Traditional arms, assumed about 1918 (Design by Magnus Backmark)
Descendants of Adolf Swanström
The Swanström arms were assumed (I believe) during or shortly after World War I, perhaps about 1918, and certainly before 1942 by my great uncle Hugo Ferdinand Swanström (1886-1971). The arms might be older than I know. No records exist of the arms assumed and borne by Swedish commoners, so the arms could have come down to Uncle Hugo from previous generations. However, the arrangement of three charges is so typically an English form that I doubt these arms came from Sweden.
In heraldic blazon, the arms are described as:
Azure two bars wavy Argent between three swans rising Argent beaked and membered Or, wings elevated and addorsed. Crest: Issuant from a crest-coronet Or a demi-swan as in the arms. Motto: Sans Tache.
In Swedish: Sköld: I blått fält två av vågskuror bildade bjälkar av silver ovan åtföljda av två inbördes frånvända och nedan av en svan, alla av silver med beväring av guld och med lyftade vingar. Blått hjälmtäcke fodrat med silver. Hjälmprydnad: En dylik svan uppstigande ur en hjälmkrona av guld.
Jeanne Swanström registered a version of these arms with the American College of Heraldry in 2005, and I registered another version with the Bureau of Heraldry in South Africa in 2006. The arms are also included in the database of the Svenska Heraldiska Föreningen.
Symbolism
The Swanström arms are canting arms, meaning that they are a picture of the surname. In Swedish, svans-ström means “swan’s-stream,” or more poetically, “river of the swans.” The arms show three swans beside a stream.
Most stories about symbolism in heraldry are fantasy, but I find it interesting that a swan is said to denote a music, poetry, and harmony. For more information on the symbolism of swans, see my Swan Lore pages.
Sources
The Augustan Society, The Augustan Society Roll of Arms, 52-53 (Justin Durand, 5 March 1983).
Svenska Heraldiska Föreningen, Heraldiska Källan, No. 1646 (Hugo Swanstrom, 1999).
American College of Heraldry, No. 2793 (Jeanne Swanström, 17 November 2005).
United States Heraldic Registry, No. 20070204E (Jeanne Swanstrom, 4 February 2007).
United States Heraldic Registry, No. 20070204F (Hugo Swanstrom, 4 February 2007).
United States Heraldic Registry, No. 20070204G (Justin Swanstrom, 4 February 2007).
Arms of Jeanne Swanström
(click to enlarge)
Other Svanström Families
The American Swanströms are not related to the Svanström family who were untitled nobility. Augustin Larsson Svanström (1600-1658) was ennobled by Queen Christina in 1647 (No. 397). His father Lars Michelsson was Governor of Helsinski Castle. The family became extinct in the male line with the death of Capt. Frans Ludvig Svanström in 1678. Their arms are illustrated below.
Arms of the Swanström family (No. 397)
Other Swedish Families
The Laxmand family in Sweden bears arms that would have been equally appropriate to a Svanström family. Their arms are illustrated below.
Arms of the Laxmand Family
Laxmand
Similar Arms
Because of the inherent difficulties of creating a unique design, families separated by time and distance occasionally choose identical designs. I have not discovered any other families that bear the same arms as the Swanströms, but following are close:
Swan, of Badwinstown Castle, co. Wexford. Azure on a fess wavy Argent, between three swans displayed Proper crowned Or, a trefoil Vert. Crest: a swan Proper crowned Or charged with a trefoil Vert. Motto: Sit nomen decus. (Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (1864), 989.)
Waters, of Lenham, co. Kent. Sable three bars wavy between as many swans Argent. (John Woody Papworth, Ordinary of British Armorials (1961), 44.)
A black swan is the badge of Western Australia, which has for its motto Cygnis Insignis (Distinguishged by Its Swans).
Back in 2003 I was one of three founding members of the American Heraldry Society, with David Boven and Cory McHenry. Those were the days.
As I recall, the Society grew out of discussions in an online forum. One of the usenet groups, I think. Probably rec.heraldry. In the beginning David was our President, I was Vice President, and Cory was Secretary. As with many new groups, the way we arranged ourselves into the choice of offices was something that didn’t take much thought. It was just obvious. Later, I was happy to disappear into the background and leave the politics to new members with more ambition and higher social needs.
