List of personal coats of arms of presidents of the United States

Last updated April 12, 2024

Many United States presidents have borne a coat of arms; largely through inheritance, assumption, or grants from foreign heraldic authorities. One, Dwight Eisenhower, received his upon becoming a Knight of the Order of the Elephant of Denmark.^[1] The president of the United States, as a position, uses the seal of the president of the United States as a coat of arms, but this is a coat of arms of office, not a personal coat of arms.

Arms of presidents by century

18th century

Arms	Name of president and blazon
	Arms of George Washington, 1st president, 1789–1797 Shield: Argent, two bars and in chief three mullets Gules. Crest: from a crest coronet a raven rising wings elevated and addorsed proper. Motto:Exitus Acta Probat (The outcome is the test of the act).^[2] Further information: Coat of arms of George Washington
	Arms of John Adams, 2nd president, 1797–1801 Shield: Gules six crosses-crosslet fitchy Argent, on a chief Or three pellets, the center one charged with a fleur-de-lis and the other two with lions passant guardant Argent. Crest: a lion passant holding in his dexter paw a cross-crosslet fitchy Argent. Motto:Libertatem Amicitiam Retinebis, Et Fidem (Freedom and friendship thou shall preserve, and faith).^[3] Connections to other presidents' arms: Same as the 4th (Boylston) quarter of the arms used by his son, John Quincy Adams

19th century

Arms	Name of president and blazon
	Arms of Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president, 1801–1809 Shield: Azure a fret Argent and on a chief Gules three leopards' faces Argent. Crest: a lion's head erased Or. Motto:Ab Eo Libertas A Quo Spiritus (The one who gives life gives liberty).^[4]
—	James Madison, 4th president, 1809–1817 No arms known.
—	James Monroe, 5th president, 1817–1825 No arms known.
	Arms of John Quincy Adams, 6th president, 1825–1829 Shield: Quarterly: 1st Argent, on a mount Vert a stag trippant toward a pine tree, in base a codfish naiant on a sea all proper, overall thirteen stars in annulet Azure (for Adams); 2nd Sable, a fess cotised between three martlets Or (for Smith); 3rd Gules, seven mascles conjoined 3, 3, and 1 Or (for Quincy); 4th Gules, six crosses-crosslet fitchy Argent, on a chief Or three pellets, the center one charged with a fleur-de-lis and the outer two with lions passant guardant Argent (for Boylston). Crest: a lion passant holding in his dexter paw a cross-crosslet fitchy Argent, langued and armed Gules. Motto:Fidem Libertatem Amicitiam Retinebis (Faith, freedom and friendship thou shall preserve).^[5] Connections to other presidents' arms: 4th (Boylston) quarter of is the arms used by his father, John Adams
—	Andrew Jackson, 7th president, 1829–1837 No arms known.
	Arms of Martin Van Buren, 8th president, 1837–1841 Shield: per pale Or and Gules, in dexter a greyhound rampant contourny and in sinister two bars embattled-counterembattled, all counterchanged. Crest: a greyhound rampant between two wings, the dexter Gules, the sinister Or.^[6]
	Arms of William Henry Harrison, 9th president, 1841 Shield: Or, on a fess Sable three eagles displayed Or, a crescent Sable for difference. Crest: an eagle's head erased Or.^[7] Connections to other presidents' arms: Same as the arms used by his grandson, Benjamin Harrison
—	John Tyler, 10th president, 1841–1845 No arms known.
—	James K. Polk, 11th president, 1845–1849 No arms known.
	Crest of Zachary Taylor, 12th president,1849–1850 Crest: a naked arm embowed holding an arrow proper. Motto:Consequitur Quodcumque Petit (seize whatever follows).^[8]
—	Millard Fillmore, 13th president, 1850–1853 No arms known.
—	Franklin Pierce, 14th president 1853–1857 No arms known.
—	James Buchanan, 15th president 1857–1861 No arms known.
—	Abraham Lincoln, 16th president, 1861–1865 No arms known.
—	Andrew Johnson, 17th president, 1865–1869 No arms known.
—	Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president, 1869–1877 No arms known.
	Crest of Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president, 1877–1881 Crest: upon an anvil a falcon rising proper. Motto:Recte (Right). Later Additional Motto:Qui Patriae Optime Servit Optime Servit Suis Partibus (He serves his party best who serves his country best).^[9]
	Arms of James A. Garfield, 20th president, 1881 Shield: Or, three bars Gules, on a canton Ermine a cross paty Gules. Crest: issuant from a human heart a dexter hand holding a sword proper. Motto:In Cruce Vinco (In the cross I conquer).^[10]
	Arms of Chester A. Arthur, 21st president, 1881–1885 Shield: Gules, a chevron Argent between three rests (clarions) Or. Crest: a falcon rising proper belled and jessed Or. Motto:Impelle Obstantia (Thrust aside obstacles).^[11]
	Arms of Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th president, 1885–1889 and 1893–1897 Shield:Per chevron Sable and Ermine a chevron engrailed counterchanged. Crest: A demi-old man proper habited Azure, on his head a cap Gules turned up with hair front, holding in his dexter hand a spear, the head Argent, on the top of which is fixed a line proper passing behind him and coiled up in his sinister hand. Motto:Semel Et Semper (Once and always). Alternative Mottoes:Pro Deo Et Patria (For God and country); Vincit Amor Patriae (Love of country conquers).
	Arms of Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president 1889–1893 Shield: Or, on a fess Sable three eagles displayed Or, a crescent Sable for difference. Crest: an eagle's head erased Or.^[12] Connections to other presidents' arms: Same as the arms used by his paternal grandfather, William Henry Harrison
—	William McKinley, 25th president, 1897–1901 No arms known.

