The use of fish in Heraldry is a fascinating subject, capable of beguiling antiquarian, historian, Herald, and fisherman alike.
It appears that the earliest heraldry containing a fish is that of the Zodiac sign Pisces. This sign is said to be representation of fishing on the Nile, where the season generally starts in February. The symbol for Pisces can be found on the west entrance to Iffley Church in England. Iffley is considered one of the most beautiful still-extant examples of Anglo-Norman architecture.
Most heraldry books offer few, if any, references to fish, or fish seen from the eye of the Herald. In heraldry, dolphins, whales, mermaids, shellfish, and other such creatures - either real or fictitious - are all considered to be part of the overly-broad category of simply "fish."
As with all heraldic devices, describing the placement and positioning of any items on the shield is a necessity. This description in heraldic terminology is known as a "blazon." Fish are not exempted from proper description in heraldry. There are four heraldic terms used specifically for describing the posture of an heraldic fish; these postures are herein described and then illustrated, below:
Naiant - swimming fesswise (horizontally), head to dexter (toward the left as seen by the viewer).
Hauriant - rising, or swimming vertically upwards.
Uriant - diving, or swimming vertically downwards. This is spelled "Urinant" in some heraldic works; either is correct and implies the same fishy posture.
Endowed - swimming horizontally with the head facing as in naiant, but with a bend upwards in the middle. This is also known as "embowed," but as with uriant/urinant, the only difference is the spelling; the posture is the same.
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| NAIANT | |
HAURIANT | |
URIANT | |
ENDOWED |
The use of these four terms can make the job of the Herald much simpler. The terminology makes the blazon of the exact posture of the heraldic fish more easily accomplished, often in fewer words. The heraldic terminology also aids repeatability when transmitted from herald to herald. For instance, the following four descriptions are of actual mediaeval coats of arms. They are first described in simple English words, and then blazoned in standard heraldic terms.
From 1514, we have "Azure, three fish head upward." Properly blazoned, this becomes, "Azure three fish Hauriant."
From 1498, "Gules two fish erect" becomes, "Gules two fish Hauriant" ,
"Per pale Or and azure, two fish erect, one head up, one head down, counterchanged" is more correctly, "Per pale Or and azure, a fish Hauriant and another Uriant counterchanged." (This entry, nor item four below, cannot be precisely dated.)
"Azure two fish fesswise one facing left and the other right Or" is more properly (and considerably shorter), "Azure two fish naiant counternaiant Or."
Almost any fish found in Europe in the Middle Ages could be used in heraldry. Let's take a look at the most common fish found in heraldic devices, starting with the most common, the dolphin.
Dolphin:
The dolphin is considered by most heralds as the chief of all fishes. Of all the fishes that can be named, the dolphin was used most extensively. It is important to note that being considered chief the dolphin is always shown in Heraldry to be endowed. This is known as the "default posture" of the dolphin, automatically implied, and it is not necessary that it be explicitly stated in the blazon.
A few examples of the dolphin's use in Heraldry would include the Fishmongers company, and the 15th century Greek printers of the House of Aldus. It was also used as the symbol of the Greek empire.
The dolphin also appears in the arms of the Dauphin of France. This play on words is known as a "cant" in heraldic terms. Mary, Queen of Scots and the Dauphin of France after their marriage, were occasionally referred to as the Dolphin and Dolphiness of France.
Pike:
The scientific name for pike is Esox Lucius, commonly called Lucy. It is the luce of heraldry. The Lucy family, dating back to the 12th century, bore as their arms "Three golden Pike (lucies)."
Salmon:
The Severn is known and famed for its salmon.
It is no wonder that the salmon is found in the arms of the family of Gloucester, through whose lands the Severn flows. You can also find the salmon in the city seal of Kingston on Thames.
Nova Scotia, which resembles Scotland both in name and arms, also uses a salmon in it's heraldry. The older coat of arms of Nova Scotia bore "Three thistles Or about a Salmon.
Trout:
Heralds choose the finest specimens applicable when beginning their design process. Trout is famed for its beauty, and is frequently found in devices. It is presumed that a trout is intended when no specific fish is named in the blazon; trout is the "default" fish. Therefore, you can replace the word fish with trout and imply no disrespect. The city of Stafford on the Sow has long been known for its trout and grayling. The town's corporate seal incorporates a trout.
As a side note, it is important to stress to all seekers of historical angling knowledge, that it was in Stafford on the Sow that the famous fisherman Izaak Walton was born.
Canting, or the play on words, was briefly mentioned earlier in this work, with the examples of dolphins and Dauphins, and luce and Lucy. Canting is by no means limited to fish. You could find examples of canting any time that a name, or title, has similarities with beasts, flowers, tools, or almost any object used in heraldry. However, without the use of canting, several fish would have never been found on a device.
Grayling:
The grayling can be found in the arms of the families of both the Greyliy and Grelly of Lancashire.
Barbel:
The seal of the Earl of Surrey, of the 14th century had arms ornamented by two barbels. This came to pass when the Earl married a daughter of Henry, Count Of Bar. The House of Bar was merged by marriage, and Henry's arms were ornamented with twobarbels.
Bream:
Izaak Walton (1593-1683) is, without question, the most well known angling writer in history. His book, The Compleat Angler, published in 1653, is only exceeded in numbers of printings by the Bible. The Compleat Angler has over 300 printings at the time this article was written.
While writing of the Bream he states, "But though some do not, yet the French esteem this fish highly, and to that end have this proverb, 'He that hath bream in his pond may bid a friend welcome.'"
Bream are found in most lakes and rivers in Europe. Walton takes much time describing the fish, locations where bream may be found and taken, the best time to fish for them, and the making of various pieces of equipment. There is, however, a philosophical side to the book, and the writer. Walton's own introduction to the book reads, "For angling may be said to be so like the mathematics, that it can never be fully learnt; at least not so fully that there will still be more new experiments left for the trial of other men that succeed us."
Three Bream are the canting arms of the Essex family of the town of Breame.
Carp and Roche were two other fresh-water fish that were found to be mentioned in heraldry. Although they were used, their use was sparse. Only the arms of the Roach family was found which could be directly listed here as canting arms.
Salt-water fish besides the dolphin were also used, but were not quite as popular as the fresh-water varieties. Examples of heraldic ocean fish were the shark, mackerel, haddock, whale, sprat, and eel.
Finally, above are the arms of Woulfe. The device contains a winged black stork above the shield. a wolf under an oak tree with fish below. It is suggested that the fish may refer to the family owning fishing rights on the Shannon river.
It is blazoned "A winged stork elevated sable. Per fess argent and azure, in chief on a mount vert in front of an oak tree a wolf passant both proper, in base two salmon naiant pale argent."