Mottoes
 |
Heraldry of the World The main resource for civic heraldry since 1996 with over 85.000 images |
|
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 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 |
| Dispereert niet (also Ende dispereert niet) | Batavia | ||
| Heldhaftig - vastberaden - barmhartig | Amsterdam | ||
| 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 English
Mottoes with English as the original language.
| Motto | Origin | Used by |
| A loyal three made stronger in one | Loyalist Township | |
| Agriculture and commerce | Maidstone | |
| Believe - love - obey | Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton | |
| Born in conflict - settled in peace | Ajax | |
| By industry and integrity | Berwick (Nova Scotia), Nelson (Borough) | |
| By industry and prudence | Hyndburn | |
| By sea and forest enchanted | Lymington | |
| By worth | Keighley | |
| Come all who are weary and heavy laden | Matthew 11:28 | Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa |
| Country above self | Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
| Courage and faith | Guilford County | |
| Desire the right | Falkland Islands | |
| Determined we began - determined we remain | Ameliasburg | |
| Do well and fear not | Elstree, Hertsmere | |
| Ever conscious of God, we aspire, build and advance as one people | Grenada | |
| Ever forward | Weston-super-Mare | |
| Except the Lord keep the city | Psalm 127 | Halifax (Yorkshire) |
| Fear God honour the king | 1 Peter 2:17 | Parish of St. Andrews, Wrexham |
| Forward, upward, onward together | Bahamas | |
| Freedom and justice | Ghana | |
| Glad of thy word | Psalm 119:162 | Parish of St. George's, Pickering Village |
| God’s will first | Nauru | |
| Going forward in faith | Saint Matthews, Ingleside | |
| Grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ | 2 Peter 3:18 | Parish of St. George's, Georgetown |
| He hath founded it upon the seas | Cayman Islands | |
| He shall rule from the river to the ends of the Earth | Psalm 72:8 | Parish of St. Paul's, Dunville |
| Heaven’s light our guide | Portsmouth | |
| Hold to the thruth | Burnley | |
| I have prepared a lamp | Psalm 132: 17 | Parish of St, Mark's Qualicum Beach |
| I will lift up mine eyes | Bowland | |
| In counsel is stability | Windsor | |
| In thee are the springs of our life | Psalm 36:9 | Parish of St. John's, Cambridge |
| In unity we serve | Lincolnshire | |
| Industry and prudence conquer | Accrington | |
| Jewel of the Thames | Maidenhead | |
| Justice – prosperity - liberty | South Sudan | |
| Loyal and unshakeable | Saint Helena | |
| New frontiers - new beginnings | Castor | |
| Old yet ever new | New Forest, New Forest RDC | |
| Our faith is our strength | Tristan da Cunha | |
| Our spirits rejoice | Saint Luke's Cathedral, Sault Ste. Marie | |
| Out of many one people | Jamaica | |
| Peace | Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Canada | |
| Pride in our past, faith in our future | Mississauga, Hertford | |
| Pride - spirit - vision | Armstrong | |
| Progress – industry - humanity | Bradford | |
| Progress – peace - prosperity | Gambia | |
| Progress through endeavour | South Holland, Spalding RDC | |
| Progress with humanity | South Ribble | |
| Proud heritage - promising future | Castor | |
| Research and discovery | Falkland Islands Dependencies and British Antarctic Territory | |
| 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 | |
| Serve God and be cheerful | Sutton and Cheam | |
| Serve with amnity | Boston (Borough), Boston RDC | |
| Service links all | Lincolnshire - Parts of Lindsey | |
| Service with justice | Alnwick | |
| Share - enjoy - prosper | Letchworth Garden | |
| Sharing God’s love | Saint James, Stouffvile | |
| Sow for posterity | Longridge | |
| Strength growth | Haldimand County | |
| Strength in unity | Rushmoor | |
| Striving toward a magnificent future | Quinte West | |
| The heart of a town lies in it speople | Stevenage | |
| The land, the people, the light | Saint Lucia | |
| The love of liberty brought us here | Liberia | |
| Together we stand | Conception Bay South | |
