falcon

The falcon appears in heraldry as early as Edward the Second's reign (1284 - 1327), and its connotations are similar to those of the hawk. It is frequently depicted with bells on its legs or hooded. It was associated with the nobility or with monks, and symbolized chivalry, fortitude, and hope.

fess / bar

The fess represents the horizontal counterpart of the pale. Its variant, the bar, is much narrower and rarely appears on its own as a charge.

fish as charges

Fish occur less frequently as charges than animals or birds, and more often in canting arms. Like animal charges they had certain symbolic meanings, or were used in order to suggest a bearer's connection with the sea or fishing.

flaunches

The so-called `flaunches' are figures which always occur in pairs, shaped as semicircular elongated arcs and placed on each side (flank) of the shield.

fleur de lis

The fleur-de-lis, the heraldic representation of the lily, held an important place in French history. It had been bestowed upon Clovis, the first French king to convert to Christianity, and as such was a symbol of piety and faith. It also stands for purity and justice.

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fleur de lis couped

This type of heraldic lily was only distinguished during the early modern period by heralds in specialized works, as a fleur de lis missing its lower or sinister half. It symbolizes light and purity.

fleur de lis flowered

This distinct version of the fleur de lis also dates back to the early modernity, and differs from the original heraldic bearing through the fact that its lower half is `seeded'. This `florencee' version holds the same meaning as the regular fleur de lis, symbolizing purity, virtue and spirit.

four crescents joined millsailwise

Four crescents joined millsailwise create the heraldic figure termed `lunel' or `lunello'. In this case, the four charges are joined at the horns in a cross-like manner, and symbolize victory over foes of Christianity, virtue and warrior spirit.

fourchy

The term `fourchy' refers to an animal (usually a lion) which is depicted with its tail forked. Similarly to the cross fourchy or cross Moline, it stands for virtue and vigilance.

fox

The fox is often confused with the wolf in heraldry, due to their pictorial similarities. It appears in a variety of forms as a charge, crest, or supporter. It is one of the literal charges, in that it is often used on coats of arms for families that have "Fox" or "Renard" (the French word for "fox") in their names. Though the fox takes all positions, it quite frequently appears as just a head, facing or in profile. Renard was the name of the fox hero of a series of medieval animal tales, replacing the older French word for "fox" by the 13th century. In medieval and ancient Mediterranean tales, the fox was a trickster figure that outwitted much stronger and more dangerous animals to get what he needed. In medieval folklore, the fox was both admired and distrusted for its sagacity and cunning. The fox is represented by sagacity, wit and wisdom. The fox will use these qualities to defend itself.

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fret

The fret is a knot-like figure placed in center of the shield, similar to a combination between saltire (or a bend and a bend sinister) and a mascle. The fret is also used to create a patterned design on a shield.

full moon

The fleur-de-lis, the heraldic representation of the lily, held an important place in French history. It had been bestowed upon Clovis, the first French king to convert to Christianity, and as such was a symbol of piety and faith. It also stands for purity and justice.

furious

When depicted `furious' or `incensed' an animal charged on a shield is meant to inspire fear in the bearer's enemies and to symbolize the bearer's strength, power and warrior spirit.

furs

The two main so-called `furs' in heraldry are ermine and vair, from which a variety of other designs stem. These patterns represent conventional depictions of the furs of different animals which were used in medieval garments. For instance, ermine was the traditional fur worn by medieval kings.

fusilly

Very similar to the field `lozengy', a field divided `fusilly' is also patterned with diamond-shaped figures. The fusils from which this variation draws its name are however narrower and more elongated than lozenges.