Re: searching for a family crest and history
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In reply to:
searching for a family crest and history
2/07/01
Jack, the Viers family does not have a family crest or coat of arms that is true and valid. The reason for this is, in the Viers line, no one has been able to get past the brick wall prior to 1723. There has been all kinds of speculation, and even a crest and coat of arms displayed. I don't know if you have ever seen the advertising about purchasing a book with your ancestor line and family crest for $49.95 on up to around $200, or not. Most of these books are advertised out of Maryland and Ohio. These publishing companies go through and get a list of Viers names from the social security list and reverse directories of phone books. They then provide this material all printed out in a nice leather bound book. It means nothing to legitimate genealogists. These companies also say they will provide a family crest or coat of arms. They go through stock prints of crests and coat of arms and print out one of the stock prints and add a gothic or other type of printing with the Viers name imprinted. Some people have received these stock print family crests and coats of arms and spread them around as being legitimate. The only legitimacy is going to Burkes and some of the others who have made a life time career of researchng crests and coats of arms and have printed them in very detailed books that can be found in some of the larger libraries. Until the Viers family finds their roots and documements those roots in England or Ireland we will never know if the family ever did have a crest or coat of arms. Even if it did at one time, there are very strict rules regarding who can use or display these crests or coats of arms. It must be passed down in a certain manner of lineage and even those in the lingeage may not be in the line and therefore cannot display the crest or the coats of arms. Burkes and some of the other heritage and nobility researchers have the rules in this regard.