<P> The Committee on Heraldry of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, established in 1864, is the world's oldest non-governmental body primarily concerned with heraldry . It authenticates and records coats of arms rightfully borne in the United States or by U.S. citizens living abroad, publishing historic arms in A Roll of Arms, Registered by the Committee on Heraldry of the New England Historic Genealogical Society . The committee illustrated the published Roll of Arms with only the escutcheons or shield of arms for the registration . However, in the text of the Roll of Arms the full achievement, and other related matters are discussed . </P> <P> Though it does verify and register contemporary arms (including assumed arms), generally only historic arms dating from before February 10, 1917, are published in the committee's roll of arms . The roll itself is published in pamphlets called parts, the first of which was published in 1928; but each segment of the roll also appears in an issue of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register . </P> <P> One need not be entitled to the arms in order to apply for their registration . Genealogists and others often apply to register arms having nothing to do with their own ancestry purely to put them on record with the committee . </P>

New england historic genealogical society committee on heraldry