Families Unite Through Family Emblems, Ancestral Banners, and Homestead Art

Hoge Family Crest

Family symbols such as crests, flags, and barn quilts are not just artifacts, but they are also timeless and living emblems of our lineage and heritage. They stand as guardians of our shared history and echo with the whispers of our ancestors' dreams and values. These symbols bind generations like a sturdy thread, weaving through the tapestry of time and igniting a flame of familial pride and unity. They light the way for our collective aspirations to shine through the ages.

Family Crest

A family crest is a unique and hereditary symbol or design representing a particular family or clan. It is often used as a part of a larger heraldic achievement, including a shield, motto, supporters, and other elements.

The Hoge family crest, belonging to my husband's lineage, has its roots in Scotland and dates to the early 1100s. “Dat Gloria Vires” is a Latin quote consistent with all the visual variations of the crest. It means “Strength in Name.” This is a high standard to live up to, having a strong name not for decades but centuries. Along with its long history and legacy, it represents ethics, notoriety, achievement, and reputation.

It is worth noting that not every family has a family crest. Coats of arms were typically reserved for the wealthy, such as nobles, rich merchants, and administrators. If your ancestors were poor farmers, it is unlikely that they had a coat of arms. Therefore, if you are searching for your family crest, it is possible that you may not find one.

Anyone can adopt a coat of arms, and there is no requirement to register it. However, it is not acceptable to use someone else's coat of arms. Coats of arms were originally used to distinguish one family from another, and adopting a coat of arms that belongs to another family is a violation of heraldic rules and is considered "usurpation."

The good news is that you can always create one of your own. Creating a family crest is more than just choosing a few symbols and colors. It is a way to celebrate your family’s history and accomplishments, while also preserving your legacy for future generations. But there are other ways to bring symbols into your family besides a crest.

Family Flags

The meaning and use of a family flag can differ significantly and may rely on the family's customs and inclinations. In my case, my sisters and I employed it to indicate a particular occasion, whereas my family preferred to use it as a way of marking milestones in a series of events.

During our final family vacation to Colorado and Wyoming in the 1960s, we decided to commemorate the occasion by creating a family flag. The flag featured a road runner, symbolizing our family's characteristics: quick thinking, resourcefulness, endurance, communication, and adaptability.

We aimed to go on a family climb in Estes Park, Colorado. Estes Park is a town located in the Rocky Mountains. My sisters, who are all about ten years older than me, led the way. However, when we reached a steep incline, they decided to heave me up to achieve our goal together.

My parents had a different vision. Being only four years old, they didn’t want me to make the dangerous incline and called me back. My sisters successfully planted the flag on the mountain to achieve our charge. It wasn’t until forty years later that we recreated the climb, and I could join them on the mountaintop. This time in Wyoming.

Madeline and Rosemarie fighting for the flag

For this sister’s weekend event, we dusted off our family flag. The mission was the same: go to the top of the mountain. Instead of making the dangerous climb, we decided to take the gondola. We took pictures to remember the trip but carefully folded the flag and brought it home to carefully store for posterity.

Inspired by our Szostak family flag, our family, the Hoge’s, decided to create one of our own, taking some aspects of the family crest. However, this flag didn’t represent one event but rather a series of events. Each time we accomplished a significant goal, we would take a picture of ourselves with the flag to represent us “moving the flag” to become the person we want to be. Some of us even solicited signatures from people who journeyed with us.

Peyton on Mt. Rainer

Our son Peyton climbed Mt Rainer and Kilimanjaro, where he proudly displayed our family flag. When our youngest son received his MBA, he had a picture of himself with his graduation gown and flag. After restoring all our structures on our Family Farm, Belle Hampton, I had a picture taken of me and the flag in front of the house.

Barn Quilt

Another symbol you can use is to create a barn quilt. The American Barn Quilt has a history that dates back almost 300 years, when immigrants first arrived, and used them as markers to help travelers find their way. These large, colorful, and decorative wooden panels or squares are typically mounted on the exterior of a barn or other agricultural building. During the Civil War, they were used for specific designs that guided the Underground Railroad.

But in the 2000s, there was a surge in barn quilts in rural Ohio and Kentucky. The artists no longer stuck to the basic designs based on folklore. They became more elaborate. They are often used to celebrate local history, honor family traditions, or beautify rural landscapes.

At our last family meeting, we spent some time designing our own barn quilt. We used some of the common symbols like the North Star, and Flock of Geese all to symbolize our direction as a family. We also added the three boar heads, which is a common theme in all of our symbols.

Although we were creating a barn quilt to represent our family, there was also the idea to have an individual barn quilt to represent each unique person in the family. Almost a right of passage to display your quilt.

Symbols such as flags, crests, and barn quilts are compelling representations of family heritage and lineage, which can be passed down through generations and encapsulate a family's values, history, and aspirations. These symbols bind generations together, carrying the torch of familial pride and unity. However, you are not obligated to use symbols from past generations. You are free to be creative and design your own but think beyond these three symbols to your unique family. What makes your family distinctive? How do you want the uniqueness displayed?