Mottoes

Heraldry of the World
The main resource for civic heraldry since 1996 with 295,158 images

MOTTOES USED IN CIVIC HERALDRY

Mottoes are very common in the British-style heraldry (UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand), and much less common in other countries. Therefore the large majority of the mottoes listed here are from towns and councils in the British heraldic region.

As this page got too large, mottoes in the following languages are separated :

Mottoes in English
Mottoes in Latin

If you see a motto on the site that is not yet listed here or have any other addition, please mail me !

Only true mottoes are listed here, no town names in banners around the arms.

The mottoes are listed by language and sorted by first letter. For clarity no capital letters are used, except the first letter as well as personal or town names. A translation in English is provided when available.

Mottoes in African languages

Mottoes with any African language as the original language. For Afrikaans, see Dutch, for Malagasy, see below.

Motto	Language	Translation in English	Used by
! gai uiba gisenba	?		Nama Khoi
!ke e:/xarra//ke	Khoisan	Diverse people unite	South Africa
sa k//?a: !a1si ?u1si	Auni	Strive for a better life	Northern Cape
Elimu tiba utafiti	Swahili	Medicine education research	Muhimbili University
Harambee	Swahili	Synergy	Kenya
Imbumba yamanyama	Xhosa	Unity is strength	Transkei
Inqubekela phambili ngobuqotho	Zulu	Service delivery with integrity	Zululand
Kathleho ka kopano	?		Free State
Khotso pula nala	Sotho	Peace, rain, prosperity	Lesotho
Kutiina mukama niyo nsibuko y’amagezi	Nyoro	For God and my country	Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara
Luyemi Hamoho	Lozi		East Caprivi
Masisukume sakhe	Zulu	Let us rise and built	KwaZulu-Natal
Naboisho ang, engolon ang	Maasai (?)	Our unity, our strength	Kajiado county
Natulenge juu	?	?	Starehe Boys' Centre and School
'Nete ke thebe	sotho	Truth is the shield or the truth will set you free	National University of Lesotho
Pamberi nekushandira pamwe	Shona	Marching forward in co-operation	Chitungwiza
Pamberi nekushandira vanhu	Shona	Forward with service to the people	Harare
Popa popa e a popela	Tswana	He who builds, builds for himself	Tswanaland
Pula	Setswana	Rain	Botswana
Si ye pambili	Sindebele	Let us go forward	Bulawayo
Siyakunqandwa ziinkwenkwezi	Xhosa	We will be stopped by the stars	Ciskei
Sonqoba simunye	Zulu	We will overcome (or triumph) together; we are one.	KwaZulu
Syinqaba	Swati	We are a fortress	Swaziland
Thuto ke thebe	Setswana		University of Botswana
Tunga nombili	Oshiwambo		Owamboland
Ubumwe – umurimo – gukunda ighihugu	Kinyarwanda	Unity, work, patriotism	Rwanda
Yinkhaba	Swati		Manzini

Mottoes in Frisian

Mottoes with Frisian as the original language.

Motto	Translation in English	Used by
In doarp riist ut 'e puollen		De Tynje

Mottoes in Greek

Mottoes with ancient or modern Greek as the original language.

Motto	Translation in English	Used by
ΑΙΕΝ ΑΡΣΤΕΥΕΙΝ	Ever to excel	National Defence General Staff, Grecce
ΑΙΕΝ ΥΨΙΚΡΑΤΕΙΝ	Always dominate the heights	Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Greek Air Force
ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΝ ΤΟ ΕΥΨΥΧΟΝ	Freedom stems from valour	Hellenic Army General Staff, Greek Army
ΜΕΓΑ ΤΟ ΤΗΣ ΘΑΛΑΣΣΗΣ ΚΡΑΤΟΣ (Méga to ti̱s thalássi̱s krátos)	The rule of the sea is indeed a great matter	Hellenic Navy General Staff, Greek Navy
ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑ ΚΛΥΖΕΙ ΠΑΝΤΑ ΤΑΝΘΡΩΠΩΝ ΚΑΚΑ		Tenby

Mottoes in Indonesian

Mottoes with Bahasa Indonesia or any other native language in Indonesia as the original language.

Motto	Translation in English	Used by
Bhinneka tunggal Ika	Unity in diversity	Indonesia
Gemah ripah loh jinawi		Cirebon
Gemah ripah repeh rapih	Richness for all and living in harmony	Jawa Barat
Gemah ripah wibawa mukti		Bandung
Jer basuki mawa bea	Achievements are only won through sacrifice	Jawa Timur
Karya swadaya	On own power	Papua
Sekali layar terkembang pantang biduksurut ke pantai.	Makassar Papua]]
Soerâ-ing-bâjâ	Virtue in battle	Surabaya

Mottoes in Malagasy

Mottoes with Malagasy as the original language.

