United States heraldry Heraldry in the United States of America was first established by European settlers who brought with them the heraldic customs of their respective countries of origin . As the use of coats of arms may be seen as a custom of royals and nobility , it has been debated whether the use of arms is reconcilable with American republican traditions . However , George Washington had said that " heraldry is not incompatible with the purest ideals of republicanism " . Several of the " founding fathers " also employed personal arms and a great number of Americans continue to do so . Usage of arms . Most states do not employ coats of arms , but have chosen to use seals as their official emblems , and while the United States has a coat of arms , which is the basis of most governmental seals , the Great Seal of the United States is the official emblem of the Nation . The U . S . constitution prohibits federal and state governments from conferring or recognizing titles of nobility , and there are few noble coats of arms in the country . However private persons , including several past presidents , employ traditional coats of arms either personal or family related . Since there is no official regulation on arms , except for the official seals , badges , insignia , decorations and medals of the country and the states , many private individuals have assumed arms . There is one anomalous exception to this lack of regulation : the coat of arms of the Swiss Confederation is specifically protected from unauthorized use within the USA , under penalty of a fine and / or imprisonment for up to six months . US Army Institute of Heraldry . Heraldic and other military symbols have been used by the military forces as well as other organizational elements of the government since the beginning of the Revolution . However , until 1919 , there was no coordinated , overall military symbolism program . In that year , within the War Department General Staff , an office was delegated the responsibility for the coordination and approval of coats of arms and insignia of certain Army organizations . In 1924 , formal staff responsibility for specific military designs was delegated to The Quartermaster General . As the needs for symbolism by the military services and the national government expanded , the scope of the services furnished by The Quartermaster General ’ s Office evolved into a sizable heraldic program . The acceleration of activities brought about by World War II , the expansion of the Army , and subsequent increase of interest in symbolism , contributed to the growth of the program . In 1949 , the Munitions Board , acting for the Army , Navy and Air Force , directed the Army to provide heraldic services to all military departments . The program was expanded further as a result of the enactment of Public Law 85 - 263 , approved September 1957 , 71 Stat . 589 , which delineates the authority of the Secretary of the Army to furnish heraldic services to the military departments and other branches of the federal government . The Institute of Heraldry was established in 1960 at Cameron Station in Alexandria , Virginia . Within the Institute , functions formerly performed within the Office of The Quartermaster General and several field activities were consolidated . Upon reorganization of the Army in 1962 , responsibility for the Heraldic Program was assigned to The Adjutant General ’ s Office . In 1987 , with the realignment of certain Army Staff agency functions , the Institute was transferred to the United States Army Human Resources Command . In April 1994 , The Institute of Heraldry was relocated from Cameron Station to Fort Belvoir , Virginia . As a result of a realignment in October 2004 , responsibility for the Heraldic Program was assigned to The Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army , Resources and Programs Agency . The US Army Institute of Heraldry consists of a staff of twenty civilians . The mission of the Institute is to furnish heraldic services to the Armed Forces and other United States government organizations , including the Executive Office of the President . The activities of the Institute encompass research , design , development , standardization , quality control , and other services relating to official symbolic items — seals , decorations , medals , insignia , badges , flags , and other items awarded to or authorized for official wear or display by government personnel and agencies . Limited research and information services concerning official symbolic items are also provided to the general public . State heraldry . Eighteen States have officially adopted a coat of arms . The former independent Republic of Texas and Kingdom of Hawaii each had a separate national coat of arms , which are no longer used . Puerto Rico has a coat of arms as well , originally granted by the Spanish Crown in 1512 , which also influenced the design of that territory ' s seal . Private heraldry . There are several private organizations working to advance heraldic traditions in the United States . These organizations keep registers of arms and give advice on designing coats of arms . For a fee , the English College of Arms will devise arms for persons of English or Welsh descent , as the Scottish Court of the Lord Lyon will for persons of Scottish descent . The Chief Herald of Ireland has granted arms to Americans of Irish descent . The Spanish Cronista Rey de Armas ( Chronicler King of Arms ) grants arms to descendants of Spanish citizens , and to residents of territories formerly part of the Spanish empire , regardless of ancestry . Some American recipients of foreign orders of knighthood in which arms are expected to be borne have received arms from the relevant foreign authorities .