Terminology: The phrase 'Family Crest' is often used interchangeably with the phrase 'Coat of Arms'. A Crest is a symbol placed upon the Helm within a Coat of Arms. In early times, a Crest was a decoration on a Helmet. The Crest was often used to distinguish between members of the same family.

HouseOfNames products currently feature the full Coat of Arms for a family name. The Arms image is an artist's rendition of the earliest known Coat of Arms for a given surname, and the Crest is included within that image. HouseOfNames products are based on over 35 years of research into the history of family surnames.