The Society was originally incorporated in the state of Colorado in 2003, but was dissolved and re-incorporated in Texas in 2007. I still have some of the original records. Succeeding corporate officers have never asked for them but in our modern world I doubt they need them.
Our little group attracted a lot of attention and eventually became the premier society for American heraldry in a very crowded field. (It seems every amateur heraldic enthusiast in America wants to preside over his or own society.)
I’ve always been very proud of what the Society has accomplished, growing out of the original vision and working with a core group of very dedicated members.
Now the Society is having some growing pains. The website (AmericanHeraldry.org) has been offline for months. The official explanation seems to be that the site was designed by amateurs. (Oh yes, it certainly was.) So we need professional help. (Yes, everyone needs professional help.) Which is just another way of saying it was working when the amateurs were running things, but the pros broke it and they’re having trouble fixing it.
I’ll just leave that train of thought there and hope the people involved can see the humor in it.
In 1969 I was just learning about heraldry. I knew my step-father had a coat of arms and my mother’s father had a coat of arms, but I hadn’t yet discovered a coat of arms for my paternal ancestors. So, I designed my own. Frankly, they’re still my favorite.
The blazon is Per pale Argent and Azure, in dexter chief a cornflower Azure and in base two bars wavy counterchanged.
Arms of Justin Howery
One of my earliest attempts to define and register my arms was in 1983.
Augustan Society Roll of Arms, 1983
Bookplate by Richard Crossett.
By a custom of heraldry, the undifferenced arms belong to the heir of the original bearer. So, I differenced the original Hauri arms by adding a chief that draws from the arms of my step-father, Carroll Arthur Place. I also altered the original Hauri crest, which was “a dove, as in the arms.” And, I used the motto traditional in my branch of the family, Hora e Semper, which is said to mean “Now and Always.” It is probably a pun devised by my great grandfather, Rev. Elmer Phillip Howery, whose wife was an Alloway. In local records her maiden name was sometimes recorded as “Always.”
I recorded the resulting arms with the American College of Heraldry in 2000:
American Heraldry Society, 2000
Azure a dove roussant Argent beaked and membered Gules, and for difference on a chief Argent three chaplets of roses Gules leaved Vert. Crest: A pair of wings conjoined in lure each charged with a rose Gules. Motto: Hora e Semper (Now and Always).
Arms of Justin Swanström
By heraldic custom, arms should correspond to a person’s surname. So, when I changed my surname to Swanström in 2002, I dropped my paternal Howery arms and adopted a version of the Swanström arms. Such changes were common in the Middle Ages when men who adopted their mothers’ surnames also adopted the arms of their mothers’ families.
To avoid infringing on the rights of my Swanström uncle and cousins, I needed to make some changes to personalize the arms. Swedish heraldry was much influenced by German heraldry, so I adopted a German form of differencing, in which a man uses his father’s shield unchanged but substitutes the crest of his mother’s father. Because I was adopting the arms of my mother’s family, I reversed the rule, adopting the unchanged shield of my maternal grandfather, and substituting my paternal crest. I also changed the motto.
Preliminary Design by South African Bureau of Heraldry, 2006.
I registered these arms with the South African Bureau of Heraldry in 2006:
On a shield Azure two bars wavy Argent between three swans rising wings elevated and addorsed Argent beaked and membered Or; for a crest, upon a helm mantled Azure doubled Argent, issuant from a crest-coronet Or a pair of wings conjoined in lure Argent each charged with a rose Gules; for supporters, two swans rising wings elevated and addorsed Argent beaked and membered Or ducally gorged and chained Or; and for a motto, Be Just & Fear Not.
My bookplate shows an elaborated version of these arms, with decorative supporters, in accordance with Continental custom. The supporters are not intended to be insignia of rank, as they would be in the British systems of heraldry. (My paternal ancestors used supporters — two bears salient — in the same way.)
Bookplate by Daniel de Bruin.
The Augustan Society, The Augustan Society Roll of Arms, 52-53 (Justin Durand, 5 March 1983).
