A google.com search of *pettus family* will produce many links--some of which links should be ignored--such as family crest. By the way, I believe this name appears frequently in the records of early Louisa Co., VA, which was formed from Hanover Co. and then, Albemarle Co. and lots of other counties, it seems, were formed in that general area. Search them all!!! Familes, at least in England, do not have Crests. Only individuals, as specified by the College of Arms, are entitled to crests, generally based on positions of honor. For example, a few years back, the Mayor of the City of London [*the City*] was a commoner, who then became entitled to a crest. One was designed by the College of Arms specifically for him. (Some mayors in England are or have been women.) This is from the College of Arms website - under FAQ Q. Do coats of arms belong to surnames? A. No. There is no such thing as a 'coat of arms for a surname'. Many people of the same surname will often be entitled to completely different coats of arms, and many of that surname will be entitled to no coat of arms. Coats of arms belong to individuals. For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past. E.W.Wallace who regrets terribly the loss of records of Hanover Co., causing many flaws in genealogies