| Coat of arms of the Washington family | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
 Full achievement | |
| Armiger | Washington |
| Crest | From a crest coronet a raven rising wings elevated and addorsed proper. |
| Shield | Argent two bars Gules, in chief three mullets of the second.[1] |
| Motto | Exitus acta probat (The outcome is the test of the act) |
The first coat of arms of a member of the Washington family is first documented in the 14th century, borne by one of the male Washington family members of Washington Old Hall in County Durham, England.
The design (three red stars over two horizontal red bars on a white field) has been used since 1938 as the basis for the coat of arms and flag of the District of Columbia. It is also found on the Purple Heart.
These elements have also been said to have inspired the "stars and stripes" design of the Flag of the United States.[2] However, despite some visual similarity, there is "little evidence"[3] or "no evidence whatsoever"[4] to support the claimed connection. The Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington, published by the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon, calls it an "enduring myth" backed by "no discernible evidence."[5] Instead, the story seems to have originated in the 1876 play Washington: A Drama in Five Acts, by the English poet Martin Farquhar Tupper, and was further popularized through repetition in the children's magazine St. Nicholas.[3][4]
- ^ Bolton's American Armory. Boston: F. W. Faxon Co, 1927
- ^ "Washington Window". Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
- ^ a b Vile, John R. (31 October 2018). The American Flag: An Encyclopedia of the Stars and Stripes in U.S. History, Culture, and Law. ABC-CLIO. p. 342. ISBN 978-1-4408-5789-8. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ a b Leepson, Marc (1 April 2007). "Chapter Ten: The Hundredth Anniversary". Flag: An American Biography. Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4299-0647-0. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ Capps, Alan. "Coat of Arms". The Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington. Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.