The coat of arms was given to Nils "and his legitimate descendants, male as well as female, those born as well as unborn," who may use it "in all noble and knightly matters, performances and festive gatherings, in the field, in battles, stormings, skirmishes, tournaments, titlings, reproductions, seals, and also on all other occasions in jest and in seriousness according to what seems best to him and them." The painting of the Gyllenhaal arms shown above still hangs in the Riddarhuset (House of Nobles). Painted on a copper plate, it was apparently nailed to the wall of the big meeting hall of the Riddarhuset on the day that the family was introduced to the House in 1672.

The second Gyllenhaal coat of arms was granted to Carl Henrik Gyllenhaal when he became the family's first friherre (baron) in 1837. He was introduced at the House of Nobles the following year (Nr 388). While it was usual for an heir to adopt the same heraldic device as his father, it was also necessary to distinguish his arms from those of other family relations. For this reason two or more coats could be placed on the same shield to signify inheritance, a marriage alliance, or the holding of a particular office. In the case of Carl Henrik's coat of arms, the original Gyllenhaal shield was retained in the center, but the rest of his shield was "quartered," as was usual with baronial coats of arms in Sweden. The four new coats in the shield contain his marital arms and arms of office. The crown above the shield is usual with baronial arms. [Note: the descriptions of the four coats with the shield below will follow heraldic convention by referring to the elements of the shield from the shieldholder's point of view (his left is your right).]:

The shield is surmounted by a crest coronet, above which is a mirrored letter C. These letters contain within them the Roman ciphers "XIV," a reference to King Carl XIV Johan, his great benefactor. (Carl Henrik was a close advisor to the King, and held the formal post of one of the Chamberlains of the Court.) Above the shield to the left is the Gyllenhaal family crest. The crest to the right of the coronet is crowned with an owl, the symbol of knowledge and wisdom; this may allude to Carl Henrik's position as one of the King's personal advisors.

There are two "supporters," one on each side of the shield. The green soldier refers to Carl Henrik's military service as captain of the Värmland Riflemen, and the horse refers to his post as colonel of the Jämtland Mounted Riflemen.

A motto in French is contained in a scroll above the crests: "Honneur, Candeur, Reconnaissance" (Honor, Candor, Gratitude).

The third Gyllenhaal coat of arms was granted to the Excellence Lars Herman Gyllenhaal. Lars Herman was a fourth cousin and contemporary of Carl Henrik, who was just two years his elder. It is believed that Carl Henrik advised the King to take his cousin Lars Herman into his service, and also to make him his principal minister (the justiestatsminister, or Prime Minister of Justice). He became the family's second friherre (baron) in 1843 on February 6, one month after he became justiestatsminister. He was introduced at the House of Nobles the following year (Nr 396).

The shield is surmounted by a crest coronet identical to the one above Carl Henrik's shield. To the left of the coronet is the familiar Gyllenhaal family crest. To the right of the coronet is a crest featuring secret masonic symbols. (Lars Herman was a high mason with the order of Karl XIII, an order created by that Monarch, the adoptive father of Carl XIV Johan, to further the cause of masonry in Sweden.)

The two lion "supporters" on either side of the shield may allude to the fact that the Excellence Lars Herman held one of the two highest offices in the Realm. Similar lion supporters are found on the Great Coat of Arms of the King of Sweden.

The various Gyllenhaal coats of arms have been reproduced in a variety of media over the years, including paintings, sculptures and jewelry. The Gyllenhaal Family Tree Project has been collecting photographs of these, and we would apprreciate hearing about any additional examples.

This "funeral coat of arms" or begravningsvapen hangs in the center of the north wall of the historic church in Bråttensby, Västergötland. The begravningsvapen were created for deceased noblemen and were made of painted wood, usually carved in relief. It was carried on a pole during the funeral procession, and was usually hung on an interior wall of the church after burial. Because the begravningsvapen was painted with the name of the deceased, and sometimes even the date of death, they are important today as historical documents as well as works of art. Many churches in Sweden have had them hanging on their walls for centuries. The Gyllenhaal example (Nr 814) is very large, carved in wood, and heavily repainted, but it still retains the proper heraldic colors. The plaque beneath it is inscribed for H. R. Gyllenhaal. Undoubtedly these initials refer to Hans Reinhold Gyllenhaal (1724-1796), Leonard's father. However, it is likely that it was originally made for Gudmund Gyllenhaal (1643-1700/01), the oldest son of Nils. Gudmund may be buried in the church cemetery. If this is the case, then the inscription on the plaque was probably repainted long after the death of Hans Reinhold by someone who was confused about the identity of the owner.

According to the church's pamphlet, when the building was renovated in 1898 several crypts were found beneath the flooring of the church. One of the crypts was made of oak planks and contained seven coffins; these are believed to belong to the Gyllenhaal-Wahlfelt family of Bråttensby manor (Wahlfelt was the surname of Leonard Gyllenhaal's mother). Hans Reinhold, Leonard's father, was supposedly found in one of the coffins. The family had come to Bråttensby manor (säteri) in the 1660s. It is known that in 1665 the owner was Gudmund, the son of Nils, who had been ennobled Gyllenhaal just a few years earlier in 1652. The family later lived at Ribbingsberg and Stora Höberg, respectively in Sodra Härene and Norra Vånga. It may never be known for sure whether this begravningsvapen was made for Gudmund, but it may be possible to arrive at a general date for the piece by stylistic comparisons.

The most frequently asked question on the Internet newsgroup rec.heraldry is: "My name is Smith (or Jones), what are my arms?" The short answer is this: "Your family probably has no coat of arms. Most families don't. Discovering whether your family has arms is a time-consuming problem in genealogy." The answer for Gyllenhaal descendants, however, is fairly straightforward, as the Gyllenhaal name is unique. Unlike people with the names Smith and Jones, all Gyllenhaals are related to each other.

In Sweden, after the revolution of 1809, a paragraph was added to the constitution specifying that only the eldest male heir should inherit noble titles. However, the constitution of 1809 affected only those who were ennobled after that date. Since the Gyllenhaal family (Nr 814) was ennobled before 1809, everyone who is born with (or is married to) the surname Gyllenhaal has the right to bear that coat of arms.

The two baronial coats of arms, however, were granted after the 1809 constitution, and are therefore more restricted in their use. The Excellence Lars Herman Gyllenhaal's 2nd great-grandson, also named Lars Herman Gyllenhaal, holds the title friherre and is presently the only male in the family entitled to this baronial coat of arms (Nr 396). His wife Monica holds the title friherrinna (baroness), so she may also bear these arms. The baronial arms of Carl Henrik Gyllenhaal (Nr 388) are no longer in use; Carl Henrik's son died in 1910 without heirs, and that branch of the family has ended.