Centuries-Old Crest Registration Backlog Finally Reaches the Letter 'D'

The International Heraldic Registry announced Tuesday that its crest registration processing queue has officially advanced to surnames beginning with the letter 'D,' marking the first alphabetical progress since 2019 when the office completed the letter 'C.' 'This is a momentous day,' said Chief Registrar Ambrose Quarterly, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief bearing his family crest. 'The Davenports, the De Lacys, the Drummonds — your time has finally come.' The backlog, which dates to 1484 when the registry first opened, has been a source of frustration for families waiting to formalize their armorial bearings. An estimated 340,000 applications are currently pending, with some families having submitted paperwork during the reign of Henry VII. 'My ancestor applied in 1502,' said Margaret Dalrymple, 78, who received her confirmation letter this week. 'He's been dead for five centuries, but I know he'd be pleased.' The delay is attributed to the registry's insistence on hand-illuminating every certificate and verifying each submission against all existing arms to prevent duplication. A single application requires an average of fourteen months of cross-referencing. 'We investigated using computers in 1997,' said Quarterly. 'The committee voted against it on the grounds that pixels lack the gravitas of vellum.' Families with surnames beginning with letters later in the alphabet have expressed despair. 'I'm a Worthington,' said one applicant. 'My great-grandchildren will be dead before they process the W's.' The Registry has urged patience, noting that 'heraldry is a marathon, not a sprint — specifically a marathon that started in the fifteenth century and shows no signs of finishing.'