American College of Heraldry, No. 1943 (Justin Howery, 29 February 2000).
State Herald of South Africa, No. 3578 (Justin Swanstrom, 7 July 2006).
United States Heraldic Registry, No. 20070204G (Justin Swanstrom, 4 February 2007).
Beaumont, of Whitley Beaumont, co. Yorks. Gules a lion rampant Argent langued and armed Azure within an orle of nine crescents of the second. Crest: A bull’s head erased, quarterly Argent and Gules. Motto: Fide sed cui vide (Trust, but mind whom you trust).
Perhaps related to Beamont of Crosland. The Beaumonts of West Yorkshire were tenants of the de Lacy honor of Pontefract.
Camoys. Or on a chief Gules three plates.
Costner (Kestner). Argent a box with the lid open Gules. Crest: a pair of wings the dexter Argent and the sinister Gules. — Adam Kestner (?-1767), 1748 from Rotterdam to America.
His daughter Margaret (1745-?) married Lt. John Hoyle.
Crossland, of Crosland Hill, co. Yorks. Quarterly Argent and Gules, a cross botonny countercharged. — Visitation of Yorkshire, 1665.
Dennis, of Pucklechurch, Gloucester. Gules a bend engrailed Argent between two leopards faces jessant-de-lis Argent. Crest: A demi-lion rampant Azure bezanty.
Durand du Rapée. Sable a fess dancetty Or and in chief three fleurs-de-lis of the second. Crest: A griffin’s head erased pierced with a spear Proper. — Bookplate of Dr. John Durand, circa 1720).
Burke’s General Armory gives these arms for Durant, of Tong Castle, Shropshire.
Eagle. Argent an American bald eagle close Proper upon on a branch from which depends four feathers Gules, Argent, Vert and Or, and in chief sinister four pairs of feathers each pair one Gules tipped Sable and one Or tipped Sable conjoined in chief at their quills by four hurts. — Ridge Durand, war shield.
Frame. Argent on a cross Gules three lions Or, a chief Gules.
Gledhill. Azure three fusils in fesse Argent. Crest: A cock proper. Motto: Fortiter et Recte (Bravely and Rightly). — Granted 1612.
Glendinning. Quarterly Argent and Sable, a cross parted per cross indented countercharged. Crest: A maunch Or upon the point of a sword. Motto: Have Faith in Christ.
Grant of Freuchie. Gules three antique crowns Or. Crest: A burning hill proper. Supporters: Two savages proper. Motto:Stand Fast.
The hill depicted in the crest is Craigeleachie (opposite Rothemurchus), where a fire was lighted to call the whole clan together in Strathspey, the seat of the Grants in Morayshire.
Gunn. Argent a galley of three masts sails furled and oars in action Sable, displaying at the mast-head flags gules within a bordure Azure, on a chief of the third a bear’s head of the first muzzled of the second between two mullets of the field. Crest: A dexter arm wielding a broadsword, proper. Motto: Aut pax aut bellum (Either peace or war).
These arms are commonly assigned to Gunn, but no arms have been matriculated in Lyon Register.
Habsburg. Or a lion rampant Gules crowned Azure.
Hauri, of Beromünster. Azure a dove rising wings elevated and displayed Argent beaked and membered Gules. Crest: A dove as in the arms. — Stift Beromünster, Liber Vitae, circa 1415.
Hauri, of Reinach. Azure a dove rising wings elevated and displayed upon a trimount Vert and in chief two mill rinds addorsed Argent. Crest: A dove as in the arms. Supporters: two bears passant Proper. — Carved above the door at Schneggen, in Reinach.
Holmström, Fredrich. Fänrik vid Västerbottens infanteriregemente, 1772. Sköld: En (ojämn rundel) överläggande en ginbalkvis ställd ström. Hjälmprydnad: En uppstigande barhuvad man i vänster hand svingande en värja, mellan två blå fanor. Eder 260. — Gröna Stubbens Vapenrulla.
Holmström. Sköld: I fält av guld ett svart patriarkalkors. [Hjälm okänd.] Valspråk: Habet onus honos. — Hans Olof (1784-1855), ärkebiskop. Berghman, s.45, Kungl. Serafimerorden, s.286. — Gröna Stubbens Vapenrulla.
