King Charles IV granted the ams on 28 August 1803.

Santa Cruz was founded on the 3rd of May 1496, when the Castilian forces of conquest disembarked at the shore. Alonso Fernandez de Lugo, the 'Adelantado', Commander of the Army, planted a wooden cross on the shore. A mass was celebrated, and following the festivity of the day ('The Holy Cross'), a town was founded under the name 'Holy Cross of Tenerife' (Santa Cruz de Tenerife). The cross in the arms is thus a canting symbol for this occasion.

The granting of the Coat of Arms and the declaration of Santa Cruz as an incorporated town was direct consequence of the third victory over the British in their attempts to occupy the site, when Admiral Sir Horace Nelson was defeated and lost his right arm on 25 July 1797.
This victory is symbolised by the three lion's heads. The arms of England bear three lions, the colour is made black as a sign for the treachery of the attack against a peaceful town. The heads also represent the three defeated admirals : Nelson, Blake and Jennings.

As the last victory over Nelson took place on the 25th of July, the feast of Santiago, the cross and the sword of the Order of Santiago are placed through the head representing Nelson and run behind the cross.

The bordure represents the fact that the city is on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. The volcano in the top of the bordure is the Teide, the highest point in Spain. The castles represent the fortresses of San Cristobal, San Juan and Paso Alto. The anchors represent the rich harbour.

The arms may be further decorated with a orle of laurel, a symbol of an undefeated town, as well as the Medal of Charity, granted by Queen Regent María Cristina in 1893 during the cholera epidemic, in which the citizens behaved bravely.