| Tread the smoother ways of peace | Dr. Arthur William Fisher’s poem “Niagara” (1924) | Niagara Falls |
| Twixt Severn and Wye | Forest of Dean, Lydney | |
| Unity and freedom | Malawi | |
| Unity and service | Silsden | |
| Unity growth prosperity | Taber | |
| Unity responsibility loyalty | Niagara | |
| We grow by industry | Blyth Valley | |
| We long endure | Colne | |
| We prosper by industry | Todmorden | |
| Where justice rules, there virtue flows | Leominster | |
| Wisdom knowledge and trust | Clarington |
Mottoes in Fijian
Mottoes with Fijian as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| Rerevaka na kalou ka doka na Tui | Fear God and honour the King | Fiji |
Mottoes in French
Mottoes with French as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| Avant garde | Vanguard | Havant | |
| De bon cuor | Walton-le-Dale | ||
| Le jour viendra | The day will come | Lambton | |
| L’union fait la force | Sint-Joost-ten-Node | ||
| 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 | |
| Un people – un but – une foi | One people – one goal – one faith | Senegal | |
| Ung par tout – tout par ung | Southampton (Bermuda) | ||
| Union – travail - justice | Gabon |
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 German
Mottoes with German as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| Es ist ein Ros entsprungen | Lo how a rose e’er blooming | 15th-century German Christmas carol | Parish of St. John's, Montreal |
Mottoes in Indonesian
Mottoes with Bahasa Indonesia or any other native language in Indonesia as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | 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 Latin
Mottoes with Latin as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| A mare labor | Saint Pierre et Miquelon | ||
| Absit invidia | Let there be no ill-will | Limavady | |
| Absque labore nihil | Nothing without labour | Darwen | |
| Adsumus ut adiuvemus | Rhondda Cynon Taff | ||
| Adveniat regnum tuum | Thy kingdom come | the Lord’s Prayer | Saint Patrick's Basilica, Ottawa |
| Aequitas iudicia tua domine | Roermond | ||
| Alacres illo coluerunt | Eagerly they toiled to that end | East Elloe | |
| Alcmaria victrix | Alkmaar is victorious | Alkmaar | |
| Alto nomine | Of high renown / Alton by name | Alton RDC | |
| Amicitia omnibus rebus | Ridgetown | ||
| Animo et fide | With courage and faith | Carshalton, Medicine Hat | |
| Ardua vince merendo | Overcome difficulties by service | Winchester RDC | |
| Arte et labore | By skill and labour | Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen | |
| Audentior | With greater boldness | Virgil's Aeniad | Watford |
| Cantate domino | O sing unto the Lord | Psalm 149:1 | Holy Saviour Church, Waterloo |
| Castella supra fluvium | A castle on a river | Flint | |
| Cave | Beware | Ware | |
| Cavendo tutus adversa sperno | Settle | ||
| Centum salutationes | 100 Mile House | ||
| Concordia amicitia conjuncta | Concord with friendship | Sawbridgeworth | |
| Constantia basis virtutum | Steadfastness is the foundation of the virtues | Andover | |
| Copia est labor | Industry brings prosperity | Horwich | |
| 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 | |
| Decus et tutamen | Gravesend | ||
| Deo teste valeamus | With God as our witness, let us be strong | Test Valley | |
| Dum cresco spero | While I grow I hope | Bromley | |
| Et patribus et posteriati | Both for our ancestors and our prosperity | Hitchin | |
| Ex undis | From the waves | Eemsmond, Hefshuizen, Uithuizermeeden | |
| Exemplo sint virtutis | Saint Albans RDC | ||
| Festina lente cauta fac omnia mente | Haste, less speed and do everything with understanding | Venlo | |
| Fide condita, fructu beata, spe fortis | Founded in faith, rich in the fulfilment thereof, strong in the hope for the future | Christchurch (New Zealand) | |
| Fide et labore | By faith and industry | Harpenden | |
| Fidelis | Abbeville | ||
| Fidelis sapiens justus | Honest, thoughful, just | South Herefordshire | |
| Fides et justitia | Faith and justice | Farnborough | |
| Fides probata coronat | Confirms what has been proved good and true | Ashburton (New Zealand) | |
