List of griffins as mascots and in heraldry

The Griffin (or Gryphon) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Combining the attributes of the "King of the Beasts" and the "King of the Air", it was thought to be especially powerful and majestic. Griffins appear widely as school sports team mascots, in heraldry and in corporate logos.

National symbols
The greater state arms of Latvia, with a griffin on the shield and a griffin as supporter

The coat of arms of Latvia has a griffin on the shield and a griffin as a supporter. The griffin on the shield is holding a sword and is the symbol of Vidzeme and Latgale (Eastern Latvia), one of the historical territories making up modern day Latvia.

Subdivisional and Municipal coats of arms
Pomeranian heraldic griffin

Some municipalities have griffins derived from state or county arms, e.g. many towns in the ancient province of Pomerania in Germany (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and Poland (Pomeranian Voivodeship and West Pomeranian Voivodeship) have the Pomeranian griffin in their arms.

Schools and Universities

Fairfield Central High School in Winnsboro SC

Sports and Athletics

Other uses
  • Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia has announced their new roller coaster for 2007 will be The Griffon, designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard.
  • Midland Bank used a griffin as its symbol before it was subsumed into its HSBC parent company.
  • Norwegian Army 2nd Battalion has a griffin insignia
  • The Saab auto company features a profiled griffin head in its logo. Saab Aerospace built a fighter jet, the JAS 39 Gripen, meaning "griffin" in Swedish.
  • Scania, a Swedish truck and bus manufacturer, uses the griffin as its trademark.
  • Sprecher Brewery features a heraldic black griffin in its logo. A cartoon griffin named Rooty appears on bottles of Sprecher Root Beer.
  • Vauxhall Motors of Luton, England, uses the griffin as its trademark.
  • The 367th Training Support Squadron unit patch is a Griffin holding a Globe and Torch.
  • Merv Griffin Entertainment used a griffin as its mascot & logo in its heyday.
  • US Army 407th BSB, 82nd Airborne Division distinctive unit crest Golden Griffin, WW2, Operation Market Garden original insignia, US Army Heraldry Department.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2009-11-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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