History
The science that deals with Coats of Arms and genealogies is called "heraldry" due to the role of the "herald" in recording the "blazons", and comes from a common practice at a medieval sporting event. The word "blazon" is the correct technical description for a Coat of Arms. Before heraldry many families had their own lucky emblem--an animal or plant. The family "beast" was often kept as a live mascot. Ravens are still kept at the Tower of London. This is because Queen Elizabeth II of England is descended from the old Anglo-Saxon kings of the House of Woden, whose sacred bird was the raven. The Nolen "shield" has four black martlets (birds always without feet).
Hereditary surnames were first used in Ireland as early as the 10th century, but the custom did not become widespread until the 12th century. Because owernship of land was determined by family relationships, pedigrees were accurately maintained from early times. Most Irish names are patronymics, signified by either O or Mac. O stands for the old Gaelic word ua, meaning descended from, while Mac means son and is sometimes abbreviated to Mc or M'. And so we find the name O'Nolan in County Carlow, Ireland about 1000 A.D., bearing the title of "Chief". King Henry II (1154 - 1189) confirmed to O'Nolan his rights and possession of land in County Carlow, Ireland.
By the 1100's knights wore helmets that hid their faces. When knights met each other at tournaments and on crusades, they needed to know who was inside each helmet. So each knight had his own special pattern on the colored coat he wore over his armor. This was called his Coat of Arms. This same pattern was on his banner flag and on his shield. The King forbade anyone to take on Arms unless by right of ancestry or as a gift from the Crown. King Henry VIII sent the heralds into the "shires" on what were called "visitations." These "visitations" were held once every generation for almost two centuries for the sole reason of officially verifying, listing or denying Arms in use.
Crosses and religious symbols often meant the person felt a closeness to his god, or could have sybolized that the knight was a veteran of one of history's bloodiest series of battles -- the Crusades. A shield may be "quartered", or divided into four equal parts. The Nolen Coat of Arms has a Gold Cross in the center which divides the shield into four equal red parts. A lion standing on one hind leg with the front paws raised is called "rampant". The walking lion is called "passant". On the Nolen Coat of Arms is a "passant" red lion between four black martlets (birds) accompanied by four erect silver swords with gold hilts and pommels.
The colors used in a Coat of Arms are Gold (or yellow) which denotes generosity, valor or perseverance. Silver (or white) represents serenity and nobility. Red represents fortitude and creative power. A color must not be used on a color, nor a metal on a metal. This means that a red lion must be on a gold or silver background. A silver lion cannot be on a gold background because it will not show up at a distance. Therefore the Nolen "shield" has the red "passant" lion and the black birds on the gold cross and the silver swords with gold hilts and pommels on the red background in the four "quarters".
Above the shield is the helmet, the style of which depends on the country and the status of the early bearer. By the 1300's knights were beginning to wear crests on top of their helmets. The Nolen "crest" is a red "rampant half-lion". "Crests" are not "Coats of Arms" and must not be shown on a shield. A silken mantling hung down to shade the back of the helmet from the sun. The mantling was once cloth which hung down from the helmet to cover the back of the neck. It meant that the bearer had been to battle. The mantling was originally used to protect the knight from the direct rays of the sun and to protect his helmet from rust and stains. A wreath of twisted silk mounted on top of the helmet symbolizes the device used to cover the point where the crest was attched to the knight's helmet and kept it in place. The crested helmet and mantling are usually shown above the shield. The crest wasn't included on the Coat of Arms until the 13th century. The crest was the emblem that survived when the banner was destroyed and the shield shattered, as a rallying symbol of the knight's courage. The ornate mentling used today on the Coat of Arms has been designed to be used with any particular Coat of Arms.
A moto is often added at the bottom of the Achievement. The Nolen "motto" in Latin is "Coy Unu Vid Und" which is translated to read "One heart, one way". The whole armorial achievement -- shield, helmet, crest, and motto -- is used as a decorative way of marking things that belong to families today. It may be used on many items from furniture to cuff links. Sometimes the crest is used alone with its wreath.
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