| Fortes creantur fortibus | The brave beget the brave | Gorinchem | |
| Fortis et liber | Strong and free | Alberta | |
| Fortiter defendit triumphans | 'Triumphing by brave defence | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | |
| Fortiter et fideliter | Bravely and faithfully | Fulwood | |
| Fraternitas - aequalitas - soliditas | Fraternity - equality - solidarity | Grenville | |
| Haec libertatis ergo | All for the sake of freedom | Leiden | |
| Haec otia studia fovent | University of Liverpool | ||
| In deo fidemus | We trust in God | Brighton | |
| 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 | |
| In praecipiti stantem | Steadfast on the edge | Alderley Edge | |
| In unitate felicitas | Windsor and Maidenhead | ||
| In unitate florescemus | In unity we shall flourish increasingly | Pendle | |
| Industria arte prudentia | By industry skill and foresight | Calderdale | |
| Industria et spe | Labour and hope | Skipton | |
| Inter sylvas et flumina habitans | Living among woods and streams | Castle Morpeth | |
| Invictae fidelitatis praemium | Reward for faithfulness unconquered | Hereford | |
| 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 |
| Juste nec timide | Be just and fear not | Farnworth | |
| Justitia et virtute | By justice and virtue | Leominster | |
| Lab initio ad futurum | Ancaster | ||
| Labor improbus omnia vincit | Labour conquers all | Blitar | |
| Labor omnia vincit | Labour overcomes all things | Bradford, Wrexham-Maelor, [Wrexham County Borough]] | |
| Labore et prudentia | By labour and prudence | Brighouse | |
| Labore ipse memores | Lincolnshire - Parts of Holland | ||
| Leo terram propriam protegat | Let the lion protect his own land | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | |
| Levavi oculos meos in montes | I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills | Malvern | |
| Liliis tenaci vimine jungor | Amiens | ||
| Luctor er emergo | Zeeland (provincie) | ||
| Malang nominor sursum moveor | They call me diagonal, but I move upwards | Malang | |
| Mediis Tranquillis in Undis | Borkum | ||
| Memor ruris disciplinae custos | The mindful guardian of the rural way of life | Macclesfield RDC | |
| Memores acti prudentes futuri | North Hertfordshire | ||
| Memores boni consili | Mindful of our worthy purpose | Macclesfield | |
| Mente et manu | By mind and hand | East Hampshire | |
| Miles domini indefessus | The soldier of the Lord is never weary | Nieuwolda, Scheemda | |
| Montes prosperitatem vident | The mountains are witness to my prosperity | Madiun | |
| Montis insignia Calpe | Of the mountain called Calpe | Gibraltar | |
| Multis periculis supersum | Coevorden | ||
| Nec aspera terrent | Duchy of Braunschweig | ||
| Nec temere nec timide | Neither rashly nor timidly | Craven | |
| Nec virtus nec copia desunt | Neither virtue nor plenty are lacking | Macclesfield | |
| Nisi dominus custodierit civitatem | Except the Lord keep the city | Psalm 127 | Halifax (Yorkshire) |
| Nobis habitatio felix | A happy dwelling place for us | Wilmslow | |
| Non nobis solum | Not for ourselves alone | Beckenham | |
| Nostrum est rura tueri | Our task is to look after the needs of the countryside | Clitheroe RDC | |
| Oni heuri in fedir | You cannot reap unless you sow | Neath RDC, Neath Borough | |
| Opes industria parit | Industry begets plenty | Bingley | |
| Oportet nos progredi | Crickhowell | ||
| Pax et justitia | Peace and justice | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
| Per ardua ad summa | Through difficulties to the heights | Beddington and Wallington | |
| Per aspera ad astra | One reaches the stars only through difficulties | Cirebon, Gouda | |
| Per ardua in fide servite deo | Through difficulties serve God in faith | Sutton (London Borough) | |
| Per ilsuo, contrario | Paget | ||
| Per mare et per terram | By sea and land | Boston (Borough) | |
| Per salubritatum opes | Through health, wealth | Ilkley | |
| Perseverantia vincit | Perseverance succeeds | Lincolnshire - Parts of Kesteven | |
| Porta vagae | Ross-on-Wye | ||
