Traditions

American Tradition

As the use of coats of arms may be seen as a custom of royalty and nobility, it had been debated whether the use of arms is reconcilable with American republican traditions. Families from English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and other European nations with a heraldic tradition have retained their familial coat of arms in the United States. Several founding fathers also employed personal arms and a great number of Americans continue to do so.

Coat of arms of the United States of America

Canadian Tradition

Derived mainly from heraldic traditions in France and the United Kingdom, Canadian heraldry also incorporates distinctly Canadian symbols, especially native flora and fauna, references to the First Nations, Inuit and other aboriginal peoples of Canada, and uniquely Canadian elements such as the Canadian pale, derived from the Canadian flag. A unique system of cadency is used for daughters inheriting arms, and a special symbol for United Empire Loyalists.

Coat of arms of Canada

Germanic Tradition

Germanic Heraldry is the form of coat of arms and other heraldic bearings found in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but its influence can also be found in the former territories of Austria-Hungary, and the German Empire.

Bundesschild (Federal Shield) of the Federal Republic of Germany

Coat of Arms of Switzerland

Features

One of the most prominent differences to the surrounding heraldic traditions is the approach to crests. Compared to other traditions, germanic heraldry sees a higher usage of wings, horns, and hats as parts of the crest. Wings and helmet plates are also sometimes used as a “Hilfskleinod”, repetition of the entire (or large parts) of the shield design on top of the crest figure.
Sometimes the use of a torse is seen as optional, especially in the case of animal crests. Here, it is not uncommon to have the fur of the crest transition seamlessly into the mantling.
In regards to tinctures, furs and the colour purpure are rarely used. This last one mostly limited to details on crowns, hats or the insides of a helmet. Germanic Heraldry also tends to approach proper as hinting toward using the closest traditional tincture rather than the actual natural colour.
None of this system have a system of cadency, all descendent of the armiger inherit his arms equally and quartering is a fairly limited practice.

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  Coat of arms of Kärnten

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  Coat of arms of Robert Krätschmar

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  Coat of arms of Styria

Authorities

Due to the political situation in the german lands, the germanic tradition never developed a central authority. Instead, there is a plenitude of heraldic associations, assisting with the creation and assumption of new arms, as well as the documentation of arms via periodically publishing roll of arms.

Iberian Tradition

Portuguese Heraldry and Spanish Heraldry are the two traditions that compose the Iberian Tradition, sharing key aspects and elements throughout history. Arms, other heraldic bearings and insignia used in the Portugal and Spain as in their colonial empires and historical territories.

Coat of arms of the Republic of Portugal

Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Spain

Features

The main feature of this tradition is the use of the Iberian Shield (squared top and rounded bottom, also called "Peninsular", "Spanish" or "Portuguese") which appearance and use was most prevalent in Iberia.
Crests and helmets worn atop the shield are also common in Spain and Portugal. The use of a belt to attach the shield to the helm is also prominent in both countries.
Portuguese Heraldry is known for it's versatility in inheritance, armigers being able to equally inherit from the paternal and maternal line.
Both tradition have a system of cadency, but whereas the Spanish one is barely used, the Portuguese one strictly applied. The use of ordinaries like bordures and orles' are a common trait. Words or letters as well as quartering as marshalling of arms are extremely used by both systems.

Lowlands Tradition

Dutch heraldry and Belgian heraldry is the form of coats of arms and other heraldic bearings and insignia used in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Dutch and Belgian colonial empire but also in the historical territories that make up the Lowlands (or Nederlands).

Royal coat of arms of the Netherlands

Royal coat of arms of Belgium

Features

The main feature of this tradition is the use of the barred helmet (often with a golden trim and a collar) and that for all individual they be from nobility or not. The use of a belt to attach the shield to the helm is also prominent, especially in Belgian heraldry. Traditionally, the torses of Nederlandse coat of arms also have five twists contrary to the six often seen in the british isles.
Belgian Heraldry is also known for blazoning not only the motto but the scroll, indicating the colours of the letters and of the scroll itself.
Both system do not have a system of cadency, all descendent of the armiger inherit his arms equally.

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  Coat of arms of Johannes Theodorus van Spengler and his descendant

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  Coat of arms of Kevin Haelterman van Spengler and his descendant

Authorities

Netherlands

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  Hoge Raad van Adel
  High council of Nobility (Municipalities and Nobility)

Belgium

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  Vlaamse Heraldische Raad
  Flemish Heraldic Council (Flanders)

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  Conseil d’Héraldique et de Vexillologie
  Council of Heraldry and Vexillology (Wallonia and Region Brussel Capital)

Nordic Heraldry

Nordic heraldry is the heraldic tradition of the Nordic countries ( Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland) is very alike with some differences. In addition to the nobility, gradually also commoners and even some farmers used arms. During 20th century interest in heraldry has again increased. Assuming arms was and is not regulated, and anyone can bear arms.

