An Introduction to the Committee on Heraldry at American Ancestors

The Committee on Heraldry at American Ancestors is the oldest non-governmental heraldic body in the world. Established in 1864, its purpose is to “collect and preserve information in regard to heraldry.” The Committee’s heraldic interests are national in scope, embracing the use of heraldry and coats of arms throughout the current United States and all its colonial predecessors. Join Committee Registrar Nathaniel Lane Taylor to learn more about the history of the Committee, its publications, and how to enroll your arms.

Dr. Nathaniel Lane Taylor, FASG is the Editor and Publisher of The American Genealogist and a specialist in Medieval Europe. He taught medieval and modern history at Harvard and elsewhere for fifteen years, including the social, political, and military origins of heraldry at the time of the Crusades. His genealogical research spans from medieval Spain, France, and Britain to colonial New England and Virginia. He has been on the NEHGS Committee on Heraldry since 2006 and is now its Registrar. He was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 2011 and is Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the 36th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences held in Boston, September 2024.