| Praesidemus | We stand on guard | Military Ordinariate of Canada | |
| Pretiumque et causa laboris | Burnley | ||
| Primus et princeps | First and foremost | Annapolis | |
| Pro deo et populo | For God and the people | Bishops Stortford | |
| Pro rure pro patria | For countryside and country | Hertford RDC | |
| Progredi prospere | Headingley | ||
| Progredior | I progress | Orpington | |
| Prudens futuri | Letchworth | ||
| Pugna pro patria | Fight for your country | Aldershot | |
| Pulchra terra dei donum | This fair land is the gift of God. | Herefordshire | |
| Pulchritudo et salubritas | Beauty and health | Bournemouth | |
| Quae recta tene | Hold fast that which is right | Romsey | |
| Qui transtulit sustinet | He who transplanted us, sustains us | Connecticut | |
| Regeneratio | Luinjeberd | ||
| Remis Saba Velisque | With all one's might | Saba | |
| Respice aspice prospice | Look to the past, the present and the future | Knutsford | |
| Resurrectio | Terband | ||
| Ruris artes fovere | Ringwood and Fordingbridge | ||
| Salus et opus | Health and wealth | Kamloops | |
| Salus populi | The welfare of the people | Rushcliffe | |
| Salus populi suprema lex | The welfare of the people is the most important law | Eastleigh | |
| Scientia Ingenium artes | University of Wales | ||
| Semper proficimus | We progress continually | Leyland | |
| Semper progrediens | Sint Maarten (eiland) | ||
| Semper renascor | Palembang | ||
| Serio servire | Earnestly to serve | East Dorset, Wimborne and Cranborne | |
| Serva fidem | Keep faith | Blackburn RDC | |
| Servire populo | To serve the people | Bromley | |
| Sic vos non vobis | Baldock | ||
| Sparsa collegit | Hamilton (city, Bermuda) | ||
| Stabit saxum fluet amnis | The rock will remain and the river will flow | Clitheroe | |
| Stella clavisque Maris Indici | Star and key of the Indian Ocean | Mauritius | |
| Supera moras | Overcome delays | Bolton | |
| Superba et confidens | Sint Eustatius | ||
| Suprema a situ | Supreme by position | Wellington | |
| Surgamus ergo strenue | Let us arise with vigour | Baildon | |
| Suum cuique tribuere | Wrexham RDC | ||
| Tenax et fidelis | Firmness and faithfulness | Beau Bassin - Rose Hill | |
| Ubi lux ibi labor | Valleyfield | ||
| Unio silvae marisque | Mahone Bay | ||
| Unitate praestans | Excelling by unity | Preston RDC | |
| Unum deum in trinitate veneremur | Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec | ||
| Unus cum viribus duorum | Abbotsford | ||
| Urbis et orbis honor | Beaune | ||
| Usque ad terminos orbis terrarum | To the ends of the earth | Psalm 72:8 | Anglican Catholic Church of Canada |
| Velut silva floreat | May she flourish as the forest | East Dean | |
| Vestigia nulla retrorsum | North Cowichan | ||
| Vicinas urbes alit | She nourishes the neighbouring cities | Spalding UDC | |
| 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 |
| Vivit post funera virtus | Virtue outlives death | Nottingham | |
| Volet Gander | Gander |
Mottoes in Malagasy
Mottoes with Malagasy as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | 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 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 Spanish
Mottoes with Tuvalu as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| Dios, unión, libertad | God, union, liberty | El Salvador |
Mottoes in Tuvalu
Mottoes with Tuvalu as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| Tuvalu mot e atua | Tuvalu for God | Tuvalu |
Mottoes in Welsh
Mottoes with Welsh as the original language.
| Motto | Translation in English | Origin | Used by |
| Amser yw'n golud | Ystradgynlais | ||
| Dawn gorau dyngarwch | A nation's wealth is freedom | Ceredigion | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Tarian cyfiawnder duw | The shield of justice is God | Clwyd | |
| Undeb a rhyddid | Unity and freedom | Blaenau Gwent | |
| Undeb hedd llwyddiant | Unity, peace, success | Brecknock, Brecknockshire | |
| Unwn i wneud da | Denbighshire | ||
| Ymlaen â Delyn | Forward with Delyn | Delyn |
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 | Origin/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 |