Original Carteret County Coat of Arms - The silver (Argent) diamonds (Lozengy) on the shield are representative of the Carteret Family, as the original Carteret Coat of Arms consisted of four silver diamonds on a red (Gules) field.
- The black (Sable) swords (Tridents) across (Saltire) the shield are three-pronged spears representative of
- The monster (Yale) on the top has curved horns with a body like an antelope with a lion’s tail.
- The scallop (Escallop Or) is an ancient emblem of heraldry worn by Crusaders of old as a badge of honor.
- The black whale supporters are additives, perhaps due to much of Carteret County being on the ocean. The "supporters" come from the practice of Knight’s aides dressing in various animal costumes to attract challenges at tournaments.
NOTE: The above terms in italics are French because the Angevin kings ruled England as heraldry became established.
The Coat of Arms was unveiled in 1977 at the Driftwood Restaurant in Cedar Island Beaufort , North C arolina
A smaller copy, in oil, hangs in the Carteret County Museum of History in Morehead City , North Carolina
(Researched and compiled by the late Charles O. Pitts Jr.)
_________________
On August 8, 1722, Carteret Precinct was carved from Craven Precinct. Beaufort was designated as the seat, a courthouse was erected and a jail was built a few years later.
The new precinct was named Carteret in honor of John Carteret, grandson and heir of George Carteret, one of the eight Lord Proprietors of Carolina, appointed by King Charles II in 1668. Carteret became a county in 1739.
The new precinct was named Carteret in honor of John Carteret, grandson and heir of George Carteret, one of the eight Lord Proprietors of Carolina, appointed by King Charles II in 1668. Carteret became a county in 1739.