Holmström. Sköld: I rött fält en nedvänd pincett av guld korslagd med en nedvänd gravstickel av silver med handtag av guld. Rött hjälmtäcke fodrat med guld. Hjälmprydnad: En röd färgboll hållen av en bevingad hand av silver, vingen delad i svart och silver. — Hjalmar, faktor, Stockholm, (senast) 1943. Stolts exlibrissamling. (Gröna Stubbens Vapenrulla).
Holmström. Sköld: I rött en bjälke av silver bildad upptill av en tinnskura och nedtill av en vågskura samt ovan åtföljd av en gående grip av silver med beväring av guld. Rött hjälmtäcke fodrat med silver. Hjälmprydnad: En uppstigande grip av silver med beväring av guld. — Karl A. H., Åmål, 1987, medges, efter överenskommelse, åt efterkommande till Gustav Alexander (född 1815) eller (med annan hjälmprydnad) till Harald, Sveaborg (1700-talet). Äldste kände stamfader är Olof Sund (1627-1703), Ängelholm. SVR 371/88. (Gröna Stubbens Vapenrulla).
Horne. Sable three bugle horns stringed and garnished Argent. — Seal of Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester (1561-1580); Plate in Abp. Parker’s Antiquitates, Hanover edition
Horne. Or a cross flory Gules between four griffin’s heads erased Azure, on a chief Sable three bugle horns stringed of the first. — Cassan’s Bishops of Winchester (Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester (1561-1580).
Howery, Justin. Azure a dove roussant Argent beaked and membered Gules, and for difference on a chief Argent three chaplets of roses Gules leaved Vert. Crest: A pair of wings conjoined in lure each charged with a rose Gules. Motto: Hora e Semper (Now and Always). — Justin Howery, American College of Heraldry, XI, 53
Hultberg. Sköld: Delad av ett sänkt sparrsnitt i grönt, vari en balansvåg av guld, och guld, vari en röd ros med gröna foderblad och disk av guld. [Hjälm okänd.] — Britt-Inger (Bitte), gift Werholt, Ljunghusen i Vellinge, 1998. SVR 572/99. (Gröna Stubbens Vapenrulla).
Kenney. Per pale Or and Azure, a fleur-de-lis counterchanged between three crescents.
Kenney, of Somerset. Ermine (sometimes Argent), three crescents Gules. Crest: A unicorn’s head Azure bezanty maned Or, horned of the last and Sable. Motto: “Tereat, luceat, foreat” (Let him hold, shine and flourish). — Kenney, of Somerset, Burke’s Heraldry (1844).
Hoyle (Heyl). Azure three roses Or. Crest: three roses Or slipped and stalked Vert. Motto: Semper Gradatim Numquam Retrosum. (Jürgen Heyl married 1597 in Spandau to Gertraut Buschler).
Luce. Azure a cresent Argent. Crest: An eagle regardant wings displayed holding in the dexter claw a sword erect, all Proper. — Burke’s General Armory (Luce and Lucy).
Attributed to Henry Luce, the American immigrant, but not proven.
MacDowall of Garthland. Azure a lion rampant Argent crowned of a ducal coronet Or. Crest: Issuant from a crest-coronet Or, a lion’s paw erased and erected Proper holding a dagger point upwards Proper hilted and pommelled Or. Motto: Vincere vel mori (To conquer or die).
These are the arms of the ancient province of Galloway, differenced by the addition of a coronet.
MacKinnon of MacKinnon. Quarterly, 1st Vert a boar’s head erased Argent, holding in its mouth the shank bone of a deer Proper (for MacKinnon); 2nd Azure a castle triple-towered and embattled Argent, masoned Sable, windows and portcullis Gules (for MacLeod); 3rd Or a lymphad oars in saltire Sable (for MacDonald); 4th Argent a dexter hand couped fessways Proper holding a cross crosslet fitchée Sable (for Macdonald). Crest: A boar’s head erased, holding in its mouth the shank of a deer all Proper. Supporters: Dexter, a lion Proper; sinister, a leopard Proper. Motto: Audentes fortuna juvat (Fortune assists the daring).
