
Sweden, Coats of Arms of each province above, is one of the European countries where an heraldic administration has been maintained , side by side with a democratic system of monarchical government. In Sweden heraldry was, until the mid 20th century, under the Riksheraldiker or King of Arms. The chief heraldic official is now known as the Statsheraldiker. The Riksheraldiker of Sweden registered the Coats of Arms for persons who were being made Barons, Counts or other nobles and the Coats of Arms so registered were incorporated in the patents issued by the Crown. The granting of arms and entry into the nobility were thus synchronized. In Sweden, as in England, Coats of Arms of burghers or citizens were unknown and are still unknown to the Crown. In Sweden Coats of Arms have only been granted to the nobility. With a strong German influence on Swedish commerce in ancient times it is obvious that citizens Arms were bound to penetrate into the trading communities of the Nation. But, owing to the fact that the Crown did not recognize such Arms these Coats of Arms, which burghers or citizens might have desired to adopt, were never allowed to take root. The most common use of such non-nobility Arms in Sweden were occasions where a person needed an heraldic device for a seal in connection with his business and later adopted it in the form of Coat of Arms. These arms could not be handed down to descendants however and disappeared upon the death of the bearer.

.