)

Azure six mullets three, two, one Or

Arms on his tomb at Christ Church, Philadelphia

Bolton
Wells, Noah (in East Windsor, Conn, 1790s)

Argent three hillocks [demi-roundels] Azure flamed proper

Bookplate by Richard Brunton

Bolton, Bates, Early Conn Engraver
Wells, Ebenezer, (in Brattleboro, Vt, 1750)

Or on a cross Sable a sun in splendor Or, in the first quarter a lion rampant Sable

Matthews
Welles, Gov Thomas (Stourton, Warwick, ca 1590-Wethersfield, Conn, 1660)

Or a lion rampant double-queued Sable on a chief Gules two annulets interlaced Or

Matthews
1. Welles, Gov Thomas (Stourton, Warwick, ca 1590-Wethersfield, Conn, 1660)
2. Wells, William (on Long Island, 1640)

Or a lion rampant double-queued Sable

1. See alternative arms below

1. Crozier 1
2. Crozier 1
1. Weld, Rev Thomas (in Roxbury, Mass, 1632; d. 1661)
2. Weld, Capt Joseph (b. 1595; d. Roxbury, Mass, 1646)

Azure a fess nebuly between three crescents Ermine

Brothers; arms enameled on brass at First Church in Roxbury. See variant above.

1. Bolton
2. [[ Books.Bibliography#croziergen">Crozier 1, Matthews