Mottoes
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Heraldry of the World The main resource for civic heraldry since 1996 with over 95.000 images |
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An overview of 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 region.
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.
As this page got too large, mottoes in the following languages are separated :
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 |
| !ke e:/xarra//ke | Khoisan | South Africa | |
| Harambee | Swahili | Kenya | |
| 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 |
| Masisukume sakhe | Zulu | Let us rise and built | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Natulenge juu | ? | ? | Starehe Boys' Centre and School |
| Pula | Setswana | Rain | Botswana |
| Syinqaba | Swati | We are a fortress | Swaziland |
| Thuto ke thebe | Setswana | University of Botswana | |
| Ubumwe – umurimo – gukunda ighihugu | Kinyarwanda | Unity, work, patriotism | Rwanda |
| Yinkhaba | Swati | Manzini |
Mottoes in Celtic languages
Mottoes with Gaelic (Irish), Breton or Cornish as the original language. For Welsh, see below.
| Motto | Translation in English | Language | Used by |
| Ag Seo Ár gCúram | This we hold in trust | Irish | South Dublin) |
| Beart do réir ár mbriathar | Action according to our word | Irish | Dublin (county) |
| Feor magh eanagh | Irish | Fermanagh (county) | |
| Flúirse Talaimh is Mara | Abundance of land and sea | Irish | Fingal |
| Kensa ha dewetha | First and last | Cornish | Penwith |
| Ó Chuan go Sliabh | From harbor to mountain | Irish | Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown |
| Unanet e vimp kreñv | United we are stronger | Breton | Quimper |
Mottoes in Dutch or Afrikaans
Mottoes with Dutch as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Used by |
| Dispereert niet (also Ende dispereert niet) | Batavia | |
| Heldhaftig - vastberaden - barmhartig | Amsterdam | |
| Jahweh is mijn god | Jahweh is my god | Basiliek van de H. Petrus te Boxmeer |
| Niet zonder arbyt | Not without labour | Chesterton, South Cambridgeshire |
| Sterker door strijd | Rotterdam | |
| Trouw en liefde | Gent | |
| Vrede en recht | Peace and Justice | 's Gravenhage/The Hague |
Mottoes in French
Mottoes with French as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Used by |
| Absit invidia | Let there be no ill-will | Limavady |
| Avant garde | Vanguard | Havant |
| Beau sejour | Have a beautiful stay | Budleigh Salterton |
| De bon cuor | Walton-le-Dale | |
| Je maintendrai | Netherlands, Hofstra University | |
| Le jour viendra | The day will come | Lambton |
| L’union fait la force | Sint-Joost-ten-Node | |
| Non sanz droict | Not without right (Norman French) | Warwickshire |
| Nous sommes prêts | Ready to act | Fareham |
| Prest a faire | Ready to act | Fareham |
| Sans dieu rien | Without God nothing | Wanganui |
| Sur terre et sur mer, Berthier toujours plus fier | By sea and by land, Berthier always prouder | Berthier-sur-Mer |
| Travail – liberté - patrie | Work – librty - fatherland | Togo |
| Un people – un but – une foi | One people – one goal – one faith | Senegal |
| Ung par tout – tout par ung | Southampton (Bermuda) | |
| Union – travail - justice | Union – labour - justice | Gabon |
| Unité – dignité - travail | Unity – dignity - labour | Central African Republic |
| Unité – travail - progress | Unity – labour - progress | Burundi, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville) |
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 |
| 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 |
| Jer basuki mawa bea | Achievements are only won through sacrifice | Jawa Timur |
| Karya swadaya | On own power | 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 Old Norse
Mottoes with Old Norse as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Used by |
| Með lögum skal land byggja | By law shall the land be built up | Zetland, Shetland Islands |
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 |
| 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 Portuguese
Mottoes with Portuguese as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Used by |
| Mui nobre e sempre leal cidade de Lisboa | Lisboa | |
| Terra Prodígio | Iacri | |
| Unidade, disciplina, trabalho | Unity, discipline, labour | São Tomé e Príncipe |
Mottoes in Spanish
Mottoes with Spanish as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Used by |
| Dios, unión, libertad | God, union, liberty | El Salvador |
| Unidad, paz, justicia | Unity, peace, justice | Equatorial Guinea |
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 |
| 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 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 languages
Mottoes in multiple languages.
| Motto | Translation in English | Languages | Used by |
| Kayas - présent - future | Past - present - future | Cree, French and English | North Battleford |
| Eendracht maakt macht - L’union fait la force | Dutch and French | Belgium | |
| Paix – travail – patrie : Peace – work - fatherland | Peace – work - fatherland | French and English | Cameroon |