- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
Philip Alfred Conrad Chaplin
Ottawa, Ontario
Registration of Arms and Badge
August 15, 2025
Vol. VIII, p. 408
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Blazon
Arms
Azure a cross patté throughout Argent surmounting a Roman sword bendwise proper hilt Or, on a chief indented Ermine a griffin’s head erased Azure;
*The painting from the College of Arms depicts the Canadian Forces' Decoration; note that the medal should be gold in colour and not white.
Crest
A griffin’s head erased Or in front of a Roman sword bendwise sinister Gules;
Motto
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO;
Symbolism
Arms
The Canadian Heraldic Authority does not have confirmed symbolism for this emblem. The following comments are hypotheses only. The indented chief, the griffin’s head and the blue and ermine fields are common to coats of arms used by persons bearing the surname Chaplin. The sword, depicted as a Roman gladius, refers to the Motto and is thus a symbol of charity. The white cross on a blue field alludes to the flag of Quebec and thus the family’s origins in that province.
Crest
The griffin’s head is commonly used in crests of persons bearing the surname Chaplin. The sword repeats the symbolism of the Arms.
Motto
This Latin phrase means “I wish I had a sword like St. Martin’s.” It alludes to the act of charity by St. Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who is said to have used his sword to cut his cloak in half to share it with a beggar.