Mallory. Quarterly, 1st Or a lion rampant Gules double queued, ducally gorged Argent (for Mallory), 2nd Sable an eagle displayed Or (for Nonwycke), 3rd Argent a bend between six martletts (for Tempest), 4th Azure two bars and in chief three mullets pierced Argent (for Washington). — Visitations of Yorkshire, 1563-64, 1585, 1612.
Middleton, of South Carolina. Argent fretty Sable, a canton Sable. Crest: A sheaf of wheat Proper between two wings conjoined in lure Argent. Motto: Regardes Mon Droit (Respect My Right). Borne by Arthur Middleton (1742-1787), a signer of the Declaration of Independence. — Tomb of Arthur Middleton, The Gardens, Middleton Place, Charleston, South Carolina. See also America Heraldica, 1886.
Place (Barons de Plaiz, etc.). Per pale Gules and Or a lion rampant Argent. — Burke’s General Armory (Place, Playce, Playse, the Barons de Plaiz, etc. (and no others))).
Place, Carroll Arthur (1920-2001). Azure on a chief Argent three chaplets of roses Gules leaved Vert. Crest: Issuant from a crest-coronet Or a pair of wings conjoined in lure each charged with a rose Gules. Motto: Rosam Qui Meruit Ferat (Let Him Who Has Earned It Bear the Rose). — Carroll Place, assumed 1968.
Zürich Roll of Arms
Place, of Halnaby. Quarterly, 1st Azure on a chief Argent three chaplets Gules (for Place of Dinsdale, co. Durham), 2nd Per pale Or and Gules a lion passant guardant Counterchanged (for Stapleton of Flamborough), 3rd Gules three chevrons Or (for Slitholme), 4th Argent a fess between six fleurs-de-lis Sable (for Halnath of Halnaby, co. Richmond). Crest: Issuant from a ducal coronet Or a dexter arm embowed in armor holding in the hand a battle ax all Proper. — Visitation of Durham, 1595
The arms of Place are apparently based on those of Lascelles.
Plaice. Azure on a chief Argent two wreaths Gules. — Morant’s Additions to Burke, Monsire William Plaice), citing Jenyn’s Ordinary, 1829.
Playce, of Halnaby, co. Durham. Azure on a chief Argent three torteaux each charged with a cinquefoil Or. — Burke’s General Armory.
Plays. Azure on a chief Argent three chaplets Gules. — Morant’s Additions to Burke (Sir William Plays), citing Glovers Ordinary.
Meggison of Whalton, co. Northumberland, and John Cressoner had similar arms.
Plecy, Earl of Warwick. Argent six annulets Gules a chief chequey Or and Sable.
Herr Helle von Rinach
Quarmby, of Quarmby, co. Yorks. Argent two bars and in chief a Cornish chough Proper. No crest or motto recorded. — Visitation of Yorkshire, 1567). No details are given in the 1563, 1584 or 1612 Visitations of Yorkshire. See also Justin Durand, The Augustan Society Roll of Arms, 1983.
The arms are canting arms; a Cornish chough is also called a “corbie.” The Quarmby family had early alliances with Beaumont of Crossland and Copley of Balley. The Aglionbys, apparently a related family, bore similar arms. In the time of Edward II, John Aglomby bore Argent two bars and in chief three martletts Sable.
Quillen of the Route, co. Antrim. Gules a lion rampant Argent, a chief Or.
Robertson of Struan. Gules three wolves’ heads erased Argent armed and langued Azure. Crest: A dexter arm and had erect holding a regal crown all proper. Supporters: Dexter, a serpent; Sinister, a dove, the heads of each encircled with rays. Compartment: A wild man chained. Motto: Virtutis Gloria Merces. Slogan: Garg’n uair dhuisgear. Badges: Dluth Fhraoch (Fine-leaved Heath), An Raineach mhor (Bracken)
Shaw of Tordarroch. Quarterly, 1st Or a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure; 2nd Argent a fir-tree growing out of a mound in base seeded Proper, in the dexter canton a dexter hand couped at the wrist holding a dagger point downwards Gules; 3rd chequy Argent and Azure, and on a chief of the Second three mullets of the First; 4th Or a galley sails furled Azure flagged Gules oars in saltire of the Last. Crest: A dexter cubit arm couped and holding a dagger erect all Proper. Motto: Fide et fortitudine (By faith and fortitude).
