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Canadian Heraldic Dictionary

Dictionary entries beginning with the letter A Dictionary entries beginning with the letter B Dictionary entries beginning with the letter C Dictionary entries beginning with the letter D Dictionary entries beginning with the letter E Dictionary entries beginning with the letter F Dictionary entries beginning with the letter G Dictionary entries beginning with the letter H Dictionary entries beginning with the letter I Dictionary entries beginning with the letter J Dictionary entries beginning with the letter K Dictionary entries beginning with the letter L Dictionary entries beginning with the letter M Dictionary entries beginning with the letter N Dictionary entries beginning with the letter O Dictionary entries beginning with the letter P Dictionary entries beginning with the letter Q Dictionary entries beginning with the letter R Dictionary entries beginning with the letter S Dictionary entries beginning with the letter T Dictionary entries beginning with the letter U Dictionary entries beginning with the letter V Dictionary entries beginning with the letter W Dictionary entries beginning with the letter X Dictionary entries beginning with the letter Y Dictionary entries beginning with the letter Z

Term Source Meaning Illustration
Badger Justice, D.H., Vol VI, P 146 The Badger of this crest refers to the grantee’s work on the use of badgers as symbols in different cultures.
Badger Paw Prints Gibson, R.J.S., Vol IV, P 230 The Badger (shown here by its paw-prints) refers to the grantee’s Cree heritage. They also refer directly to the badger sporran of the Calgary Highlanders Regiment, of which he was the Honorary Colonel.
Bahai Star Millington, I., Vol IV, P 258 The nine-pointed Baha’i Star is symbolic of the Baha’i faith to which the grantee belongs.
Bald Eagle Brentwood College Association The bald eagle is the North American version of the more traditional heraldic eagle, the king of birds – representing supremacy and leadership. It also has significance as a First Nations symbol.
Banyan Tree Lafond, J-D, Vol V, P 264 The Banyan Tree in these arms is a symbol of work, energy and hope. The supporters in the arms are elaborated under the letter "F".
Barque Leblanc Association The single-masted vessel shown in base is blazoned as a barque, possibly to distinguish it from a lymphad, which it resembles slightly. It is certainly not a barque in any nautical sense, since the latter has three masts. It is presumably meant to describe any sailing vessel of indeterminate type.
Bastion Rural Municipality of St. Andrews, Man., Vol V, P 174 The Bastion is a form of fortification used in many parts of Canada.
Beadwork, Metis Redmile, R.D. (Badge) Vol VI, P 74 The glove is a traditional part of a bishop’s vesture, since the grantee is a bishop. The Metis Beadwork that decorates them is a reference to his maternal ancestors.
Bear, Black Good, Jonathan The black bear, as distinct from “a bear Sable”, represents a distinct North American species. When blazoned as Proper, it should show the brown muzzle of the natural animal.
Bear Paw Prints Baker, a. Vol VI, P 354 The Paw Prints of the Bear were well known to early settlers in Canada.
Bear, Polar Association of Universities & Colleges Again, this is a distinct species, not just a bear Argent.
Beaver (First Nations Style) Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific) (Badge) Vol V, P 420 The beaver (its face depicted in West Coast First Nations style) is known by them for its industriousness, building skills and wise advice.
Beaver Lodge General Synod, Anglican Church of Canada . Vol VI, F-N P3 The Beaver Lodge is the home of the animal symbol of our country and is also an important emblem of the Algonquian people.
Beaver Pelt Skutezky, E.M.R. Vol IV, P 500 The Beaver Pelt, shown here on a stretching frame, alludes to the fur traders of early Canada.
Beaver Playing an Accordian Masse, P. Vol V, P 502 The beaver is the classic Canadian animal emblem. The accordion refers to the grantee’s enthusiasm for the instrument.
Beehive Oven Petozzi (Child’s arms) Vol VI, P 115 The Beehive Oven (shown at the centre chief) alludes to a passion for baking
Bendlet Reversed Séguin, HMCS Cornerbrook & 5th Maritime Operations Group (shown here). The four Azure bendlets in the badge are blazoned as "reversed". Sometimes bend reversed is used in place of the more traditional term bend sinister.
Bighorn Sheep Conservation Officer Service The great sheep of the lower slopes of the Rockies and Selkirks.
Birch-bark Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, Vol V, P 68 The use of birch-bark in the pale of these arms represents the Ojibway culture. It also alludes to the birch-bark canoes used in the fur trade era of Canadian history.
Bison-Lion Bryant, J.B., Vol VI, P 257 The Winged Bison-Lion has a number of significances. The first is found in the arms of Manitoba, where the grantee was born. The leonine hindquarters refer to a ring of eight lions found in her shield. The wings refer to her service in the RCAF.
Bison MacDonald, Rural Municipality (Supporter) Another example of a bison, this time as a supporter.
Bivouac Carrière Three muskets or rifles piled to support one another are said to be in "bivouac". The illustration unfortunately does not depict the way in which muskets or rifles are stacked in reality.
Black Rod of Senate Christopher, T., Vol V, P 42 The Black Rod held by the eagle in this crest refers to the grantee’s service as the Usher of the Black Rod in the Canadian senate.
Black Walnut Tree Brown, A. S., Vol V, P 234 The Black Walnut Tree, as shown in the crest, is a native tree of Ontario.
Blockhouse 3 Area Support Group, Oromocto, NB, (Badge) Vol V, P 322 The blockhouse is a distinctive historical military structure found within many provinces, especially in Atlantic Canada.
Blueberry 3 Air Maintenance Squadron. Vol III, P 386 The Blueberry, plentiful almost everywhere in Canada, was an important fruit widely used by early settlers.
Blue Flag Flower Official Flowers of Canada. The Blue Flag is the Provincial flower of Quebec.
Bluebunch Wheatgrass Guichon, J.I. Vol VI. P 361 Bluebunch Wheatgrass is a grass of Western North America. It is used primarily as a grazing food for livestock.
Blue Jay Province of PEI, Vol IV, p 195 The common, delightfully noisy and friendly jay of the Eastern US and Canada. It is the official Provincial bird of PEI.
Bookwheel John, C.R., (Crest) Vol VI, P 435 The Bookwheel (sometimes called a reading wheel) was a 16th-century invention for consulting several books at once. It alludes to a family’s love of books.
Bovine Skull Air Cadet Summer Training Centre – Penhold, Alta., (Badge) Vol 4, P 166 The Bovine Skull alludes to the Cattle ranching of Alberta, and refers specifically to the badge of Canadian Forces Base Penhold.
Bow (fabric) National Council of Women of Canada. Vol II, P233 These arms are blazoned as Argent a maple leaf Gules charged with a ribbon knotted to form a bow Or all within an orle of twelve like bows Azure.
The knotting of the ribbons alludes to the idea of solidarity within the group or council. The bows themselves suggest the work done by women.
Branding Iron Gibson An instrument for marking cattle, horses, etc, for identification, as held by the sea-lion illustrated.
Bufflehead Duck Town of Sidney, BC, Vol III, P 135 The Bufflehead Duck, shown here as a supporter, is a small North American duck. The name bufflehead is a combination of “buffalo” and “head”, referring to the odd shape of the bird’s head.
Bulrushes Township of South Frontenac, Vol VI, P 220 The Bulrushes (seen here in cross) refer to the many lakes of the township, and allude to the natural setting and recreation aspects of the area.