Mottoes
An overview of Mottoes used in civic heraldry.
This page is under construction, if you see a motto on the site that is not yet listed here or have any other addition, please [{Contact|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.
Mottoes in Dutch
Mottoes with Dutch as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
Heldhaftig - vastberaden - barmhartig | Amsterdam | ||
Niet zonder arbyt | Not without labour | Chesterton, South Cambridgeshire | |
Sterker door strijd | Rotterdam | ||
Vrede en recht | Peace and Justice | 's Gravenhage/The Hague |
Mottoes in English
Mottoes with English as the original language.
Motto | Origin | Used by |
A loyal three made stronger in one | Loyalist Township | |
Believe - love - obey | Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton | |
Born in conflict - settled in peace | Ajax | |
By industry and integrity | Berwick (Nova Scotia) | |
Come all who are weary and heavy laden | Matthew 11:28 | Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa |
Determined we began - determined we remain | Ameliasburg | |
Fear God honour the king | 1 Peter 2:17 | Parish of St. Andrews |
Freedom and justice | Ghana | |
Glad of thy word | Psalm 119:162 | Parish of St. George's, Pickering Village |
Going forward in faith | Saint Matthews, Ingleside | |
New frontiers - new beginnings | Castor | |
Our spirits rejoice | Saint Luke's Cathedral, Sault Ste. Marie | |
Peace | Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Canada | |
Pride in our past, faith in our future | Mississauga | |
Pride - spirit - vision | Armstrong | |
Proud heritage - promising future | Castor | |
Rejoice in the lord alway | St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:4 | Saint Paul's Cathedral, Regina |
Risen - ascended - glorified | Parish of All Saints, Peterborough | |
Service with justice | Alnwick | |
Strength growth | Haldimand County | |
Striving toward a magnificent future | Quinte West | |
Together we stand | Conception Bay South | |
Tread the smoother ways of peace | Dr. Arthur William Fisher’s poem “Niagara” (1924) | Niagara Falls |
Unity growth prosperity | Taber | |
Unity responsibility loyalty | Niagara | |
We grow by industry | Blyth Valley | |
Wisdom knowledge and trust | Clarington |
Mottoes in French
Mottoes with French as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
Le jour viendra | The day will come | Lambton | |
Sur terre et sur mer, Berthier toujours plus fier | By sea and by land, Berthier always prouder | Berthier-sur-Mer |
Mottoes in Frisian
Mottoes with Frisian as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
In doarp riist ut 'e puollen | De Tynje |
Mottoes in Greek
Mottoes with ancient Greek as the original language.
Mottoes in Latin
Mottoes with Latin as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
Absit invidia | Let there be no ill-will | Limavady | |
Aequitas iudicia tua domine | Roermond | ||
Alcmaria victrix | Alkmaar is victorious | Alkmaar | |
Amicitia omnibus rebus | Ridgetown | ||
Animo et fide | With courage and faith | Medicine Hat | |
Centum salutationes | 100 Mile House | ||
Copia et concordia | Harmony and abundance | Vacoas/Phoenix | |
Confitemini domino | O give thanks unto the Lord | Psalm 118, verse 1 | Holy Trinity Church, Chatham |
Cor unum | With one heart | Grand Falls | |
Ex undis | From the waves | Eemsmond, Hefshuizen, Uithuizermeeden | |
Festina lente cauta fac omnia mente | Haste, less speed and do everything with understanding | Venlo | |
Fortes creantur fortibus | The brave beget the brave | Gorinchem | |
Fortis et liber | Strong and free | Alberta | |
Fraternitas - aequalitas - soliditas | Fraternity - equality - solidarity | Grenville | |
Haec libertatis ergo | All for the sake of freedom | Leiden | |
In deo imperium sed populus administrat | Bruce County | ||
In fraternitate unitas | Unity in brotherhood | Edmundston | |
In montibus ad flumen | In the mountains by the river | Fernie | |
Inter sylvas et flumina habitans | Living among woods and streams | Castle Morpeth | |
Jesu flos matris virginis | Jesus, flower born of the Virgin Mother | Jesu Dulcis Memoria, a poem attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux | Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica, Halifax |
Jubilate deo | Make a joyful noise onto the Lord | Psalm 100 | Christ Church Cathedral, Hamilton |
Lab initio ad futurum | Ancaster | ||
Luctor er emergo | Zeeland (provincie) | ||
Mediis Tranquillis in Undis | Borkum | ||
Miles domini indefessus | The soldier of the Lord is never weary | Nieuwolda, Scheemda | |
Montis insignia Calpe | Of the mountain called Calpe | Gibraltar | |
Multis periculis supersum | Coevorden | ||
Praesidemus | We stand on guard | Military Ordinariate of Canada | |
Primus et princeps | First and foremost | Annapolis | |
Progredi prospere | Headingley | ||
Regeneratio | Luinjeberd | ||
Remis Saba Velisque | With all one's might | Saba | |
Resurrectio | Terband | ||
Salus et opus | Health and wealth | Kamloops | |
Semper pro grediens | Sint Maarten (eiland) | ||
Stella clavisque Maris Indici | Star and key of the Indian Ocean | Mauritius | |
Superba et confidens | Sint Eustatius | ||
Tenax et fidelis | Firmness and faithfulness | Beau Bassin - Rose Hill | |
Ubi lux ibi labor | Valleyfield | ||
Unio silvae marisque | Mahone Bay | ||
Unum deum in trinitate veneremur | Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec | ||
Unus cum viribus duorum | Abbotsford | ||
Usque ad terminos orbis terrarum | To the ends of the earth | Psalm 72:8 | Anglican Catholic Church of Canada |
Vestigia nulla retrorsum | North Cowichan | ||
Vicit vim virtus | Virtue conquered force | Haarlem | |
Vigilate deo confidentes | Zuid Holland | ||
Vires acquirit eundo | We gather strength as we go | Virgil, Aeneid IV, 175 | Brandon |
Volet Gander | Gander |
Mottoes in Maori
Mottoes with Maori as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
Te pai me te whairawa | Waitakere |
Mottoes in Old Norse
Mottoes with Old Norse as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
Með lögum skal land byggja | By law shall the land be built up | Njáls Saga | Zetland, Shetland Islands |
Mottoes in Welsh
Mottoes with Welsh as the original language.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
Gwerth cyngor gwasanaeth | The virtue of a council is its service | Glyndŵr |
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 |
Mottoes in two or more langauges
Mottoes in multiple languages.
Motto | Translation in English | Origin/Languages | Used by |
Kayas - présent - future | Past - present - future | Cree, French and English | North Battleford |