Straumey. Argent a vine branch Vert leaved of the same and fructed Azure. Notes: The sagas say that Straumey is located at the mouth of a fjord (Straumfiord). Banks identifies it with Martha’s Vineyard, but other authorities identify it with Belle Isle. The grapes are a play on both “Martha’s Vineyard” and on the Norse “Vinland.”
Sutton. Argent on a chevron between three armulets Gules as many crescents Or. Crest: A greyhound’s head couped ermine collared Gules garnished and ringed Or, on the collar three armulets of the last.
Swanström. Per fess Azure and Gules, in chief two mullets Or surmounted by a crescent Argent, in base a swan Argent crowned Or naiant on water of the last. Crest: A swan displayed issuant Argent crowned Or, the wings per fess, the dexter of the first and Azure, the sinister Gules and Argent. — Svenska grefliga och friherrliga atters wapen utgifven av August Wilhelm Stjernstetd (1812-1880)). Ridders-och Adelsman utgifven av Carl Arvid Klingspor (1829-1903).
Swanström. Azure two bars wavy Argent between three swans rising Argent beaked and membered Or, wings elevated and addorsed. Crest: Issuant from a crest-coronet Or a demi-swan as in the arms. Motto: Sans Tache.
Swanström, J., å en häradsrätts vägnar, 1704. Sköld: En svan simmande på böljor. Hjälmprydnad: En uppstigande svan med utbredda vingar. Stockholms magistrat och rådhusrätt 1636-1849 E6:4. — Gröna Stubbens Vapenrulla.
Swanström, Justin. Azure two bars wavy Argent between three swans rising wings elevated and addorsed Argent beaked and membered Or. Crest: Issuant from a crest-coronet Or a pair of wings conjoined in lure Argent each charged with a rose Gules. Supporters: two swans rising wings elevated and addorsed Argent beaked and membered Or ducally gorged and chained Or. Motto: Be Just & Fear Not.
Toomey of Croom. Argent, in chief a galley and in base a lion passant Gules.
Tyrrell. Argent two chevrons Sable.
Veltheim. Azure a cock Argent on a trimount Vert and in chief a mullet.
Velthiem is a village in Brugg, Aargau, Switzerland. Cf. Blarer, Hauri.
Venables. Azure two bars Argent. Crest: On a wreath a wyvern Argent pierced by an arrow, head Or and feathered Argent, devouring a child proper, crined Or, and standing on a wier Argent banded Azure.
Washington, of Sulgrave. Argent two bars and in chief three mullets Gules. — Ancestors of Pres. George Washington.
Welles. Sable a lion rampant queue forchy Or.
Wheeler. Vert on a fess […] three lions rampant Vert. Crest: Issuant from a mural coronet a griffins head Argent. — America Heraldica (Moses Wheeler, of New Haven, Connecticut, 1638).
Wilmot. Argent on a fess Gules between three eagles’ heads erased Sable a unicorn loged enclosed by two escallops Or. Crest: A demi-leopard rampant Argent spotted with hurts and torteaux holding in the dexter paw an acorn branch Vert fructed Or.
Wilson. Sable a wolf salient Or and on a chief Or three estoiles of six points Sable. Crest: A demi-wolf Or. — From a gold watch charm owned by John Custis Wilson (1784-1832), of Somerset County, Maryland, a descendant of Ephraim Wilson (1664-1733), of Ireland and Somerset County, Maryland. Also wax from George William Maslin, 1924.
Woodcock. On a bend three cross-crosslets fitchee. Notes:
These are the arms Sir Pury Cust impaled as the arms of his wife Ursula Woodcock on the monument in Saint George’s Church, Stamford, which he erected in her memory. She was distantly related to the Ursula, wife of John Culpeper. See Stow (”London” [Strype], Book v:116, 175).
Worthington, of Blainsco. Argent three dungs forks Sable.
This page has been revised to enhance readability and to add additional entries.
