Monthly Program

Monthly Program

Join us for a presentation by David Appleton

Session 1:  An Introduction to Heraldry for Genealogists

"At the outset there is a curious fact in the relationship between the two subjects [of heraldry and genealogy]. While students of Heraldry do take to Genealogy and acquire a considerable knowledge of it, those who begin as genealogists seldom if ever take any interest in Heraldry. This is most unfortunate because the two subjects are necessarily connected." (L.G. Pine, Heraldry and Genealogy, p. 145)   Discover this connection between genealogy and heraldry (coats of arms) and learn how heraldry can become "the genealogist's most colorful tool" even when it's in black and white. We will briefly review the history of heraldry from its earliest days until now, learn the various parts of a heraldic "achievement" and what clues they may hold for genealogists, discover ways to identify coats of arms, and find ways to use heraldry yourself. Finally, we will also set right two common misconceptions about heraldry.

Session 2: The Heralds Visitations, an Often-Overlooked Genealogical Resource

"No genealogist whose interests lie in sixteenth and seventeenth century England can afford to neglect visitation pedigrees. Used with discretion, they are an indispensable section of the genealogist's library." (G.D. Squibb, Visitation Pedigrees and the Genealogist, p. 25) The heralds visitations of England recorded not only who could bear certain titles of rank and coats of arms (and some who couldn't), but also family lineages. Learn about the heralds visitations, when and why they took place, their methods, the genealogical and heraldic information they may contain, and most importantly, where the published visitations, their indexes, and related records can be found.

Presenter Bio:   David B. Appleton (B.S. History) has been researching and teaching about heraldry for over 40 years. This on-going interest has taken him all across the United States and Canada and to Europe to participate in and speak at symposia on the subject. He is an associate member of the Académie Internationale d’Héraldique /International Academy of Heraldry, and a Fellow of the American Heraldry Society, as well as a member of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, The Heraldry Society (England), The Heraldry Society of Scotland, the American College of Heraldry, the International Association of Amateur Heralds, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. He regularly participates in a number of heraldry, lineage and genealogy-related on-line groups. In addition to his illustrated lectures and presentations, he has written three books and numerous articles for a variety of publications on the topic of heraldry, in addition to regularly posting to his blog since 2009, entitled "Heraldry: Musings on an esoteric topic".

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