Coming into contact with heraldic traditions leads to the formation of not large and almost unstudied, multitude of personal and family coats of arms among Bulgarians. They originated in deferent times and ways, and for that, four different groups of arms can be discussed as follows.
Firstly, there are the coats of arms of foreign aristocracy of Bulgarian origin. After the Ottoman conquest in the second half of 14th c., part of Bulgarian nobility migrated to Walachia, Moldova, Venice’s possessions, and other unconquered lands – their armorial bearings are hardly studied. In 17th and 18th c. many Bulgarian Catholics settled in the Habsburgs’ territories – their coats of arms are comparatively well researched. In 19th c. thousands of Bulgarians sought refuge in the Russian Empire, and probably part of them were dubbed noblemen and, respectively, granted coats of arms.
Secondly, there are the coats of arms of foreign aristocracy that tied its destiny to Bulgaria, and their Bulgarian descendents. For the most part they were the outland specialists, who came to work in Bulgaria after the 1878 Liberation. Generally, here should also be included, the armorial bearings of foreign nobility, like the princes of Walachia and Moldova, who had estates of their own South of Danube, as well as the Hungarian and Polish immigrants from the middle of the 19th c., and especially the Russian whiteguards from 1920s.
Thirdly, some Bulgarians adopted in different ways coats of arms from outland heraldic authorities.
And finally, there are emblems, designed by their bearers or by local artists, but in both cases we speak of pseudoheraldry, as far as the heraldic rules were never obliged, neither in emblazoning, nor in adoption / granting of arms.
