Merks Family Coat Of Arms

Explanation of the Amorial Bearings of John Joseph Merks of Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada

The Shield:

Vert -  the term for green which describes the main tincture of the shield.

goutty d’eau – means that the shield has distributed over it an indeterminate number of small objects arranged in a regular pattern (goutty) while d’eau tells us these objects are silver or white drops. So Vert goutty d’eau refers to the green pastures and milk of a dairy operation

on a cross Argent – the cross is a common heraldic charge or device which indicated the important role of the Roman Catholic Church in the life of the armiger. Argent – is silver (or white as it is usually shown)

five maple leaves in cross Gules – the allude to the armiger’s five children all born in Canada. in cross refers to the arrangement of the leaves on the cross. The leaves are red (Gules)

in dexter chief – refers to the left (dexter) and upper portion (chief) of the shield as seen by the viewer

a bull’s head – alludes specifically to the armiger’s occupation as a dairyman

caboshed Or – this refers to an animals head seen directly from the front with no part of the neck showing while Or is the heraldic term for gold (or yellow as it is most commonly depicted)

armed – refers to the teeth, talons, horns or claws of a beast

annelled – means a ring through a bull’s nose in this case the ring and the horns are white (Argent)

The Crest:

The crest is composed of a twist of cloth called a wreath, around the helmet and is in the main colours of the shield, in this case silver and green (Argent and vert). The Merks’ crest has a circlet of red maples leaves (Gules) which are Canadian in nature surrounding two demi-lions combatant (facing each other). The lion on the viewer’s left wears an antique crown which consists of three fleurs-de-lis visible to the viewer and both lion and crown are coloured Or (gold). The lion on the viewer’s right is black (Sable). Both lions have red tongues and claws. This is a standard convention in heraldry and so the colours are not mentioned in the blazon (the written description of armorial bearing).

The lions facing each other and their colours are derived from the armorial bearings of the Province of Gelderland in The Netherlands from which the Merks family originated. In the Gelderland arms the lions are complete, so for the purposes of differences demi or half lions have been used in the Merks’ crest.

A further mark of difference from the Gelderland arms the lions hold in their forepaws a sword inverted (hilt upward) and proper (shown in its natural colour) with the hilt and pommel Or (gold or yellow). The sword alludes the John Joseph’s service in The Netherlands Army. It is a heraldic device frequently used to refer to military matters.

The crest brings together the Canadian elements (maple leaves) with The Netherlands elements (the lions of Gelderland) and so represents the connection of the Merks family with both countries.

Note that the helmet and its mantling on which the crest is shown do not in fact form part of the crest. Mantled Vert doubled Argent means that the mantling is green on the outside and silver or white on the underside.

The Motto:

DEO DUCE COMITE INDUSTRIA

GOD BEING MY GUIDE INDUSTRY MY COMPANION