Armorial shields are arms that had ancient and tribal significance, as opposed to arms that were later assumed by an individual as a part of a non-hereditary British knighthood.
The arms of the Barrett family are based on word play, a pictorial version of barrettes, French for ‘short bars’.
Barrett: Barry of ten per pale argent and gules counterchanged.
The crest of the Barrett coat of arms is the lion in an upright position. This signifies a rampart charge.
The shield, the main element, is silver for serenity and nobility, red for fortitude and creative power, and blue to represent loyalty and splendor.
The motto ” Honor virtus Probitas” is Latin and means Honour, Virtue, and Integrity. However, it appears that the motto for the Irish coat of arms may be different – “Frangas non Flectes” meaning Unbowed, Unbroken.
I have found various interpretations of the Barrett Coat of Arms:
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Would you consider the shield with the lion and “Frangas non Flectes” to be the most ‘original’ of the options, and the versions with the knight’s helmet to be a result of a British Knighthood?