HomeBelfast Coat of Arms
The current Belfast Coat of Arms dates from 30 June 1890 when the Ulster King of Arms made a Grant of Arms to the new city of Belfast.
The motto ‘Pro tranto quid retribuamus’ comes from Psalm CXVI (116), verse 12 of the Bible.
Translated from Latin, it means ‘what return shall we make for so much’.
The precise origins and meanings of the symbols contained on the Coat of Arms are unknown.
However, images such as the bell, the seahorse, the ship and the chained wolf were all used by 17th century Belfast merchants on their signs and coinage.
The seahorse, which is used twice, shows the maritime importance of Belfast, as does the ship at the base of the shield.
The name ‘Belfast’ also originates from the Gaelic ‘Beal Feirste’, which means ‘mouth of the river’.
