Heraldry

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone."

— Lord Voldemort proclaiming his victory at the Battle of Hogwarts

Heraldry refers to the design, display and study of armorial bearings, more commonly known as coats of arms, which are traditionally unique to an individual person, family, state, or organisation. An heraldic achievement is normally comprised of a shield (or escutcheon), helmet, and crest, together with any accompanying devices, such as supporters, badges, heraldic banners, and mottoes.

The development of heraldry as a as a symbolic language dates back to the High Middle Ages and, given that, at the time, wizard and Muggle societies were not segregated, heraldic motifs are also common in the wizarding world.

Blazons

In heraldry, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. This language has its own vocabulary, word-order and punctuation (all of Anglo-Norman origin), designed to eliminate ambiguity of interpretation.

Armiger	Visual depiction	Blazon	Notes
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry		Quarterly; I Gules a Lion rampant to sinister Or, II Vert a Serpent erect Argent langued of the First, III Or a Badger statant regardant Sable, IV Azure an Eagle wings displayed and elevated of the Second beaked of the Fourth; and over all an Escutcheon of the Second charged with the letter 'H' of the Fifth. The motto, "draco dormiens nunquam titillandus" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.	Alternative versions include Atop the shield, a knight's helm mantled Or from a wreath Sanguine.
House of Black		Sable, a chevron Argent, between in chief two Mullets and in base a Sword Argent; for Supporters on either side a Greyhound Argent, gorged Sable. The motto, "Toujours Pur" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.	An alternate version is blazoned: Party per chevron reversed Gules étincellé Sable and Argent, a chevron inverted Sable between in chief a dexter hand holding a wand bendwise sinister and in base three crows. Atop the shield, a skull mantled Vert. The motto, "Toujours Pur" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.