The Coat of Arms was, at first, a practical matter and served a function on the battlefield and in tournement. With his helmet covering his face, the armour encasing him from head to foot, the knight's only means of identification to his followers was the insignia which he painted on his shield and embroidered on his surcoat, the flowing garment worn over armour. During the the 13th century Heralds became the acknowledged experts in the system of supervising and recording the signs on the shields which were known as armorials and out of the age of chivalry emerged the tradition which takes our imagination back to the stirring historic events and scenes of the Middle Ages. Now we display such symbols associated with our surnames as decorative reditions of the heraldic artists interpretation of ancient blazons recorded for posterity. \par THE MATKIN BLAZON OF ARMS \par ARMS: Sable (black), a stork proper, legged and beaked gules (red), a bordure argent (silver).
CREST: On the mount vert (green?) a stork as in the arms.
MOTTO: "AEQUAM SERVARE MENTEM" (To Preserve an Equal Mind)
Reference: Burke's General Armory, page 669
ORIGIN AND MEANING OF SURNAME MATKIN
Surnames as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th century. They were not in use in England and Scotland before the Norman Conquest of 1066 and were first found in the Doomsday Book. The employment of a second name, a custom introduced by the Normans, who themselves had not long before adopted it, became in course of time a mark of gentle blood and it was deemed a disgrace for a gentleman to have but one single name, as the meaner sort had. It was not until the reign of Edward II (1307-1327) that this became a general practice among all people.
These names were adopted according to fairly general principles and can be generally divided into four classification: LOCAL NAMES are taken from places of origin. OCCUPATIONAL NAMES denote a trade or profession of early users. NICKNAMES describe mental and physical characteristics, complexion, clothes, etcetera. The PATRONOMIC was the method of taking the first name of the father as the last name of the son.
The surname of Matkin, a baptismal name of English origin "THE SON OF MATHEW" from the nickname "Mat" and the diminutive: "MAT-KIN". Early instance: RICHARD MATKYN TEMP ELIZABETH I (1558-1603).
Reference: BARDSLEY 520
On August 3, 1998 Cindy Matkin Stiene has sent another "Coat of Arms" with still another explanation of the origin of the Matkin name. There were some technical difficulties to clear up with the one in color, so following it is the (black and white) text:\par