20th century

Arms	Name of president and blazon
	Arms of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president, 1901–1909 Shield: Argent, upon a grassy mound a rose bush proper bearing three roses Gules barbed and seeded proper. Crest: three ostrich plumes each per pale Gules and Argent. Motto:Qui Plantavit Curabit (He who planted will preserve).^[13] Symbolism: The Roosevelt arms feature a rose bush in reference to the name: "Roosevelt", which is archaic Dutch for "rose field",^[14] making these an example of canting arms. Connections to other presidents' arms: Similar to the arms used by his distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the primary difference being the presence of a grassy mound in Theodore's arms.
—	William Howard Taft, 27th president 1909–1913 No arms known.
—	Woodrow Wilson, 28th president, 1913–1921 No arms known.
—	Warren G. Harding, 29th president, 1921–1923 No arms known.
	Arms of Calvin Coolidge, 30th president 1923–1929. Attributed by Henry Bond, no evidence Calvin Coolidge ever bore these arms.^[15] Shield: Vert a griffin segreant Or. Crest: a demi-griffin segreant Or. Motto:Virtute Et Fide (By valor and faith).^[16]
—	Herbert Hoover, 31st president 1929–1933 No arms known.
	Arms of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd president, 1933–1945 Shield: Argent, three roses one in pale and two in saltire Gules barbed, seeded, slipped, and leaved proper. Crest: three ostrich plumes each per pale Gules and Argent. Motto:Qui Plantavit Curabit (He who planted will preserve).^[13] Symbolism: The Roosevelt arms feature a rose bush in reference to the name: "Roosevelt", which is Dutch for "rose field",^[17] making these an example of canting arms. Connections to other presidents' arms: Similar to the arms used by his distant cousin Theodore Roosevelt, the primary difference being the presence of a grassy mound in Theodore's arms.
—	Harry S. Truman, 33rd president, 1945–1953 No arms known.
	Arms of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president, 1953–1961, adopted following his admittance to the Order of the Elephant in 1950. Shield: Or, an anvil Azure. Crest: five stars of five points conjoined as on the points of a pentagram Argent. Motto: Peace Through Understanding.^[18] Foreign Orders: collar of a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (appointed 1945); the Order of Merit ribbon with Cross pendant (appointed 1945); collar of a Knight of the Order of the Elephant. collar of a Knight of the Royal House of Chakri (appointed 1969). Symbolism: The anvil alludes to ("cants on", in heraldic jargon) the German origin of his name: Eisenhauer, meaning "iron hewer".
	Arms of John F. Kennedy, 35th president, 1961–1963, granted by the Chief Herald of Ireland. Shield: Sable, three helmets in profile Or within a bordure per saltire Gules and Ermine. Crest: between two olive branches a cubit sinister arm in armor erect, the hand holding a sheaf of four arrows, points upward, all proper.^[19]
	Arms of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president, 1963–1969 Shield: Azure, on a saltire Gules fimbriated Argent between four eagles displayed a mullet Or. Crest: an armed hand Argent supporting an eagle rising Or. Motto:Nobilitatis virtus non stemma character (Virtue, not lineage, is the mark of nobility).^[20]
—	Richard Nixon, 37th president, 1969–1974 No arms known.
—	Gerald Ford, 38th president, 1974–1977 No arms known.
—	Jimmy Carter, 39th president, 1977–1981. No arms known.
	Arms of Ronald Reagan, 40th president, 1981–1989. Shield: Or, a Bear rampant Sable armed and langued Gules holding between its forepaws a star Argent, on a chief Sable standing upon a ducal coronet Or a falcon wings displayed and inverted Argent armed Or and langued Gules. Crest: a demi-horse forcené Sable unguled Or and charged on the shoulder with an actor's mask Or. Motto:Facta non verba (Deeds, not words).^[21] Foreign Orders: collar of a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (appointed 1989).
—	George H. W. Bush, 41st president 1989–1993 No arms known.
	Arms of Bill Clinton, 42nd president 1993–2001. Granted by the Chief Herald of Ireland in 1995. Shield: Or, a lion rampant Gules charged with three bars Argent holding in the dexter paw a branch of olive proper between in the dexter chief and sinister base a cross crosslet fitchy Sable and in the sinister chief and dexter base a shamrock slipped Vert. Crest: an Anchor erect Azure, on the stock the letters SPES Argent. Motto:An leon do bheir an chraobh (The lion carries away the branch).^[22]

