The coat of arms above is a plaque obtained by a fellow Hearn Family in 1967 from York Insignia Ltd., York, England. On the back is inscribed the following explanation: Arms--Sable (black), a chevron between 3 silver herons; Crest--a heron's head & throat ornamented with a ducal coronet; motto--"Leges Juraque Servat" ("He maintains the laws and his rights" as translated by Rev. William S. Ryland, LL.D. and D.D., President of Bethel College, Russelville, Kentucky translated for Wm. T. Hearn author of"Hearn's Brief History" published edit 1907); Heron--symbol of courage and devotion.

Armorial bearings were original designs embroidered on the surcoats worn over a knight's armor, or painted directly onto the armor or his shield. Thus the term "coat of arms" describes a device originally used as a large "ID tag", to help identify otherwise indistinguishable armor - covered knights on the battlefield. Away from the battlefield, they served to indicate blood relationships and authenticate documents in an age when many could not read or write, and when those who did were hampered by non - standard spellings (Hairun, Hairon, Heroun, Heron, Hearon, Herne, Hearne, Hearn) The complex system known as heraldry developed between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries to control and bring order to the selection and arrangement of colors and symbols identifying families. (Strictly speaking, an English coat of arms does not belong to everyone with the same surname, but only to individuals who can show direct descent through the male line from the original bearer.

Sir William Heron ("a gallant soldier and eminent diplomatist" summoned to Parliament in 1393) bore arms: Gules, a chevron between three herons argent. The precise heraldic language tells us that Sir William's coat of arms consisted of a red shield with a chevron positioned between three silver - colored herons. About two centuries later, an identical coat of arms was reported for Sir Nicholas Hearon, knighted in 1566. This time, the description included the motto "Leges juraque servat"

Both the 1967 plaque and the coat of arms described by Rev. Ryland have "sable" or black shields instead of red. So far, the significance of the color difference is not known.

Below is a version of the Hearne coat of arms from an old monument at Hackney Church in England, as shown in Wm. T. Hearne's book, page 24.

References: William T. Hearne, Brief History and Genealogy Horace (Quintus Horatious Flaccus), Ep. i. 16, 40 (Book 1, Epistula XVI, lines 40 - 41) Fielding, Henry, Tom Jones, The History of a Foundling, 1749, Book XII, Chapter 3 (last paragraph). On-line version at Bartleby.com. Elvin, C. N., A Hand book of Mottoes Borne by the Nobility, Gentry, Cities, Public Companies, &c. 1860. Reprinted with added index, supplement, and preface by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1971. (Published in conjuction with "Heraldry Today", London, England.