National styles

It is often possible to work out the country of origin of a coat of arms from its overall style, of which there are considered to be four traditions: German, Gallo-British, Mediterranean and Eastern (though South Africa and Canada could be said to have their own national flavours).

• A plain field with a charged chief is very typically Scottish.
• Saltires are most popular in Scotland, Spain and Russia, reflecting the position of St Andrew in these countries.
• British and French arms often have chevrons and mullets, rare elsewhere.
• Charges in bordures and in orles are popular in Spanish and Portuguese arms (but also in Scotland). – A shield of two different coats divided fess-wise is probably Italian.
• There are often trees in Mediterranean arms, and they are hardly ever geometric.
• Crests are often not seen in French and Mediterranean arms.
• German arms may have three or more crested helmets, and a pair of horns is also typical.
• German and Austro-Hungarian arms, especially of the nobility, are often immensely complex, with a checkerboard of as many as 128 small coats plus a single coat as an inescutcheon.
• Animals standing on a hillVert against an Azure sky are typical of Hungarian arms.

Heraldic authorities

Those who may legally grant arms to individuals, corporations or other bodies are:

• Scotland: The Court of the Lord Lyon – www.lyon-court.com/
• England, Wales and Northern Ireland: The College of Arms – www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/ – Ireland:The Office of the Chief Herald – www.nli.ie/fr_offi.htm
• Canada: The Canadian Heraldic Authority – www.gg.ca/heraldry/index_e.asp
• New Zealand: Herald of Arms Extraordinary – www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/ herald-of-arms.html
• South Africa: The State Herald – www.mamba.co.za/heraldry/herald.htm; or Bureau of Heraldry – www.national.archives.gov.za/aboutnasa_content.html#heraldry
• Flanders, Belgium:  Flemish Heraldic Council – www.monument.vlaanderen.be/aml/en/ heraldische_raad.html
• United States Army: The United States Army Institute of Heraldry – www.tioh.hqda.pentagon. mil/
• Spain: Cronista Rey de Armas – www.iagi.info/Cronista/. (Heraldry is not regulated in that there are no laws or rules and no official enforcement.  The heralds – Cronistas Reyes de Armas – have judicial powers in matters of noble titles and are a registration office for pedigrees and arms.)