21st century

Arms	Name of president and blazon
—	George W. Bush, 43rd president, 2001–2009 No arms known.
—	Barack Obama, 44th president, 2009–2017 No arms known.
—	Donald Trump, 45th president, 2017–2021. No arms known.^{[lower-alpha 1]}
—	Joe Biden, 46th president, 2021–present No arms known.

Notes

↑ Both The Trump Organization and the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, however, have corporate arms; see The Trump Organization#Coats of arms.

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References

↑ Zieber, Eugene. Heraldry in America: A Guide with 1000 Illustrations. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 2006.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "George Washington, 1st president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "John Adams and John Quincy Adams, 2nd and 6th presidents of the United States § The Adams Family and the Boylston Arms". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "John Adams and John Quincy Adams, 2nd and 6th presidents of the United States § John Quincy Adams: Ambivalence about Traditional Heraldry". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Martin van Buren, 8th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ "Arms of William H. Harrison". U.S. Heraldic Registry. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "James A. Garfield, 20th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Chester A. Arthur, 21st president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ "Arms of Benjamin Harrison". U.S. Heraldic Registry. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
1 2 McMillan, Joseph. "Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 26th and 32nd presidents of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph (October 1, 2010), Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 26th and 32nd presidents of the United States, American Heraldry Society, archived from the original on December 30, 2008
↑ "John Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States | Presidents of the United States | Arms of Famous Americans | Heraldry in the USA | American Heraldry Society". www.americanheraldry.org. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph (October 1, 2010), Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 26th and 32nd presidents of the United States, American Heraldry Society, archived from the original on December 30, 2008
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
↑ McMillan, Joseph. "William J. Clinton, 42nd president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

External links

American Heraldry Society
The Institute of Heraldry, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army
Arms of Famous Americans: Presidents of the United States

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[23] Both The Trump Organization and the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, however, have corporate arms; see The Trump Organization#Coats of arms.

[1] Zieber, Eugene. Heraldry in America: A Guide with 1000 Illustrations. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 2006.

[2] McMillan, Joseph. "George Washington, 1st president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[3] McMillan, Joseph. "John Adams and John Quincy Adams, 2nd and 6th presidents of the United States § The Adams Family and the Boylston Arms". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[4] McMillan, Joseph. "Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[5] McMillan, Joseph. "John Adams and John Quincy Adams, 2nd and 6th presidents of the United States § John Quincy Adams: Ambivalence about Traditional Heraldry". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[6] McMillan, Joseph. "Martin van Buren, 8th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[7] "Arms of William H. Harrison". U.S. Heraldic Registry. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[8] McMillan, Joseph. "Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[9] McMillan, Joseph. "Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[10] McMillan, Joseph. "James A. Garfield, 20th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[11] McMillan, Joseph. "Chester A. Arthur, 21st president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[12] "Arms of Benjamin Harrison". U.S. Heraldic Registry. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[Roosevelt-13] 1 2 McMillan, Joseph. "Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 26th and 32nd presidents of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[14] McMillan, Joseph (October 1, 2010), Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 26th and 32nd presidents of the United States, American Heraldry Society, archived from the original on December 30, 2008

[15] "John Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States | Presidents of the United States | Arms of Famous Americans | Heraldry in the USA | American Heraldry Society". www.americanheraldry.org. Retrieved 2020-08-23.

[16] McMillan, Joseph. "Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[17] McMillan, Joseph (October 1, 2010), Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 26th and 32nd presidents of the United States, American Heraldry Society, archived from the original on December 30, 2008

[18] McMillan, Joseph. "Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[19] McMillan, Joseph. "John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[20] McMillan, Joseph. "Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[21] McMillan, Joseph. "Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

[22] McMillan, Joseph. "William J. Clinton, 42nd president of the United States". The American Heraldry Society. Retrieved 16 February 2018.

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