Motto	Translation in English	Used by
Asa filamnaha fahasambarana		Morondava
Asa fa tsy kabary		Mananjary
Azanahary tsy mitany ny vaka		Antsiranana
Betsimisaraka tsy misara – draha magnano		Fenoarivo Atsinanana
Fanjaiysy noreky taretsy		Antsohihy
Fiaraha miasa no hery		Maintirano
Fiherenana no naha toly ary		Tulear
Ho velona fa tsy ho levona		Mahajanga
Izay mitambatra vato		Ambatondrazaka
Lakana tsara voha manafak’ onja		Toamasina
Nosy magnitry		Nosy Be
Ny asa no harena		Antalaha
Ny toky fitaka fa ny ata ro hita		Ambalavao
Rano masina rano manoro		Antsirabe
Soa fianatsa ro mahovokatsa		Fianarantsoa

Mottoes in Polynesian languages

Mottoes with any Polynesian language as the original language.

Motto	Langauge	Translation in English	Used by
Long God yumi stanap	Bislama	In God we stand	Vanuatu
Rerevaka na kalou ka doka na Tui	Fijian	Fear God and honour the King	Fiji
Tatou tatou	Maori		Rotorua
Te mauri, te raoi ao te tabomoa'	Gilbertese		Kiribati
Te pai me te whairawa	Maori		Waitakere
Tokelau mo te Atua	Tokelauan	Tokelau for God	Tokelau
Tuituia mai tatou	Maori	Let us all be united	Birkenhead (New Zealand)
Tuvalu mo te Atua	Tuvalan	Tuvalu for God	Tokelau

Mottoes in Spanish

Mottoes with Spanish as the original language.

Motto	Translation in English	Used by
Aqui dios, fuerte y claro		Signal Company No 6 of the Parachute Brigade, Spanish Army
Ciencia al servicio del hombre	Science in the service of man	Meteorological Service, Air Force of Venezuela
Con este palo me basto		Ceuta General Command, Spanish Army
Cuna del descubrimiento		Palos de la Frontera
Dios, unión, libertad	God, union, liberty	El Salvador
Especiales en la guerra y en la paz	Specialists in war and in peace	Special Operations Air Group No 15, Air Force of Venezuela
Ingenio y grandeza		Signal Company No 17, Spanish Army
Lealtatem	Loyalty	Presidental Air Group No 4, Air Force of Venezuela
Libertad y soberania	Liberty and sovereignty	Air Transport Group No 9, Air Force of Venezuela
Lucha y vence entre dos ríos		Palma del Río
Más vale honra sin barcos ...		Frigate Méndez Nuñez, Spanish Navy
Nuestro enemigo es el silencio	Our enemy is the silence	Electronic Warfare Regiment No 31, Spanish Army
Paso honroso		Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Spanish Air Force
Patria honor lealtad	Country, honour, loyalty	Colombian Army
Poder y sabiduria		Signal Company No 18, Spanish Army
Por la exelencia a la victoria		Signal Regiment No 1, Spanish Army
Rey servido y patria honorada	Serve the king and honour the fatherland	Frigate Álvaro de Bazán, Spanish Navy
Segura tiene la palma		Naval Command of Las Palmas, Spanish Navy
Sobre todo ¡España!		Frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón, Spanish Navy
Tejemos la red		Signal Battalion of the Air Defence Command, Spanish Army
Unidad, paz, justicia	Unity, peace, justice	Equatorial Guinea
Vencer o morir	Win or die	Air Force of Paraguay, Navy of Paraguay
Voz permanente del mado	Permanent voice of command	Signal Regiment No 22, Spanish Army

Mottoes in Welsh

Mottoes with Welsh as the original language.

