W. Reich Shield / Crest

My mother is the genealogist of our family. Her research got me to looking into the symbols of old families. Heraldry is a very interesting, complex art, but it is fun to bring all the different elements into one design.

This shield/escutcheon is only part of a crest, but it is the key centerpiece of the entire design. Most crests include a shield surrounded by animals, a crown or helmet, and a banner.

The top of the shield is embattled, meaning that it represents the top of a fortress wall.

The field [background] of the shield has three divisions in a bend ordinary style [slanted bars of color in straight lines]. These are colored with three different tinctures.
1. Or [gold/yellow] represents prosperity and generosity.
2. Argent [silver/white] represents peace and purity.
3. Vert [emerald/green] represents growth, hope and loyalty.

The Purpur [purple or maroon] three-barred label at Middle Chief or Honorary Point [top middle of the shield] represents that this is the shield of the first born son. This is removed when the father dies. Purple is known to be historically the most expensive dye and so represents prosperity.

The eagle comes from the German coat of arms. My paternal surname is Reich. Also, we live in Pennsylvania, which hosts German and Dutch heritage.

The wagon wheel represents my first name, Wayne, which translates to "wagon maker". It also honors my maternal grandmother's family who used a 12-spoke wheel to represent their membership. When one person died, a spoke was removed. When all were removed, it left the wheel rim/circle, which represented eternity.