- 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.
Helland Family Association Incorporated
London, Ontario
Grant of Arms, Supporters and Badge
May 15, 2006
Vol. V, p. 25
[ previous page ]
Blazon
Arms
Per fess Gules and Or, a wheat plant slipped eradicated between two flaunches all counterchanged;
Crest
Issuant from a coronet Or, the upper rim set with mullets Argent and maple leaves Or, two hammers in saltire Argent hafted Gules and an axe palewise Or;
Supporters
Two white-tailed deer Or each gorged of a collar of mullets Argent and maple leaves Or pendent therefrom a torteau charged with an open book Argent and standing on a mound of prairie grass set with wild roses and western red lilies proper;
Motto
WITH HEAD HEART AND HANDS;
Symbolism
Arms
The central image of the wheat represents the prairie home of the Helland family, who settled in North Dakota and then in Saskatchewan after emigrating from Norway. By showing the roots of the plant, which allude to the importance of heritage and also resemble a family pedigree, the role of the Association in researching the family’s genealogy is emphasized. The “flaunches” on either side create a stylized “H” with the horizontal division; they can also symbolize the “New World” and the “Old World” and thus to the emigration of Kristoffer Oleson Helland from Norway. Red and gold are the colours of the municipality of Vestnes in Norway, in which the village of Helland is located.
Crest
The stars and maple leaves in the coronet indicate that the descendants of Kristoffer Oleson Helland are found in the United States and in Canada. The gold axe is taken from the national arms of Norway. The hammers allude to the original family name, Salthammar, taken from the name of a village near Helland.
Supporters
The white-tailed deer is a prairie animal very common in the western Canadian provinces, and it serves as one of the supporters of the arms of Saskatchewan. These deer are found throughout the west part of the United States and are also the official animals of many American states. The wild rose is the floral symbol of Alberta, where many Hellands live, and is closely related to the floral symbol of North Dakota. The western red lily is the floral emblem of Saskatchewan, and is also found extensively in North Dakota.
Motto
Not applicable