Motto	Translation in English	Used by
A ddioddefws a orfu	He who suffered, conquered	Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan
A fynno Duw a fydd		Cowbridge RDC
A vo penn bit pont	He who will be chief, let him be a bridge	Bridgend
Amser yw'n golud		Ystradgynlais
Awn rhagom		Cowbridge
Cadarn pob cyfiawn	The just are strong	West Glamorgan
Cadernid cyfiawndr cynndd	Stability, justice, progress	Barry
Canmol dy fro a thrig yno	Commend thy locality and dwell therein	Brecon
Cyfoeth cymdeithas: cymuned	A society's wealth is its community	Llanelli
Cynyddaf a llawenychaf	I grow and I rejoice	Prestatyn
Dawn gorau dyngarwch	A nation's wealth is freedom	Ceredigion
Diogel dan ddinefwr	Safe under Dinefwr	Dinefwr
Duw a digon	With God, enough	Denbighshire
Duwioldeb diwydrwydd	Godliness and industry	Port Talbot Borough, Port Talbot
Ewch yn uwch	Higher and higher	Radnorshire, Radnorshire District Council
Gorau gweithio-cyd weithio	The best service is co-operation	Maesteg
Golud gwlad rhydidd	A nation's wealth is freedom	Ceredigion
Gorau moes gwasanaeth	The best way of life is service	Aberystwyth Borough
Gorau nawwd, nawwd duw		Hawarden
Gorau tarian cyfiawnder	The best shield is justice	Flintshire, Islwyn
Gwasanaeth a gwerin		Alyn and Deeside
Gwella braint heb golli bro		Vaynor and Penderyn
Gwerth cyngor gwasanaeth	The virtue of a council is its service	Glyndŵr
Gwirionedd undod a chytgord		University of Cardiff
Hanfod tref trefn	The essential of a good town is orderliness	Ammanford
Hwy clod na golud	Fame outlasts wealth	Rhondda
Iechyd ac addysg	Health and learning	Ebbw Vale
Iechyd harddwch heddwch	Health, beauty, tranquillity	Colwyn, Colwyn Bay
Llafur orfu bobpeth	Hard work conquers everything	Taff-Ely
Llifa'r dwr, llewyrcha'r bobl		Brecknock RDC
Llywyddiant o ddiwydiant		Connah's Quay
Llywyddiant trwy undeb	Success through union	Cynon Valley
Llywyddo drwy ymdrech	Succeeding through endeavour	Neath and Port Talbot
Mon mam Cynru	Anglesey, Mother of Wales	Isle of Anglesey
Nid cadern ond brodyrdde	No strength but in fellowship	Merthyr Tydfil
Nid da lle gellir gwell		Lliw Valley
Powys paradwys cymru	Powys, the paradise of Wales	Powys
Rhydd gwerni ffyniant gwlad	A free people a prosperous country	Carmarthenshire, Dyfed
Rhyddid hedd a llwyddint	Freedom, peace and prosperity	Carmarthen
Tarian cyfiawnder duw	The shield of justice is God	Clwyd
Tra mor tra meirion		Merionethshire
Undeb a rhyddid	Unity and freedom	Blaenau Gwent
Undeb hedd llwyddiant	Unity, peace, success	Brecknock, Brecknockshire
Undod cadernid cynndd	Unity Strength Progress	Vale of Glamorgan
Unwn i wneud da		Denbighshire
Y ddinas a’r fro	The city and the vale	South Glamorgan
Ymlaen â Delyn	Forward with Delyn	Delyn
Yr hafan dêg ar fin y dôn	The fair haven at the edge of the waves	Rhyl

Mottoes in other languages

Mottoes in any other language.

Motto	Translation in English	Language	Used by
Eetsun nunnumur	The land where it is good to be	Saanich	North Saanich
Endazhe kinamandowa chimaganishak	The soldiers training ground		Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Canada
Inuit nunangata ungata	Beyond the eskimo land		Canadian Forces Station Alert, Canada
Moondah	Over the horizon	Australian Aboriginal	Australian Administrative Staff College
Ojibwe gchi gami odena	Settlement near the Ojibwe’s big lake	Ojibwe	Sault Ste. Marie
ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓴᙱᓂᕗᑦ	Nunavut our strength	Inuktitut	Nunavut
Tingijub akkarvinga	The place where the areoplanes come in to land	Labrador eskimo	Canadian Forces Station Goose Bay, Canada

Mottoes in two or more languages

Mottoes in multiple languages.

Motto	Translation in English	Languages	Used by
Diens - Ukukhoza - Service	Service	Afrikaans - Xhosa - English	Langeberg
Eendracht maakt macht - L’union fait la force		Dutch and French	Belgium
Kayas - présent - future	Past - present - future	Cree, French and English	North Battleford
Paix – travail – patrie : Peace – work - fatherland	Peace – work - fatherland	French and English	Cameroon

Mottoes in non-existing languages

Mottoes with a non-existing or phantasy language.

Motto	Translation in English	Origin/Language	Used by
Es-whoy-malth	A shoaling place	transcribed from a local native American language	Esquimalt