Coat of arms of Iceland

Great coat of arms of Sweden

Features

Nordic heraldry is a part of German heraldic tradition and is quite similar to it. Arms are often rather simple and stylized, with few charges and tinctures. Canting arms are common.
Standard heraldic tinctures are used. Purple is very rare and even restricted in its use, but in recent Swedish heraldry used more. Natural colours (proper) are mostly avoided in modern heraldry. Furs are rather rare.
House marks were historically a common charge in burgher arms, nowadays accepted if they follow heraldic rules and can be blazoned in heraldic terms.
Variations of line are common, especially in Finnish heraldry (which has created a few new variations, like fir-twigged and fir-tree-topped).
In Sweden and Finland, the open helmet is used only by the nobility and burgher arms use a tilting helmet, while in Denmark and Norway both nobles and commoners may use an open helmet. The number of helmets above the shield indicates the noble rank. Sometimes the use of a torse is seen as optional, especially in the case of animal crests. Here, it is not uncommon to have the fur of the crest transition seamlessly into the mantling. Bull horns, eagle wings and flags are common in crests, and the crest quite often repeats the charge or colours/pattern of the shield.
All those traditions do not have a fixed system of cadency, all descendent of the armiger inherit his arms equally. historically the system was agnatical but it's no longer true. Differencing the arms by changing the shield elements and/or the crest is sometimes done.

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  Canting coat of arms of the family Bjelke (meaning beam)

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  Coat of arms of Ahti Hammar

Authorities

Personal heraldry is not regulated in Nordic counties and there is no heraldic authority for it. Instead, there is a plenitude of heraldic associations, assisting with the creation and assumption of new arms, as well as the documentation of arms via periodically publishing roll of arms.

Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian Tradition

Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian heraldry in the heraldic tradition originating from Poland later spread to all territories under the control of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and to the lands in its immediate neighbourhood as well as by their diaspora.
Some of the oldest examples of heraldry, including arms borne by the most prominent historical personalities in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, existed within the framework of the Polish heraldic tradition. Nobles in the historical principality of Moldavia, covering parts of the present-day Romania and Moldova, also often bore arms originating from this tradition. Heraldry in Muscovy originated from Polish heraldic practices, but eventually evolved into a separate jurisdiction and a distinct Russian tradition.

Coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)

Coat of arms of Ukraine

Features

Arms from this tradition are commonly depicted on either half-round Iberian shields or on more ornate but still rather simple "Polish" baroque shapes. Common charges include various mixed geometric shapes (often inspired by pre-heraldic symbols of the region such as Tamgas), arrows and other weapons, celestial bodies. Common types of crests include ostrich and peacock feathers and wings, either plain or with additional charges. Repetition of charges from the shield in the crest is, too, fairly wide spread. Due to a lack of regulation and precedent, it is not unclear how a proper achievement assumed by a citizen should look like. Indeed, mon-noble heraldry was non-existent in this tradition, resulting in a lack of a ranked helm system. The arms borne by an untitled nobleman would have had a shield and a crest upon a crowned iron helm with golden bars and a golden necklace Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian heraldyy does not have a system of cadency, all male descendent of the armiger inherit his arms equally. Every unique Polish noble achievement has a name, with their "alterations" having the same name with a number added.

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  Dołęga coat of arms of borne namely by Marie Curie (Maria Salomea Skłodowska)

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  Kościesza coat of arms

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  Piłsudski coat of arms borne namely by Józef Piłsudski and derived from the arms of Kościesza

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  Rawicz Coat of arms

Authorities

Poland

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  Komisja Heraldyczna
  Heraldry Commission (Consultative body for Municipalities)
  

Lithuania
Lithuania has no governmental body regulating heraldry
Belarus
Belarus has no governmental body regulating heraldry
Ukraine
Ukraine has no governmental body regulating heraldry

Scottish Tradition

Scottish heraldry is the form of heraldic visual identity utilised in Scotland, as well as by its diaspora. It is distinct from tradition of the rest of the United Kingdom.

Royal coat of arms of Scotland

Coat of arms of of the Lord Lyon King of Arms

Features

The main feature of this tradition is the of mottos borne above the crest in achievements (with slogans or war cries placed beneath the escutcheon).
The Scottish tradition is characterised by a strict enforcement of cadency and differencing, as well as the uniqueness of each entity's armorial bearing.
The idea of a societal clan structure survives in the legal fiction that every individual bearing the same surname is related, and therefore new grants to petitioners may difference the senior arms of their name.
Heraldic compartments originate in Scotland, and are frequently used where supporters are borne.
While conventional heraldic badges are granted for individuals of certain statuses, all armigers are entitled to bear a Scottish crest badge, in which their crest is depicted surrounded by a circlet bearing their motto, with a varying quantity of eagle feathers behind. All those nominally 'following' the armiger may use a crest badge with no feathers, and the circlet replaced with a strap and buckle.
It is one of the few traditions actively regulated' in the present-day.

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  Coat of arms of Alexander Charles Richards Maitland

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  Coat of arms of the duke of Argyll

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  Crest Badge of the Clan Mac Donald

Authorities

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  The Court of the Lord Lyon