Can I make my own coat of arms?

Yes. Anyone can design a coat of arms for personal use, and in the United States you can adopt one as your own without asking permission. A homemade design is not an official grant, though. In Scotland, displaying arms as yours when the Lord Lyon has not granted or recorded them to you is against the law.

Start with a shield, two or three tinctures, then one or two charges that mean something to the family. The how to make a coat of arms guide walks through each step. You can build it free in the coat of arms maker.

Don't copy arms that already belong to someone else. In England and Scotland a coat of arms belongs to one person and their heirs, not to everyone with the same surname. For recognized arms, see how to make a coat of arms official.