Appendix III Moran Coats of Arms

Appendix III

MORAN COATS OF ARMS

emember, Coats of Arms were/are issued to an individual, not to a family. When I was a boy, it was explained to me that the heraldry of a Coat of Arms was invented in the eleventh century so that in those days of knights in armor, you would know who was behind all that armor by the Coat of Arms on their shield. Today, families often use a Coat of Arms to represent the family using a Coat of Arms that was issued to someone with the name years ago. The family may not even be related to that individual.

Generally the person to whom a Coat of Arms was issued or approved for use, was a person of means. The issuing or approving authority was an agency of the government (Monarchy during most of the period when they were first used). The general public, the working class families, did not have Coats of Arms. Today anyone can purchase a Coat of Arms from any of a number of armorial services or merchants.

In Europe - villages, cities, counties, provinces, departments, parishes, diocese, bishoprics, and later entities under them began to use Coats of Arms. Thus, the original intent for the Coat of Arms was - abused, diluted and broadened.

1. Arms- Az. on a mount ppr. two lions or. supporting a flag staff all ppr., therefrom a flag ar.

Crest- Out of a mural crown a demi Saracen head in profile all ppr.

Motto- Fides non timet. This is translated as The Faithful Fear Not

Family- County Mayo (Ballina) Morans

Source- Chief Herald of Ireland

Differenced Versions-

A. 1893 a cadet branch with different motto, Malo mori quam foedari.

B. 1816 a cadet branch shown in Kennedy's Book of Arms, lions combatant are regardant, flagstaff is argent, flag gules and no mount.

C. 1959, descendants of Thomas Moran of Ballina, vert in place of azure, Chief Herald of Ireland.

.

1856 to Patrick O'Rourke Moran of Ballinamore, County Leitrim the arms are quartered with the O'Rourke's. Another, personal coat of arms was issued to him that has his wife's arms impaled with his own, Burke's General Armory. Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, az. on a mount ppr. two lions combatant or, supporting a flag staff also ppr. therefrom a flag ar., for MORAN; 2nd and 3rd, or, two lions pass. in in pale sa. on a canton gu. an ancient Irish crown or, a cubit arm in armour holding a scymitar all ppr.

Crest: Out of a mural crown a demi saracen, head in profile all proper.

Moto: Fides Non Timet

The Coat Of Arms most often sent to people who send away for a Moran Coat Of Arms is the next coat. It probably has that distinction because of its striking simplicity.

2. Arms- Sable three stars rayed or.

Crest- a star rayed or.

Motto- Lucent in Tenebris, They shine in the darkness.

Family- County Offaly Morans

Source- Irish Families, Dr. Edward MacLysaght pp 269/270.

Differenced Versions-

A. A family in the low countries, probably a cadet branch with a different crest and motto and a chevron though it..

The drawing above of the same coat was done by famed heraldic artist Myra McGuire for the book Moran Exodus From Offaly by Patrick Edward Moran.

B. 1990 to descendants of James Moran and Elizabeth Rice, the stars are pierced, Chief Herald of Ireland.

Another drawing by heraldic artist Myra McGuire for Patrick Edward Moran's book The Moran Exodus From Offaly. This differenced Coat of Arms was initiated at the request of and funded by Patrick Edward Moran from the Chief Herald of Ireland.

The following represent Moran Coats of Arms with five pointed stars.

The Morren family connection provided by Dr. Peter Meurrens in correspondence with myself and Patrick E. Moran has revealed a Moran Coat of Arms with stars with seven points. This coat is said to have been awarded Egide Moran in 1522 by King Henry VIII.

It is found on the monument to Petrus Morren found in the cemetery of the church in Heythuysen, Belgium. It is dated 1727.The same Moran motto Lucent in Tenebris, though you can not see it clearly in this illustration, is found at the bottom. Besides the seven-pointed star, of interest is the treatment at the top of the shield which features a helmet winged with a swan's wings and topped by a seven-pointed star.

The next illustration is an attempt by me to copy the one on the grave at Heythuysen:

Branches of this family were known to have been in the Brabant area of Belgium, Limbourg Province in Belgium, in France and in the area of Brechin, Scotland.

< This shield is courtesy of Edouard Moran Dosta