In heraldry, an augmentation (often termed augmentation of honour or sometimes augmentation of arms) is a modification or addition to a coat of arms, typically given by a monarch as either a mere mark of favour, or a reward or recognition for some meritorious act. The grants of entire new coats by monarchs as a reward are not augmentations, but rather grants of arms, and (in theory) an augmentation mistakenly given to someone who did not have a right to a coat would be nugatory.

Augmentations could be of any kind: an ordinary, a charge, or a partition of the field. Most often it involves a chief or a canton, which contains a part or the entirety of the arms of the sovereign, which he concedes to a loyal vassal.

Not all modifications to a coat of arms are augmentations of honour. Brisures, for example, are for the cadet lines of the dynasty, which are made by adding a label, bend, bordure, etc.

A common case of augmentations of honour are French cities having in their arms a chief Azure, three fleurs de lys or, also known as the "chief of France", given to cities "faithful" to the king. . Grand Priors of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem bore augmentations On a chief gules a cross argent, known as a "chief of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem".See for example arms of Thomas Dowcra

In Scotland the most frequent augmentation is the double tressure flory-counter-flory, the most distinctive feature of the Scottish royal arms, for example as granted (in a somewhat ironic usage) by Henry VIII of England to Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (an Englishman) after his victory over the Scots at the Battle of Flodden. A more bona fide one was granted by Charles II of England to William Drummond, 1st Viscount Strathallan (c.1617–1688), a Scots nobleman and Royalist during the Civil War. Other forms of Scottish augmentations were granted, for example, to Sir Alexander Campbell, 1st Baronet who received an augmentation "a chief argent charged with a rock proper subscribed Gibraltar, between two medals for Seringapatam and Talavera" commemorating his part in the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

Examples

Emperor Charles V, who was also King of Spain, granted to Juan Sebastián Elcano, the surviving commander of the Ferdinand Magellan expedition that first circumnavigated the world, an augmentation of arms consisting of a world globe with the words Primus circumdedisti me (Latin: "You first encircled me"). Charles V's grandmother Isabella I of Castille added a pomegranate to her coat of arms in honor of the capture of Granada.

The table below provides further examples of augmentations in British heraldry.

+Name of granteeShield augmentationCrest augmentationSupporters augmentationMary Abercromby, 1st Baroness Abercromby (in memory of her late husband Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Abercromby KB)A Fess embattled Gules, out of the embattlements issuant in chief a Dexter Arm embowed in Armour proper, garnished Or, encircled by a Wreath of Laurel, the hand supporting Military Colours in bend Sinister, intended to represent those styled by the French “The Invincible Standard”, NoneNoneGeneral Sir David Baird, 1st BtOn a canton ermine a sword in pale proper.NoneNoneColonel James Stevenson Barnes CBA chief, thereon the representation of the curtain of a fortification, and above, the word St Sebastian and also a canton, charged with representations of the gold Cross presented by His Majesty's command-to the said James Stevenson Barns and a like badge of the Royal Portuguese Military Order of the Tower and Sword pendent from the ribbands to which the said distinctions are respectively attached.Issuant from a broken battlement a dexter arm in armour, the-hand grasping a banner, inscribed “St Sebastian”.NoneGeneral Sir George BeckwithNone.Issuant from a mural crown, an arm embowed, encircled with a wreath of laurel, the hand grasping an eagle or French standard, the staff broken.None.Major General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCH, FRS, FRSEA chief embattled argent thereon on waves of the sea a ship of war under sail between two forts, the guns firing and on the battlements the Dutch flag all proper.Dexter out of a naval crown or, a dexter arm embowed in the uniform of a captain of the Royal Navy, the band grasping a cutlass ppr. hilted and pomelled or, and from the band pendent by a ribbon ar. fimbriated az. a gold medal.NoneSir Philip Bowes Vere Broke, 1st Baronet KCBNoneIssuant from a naval crown, a dexter arm embowed, encircled by a wreath of laurel, the hand grasping a trident erect, together with the motto "Scevumque tridentem servarnus".NoneGeneral Sir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet, GCBA chief, embattled thereon a representation of the sceptre and banner of the King of Kandy in saltire, ensigned with the crown of that Kingdom.A demi Kandian, holding in the dexter hand a sword, and in the sinister the crown of Kandy.NoneSir Alexander Burnes, C.B., and Lieut. Charles BurnesOn a chief gules, the White Horse of Hanover between two Eastern crowns or.Out of a mural crown per pale vert and gules, the colours of the Dourane Empire, the rim inscribed “Cabool" in letters argent, a demi-eagle displayed transfixed by a javelin in bend sinister proper.NoneField Marshal John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford GCB, GCHIn bend sinister, a representation of the colour of the 31st regiment of foot.Out of a mural crown an arm embowed, grasping the colour of the aforesaid 31st regiment, and pendent from the wrist by a ribband the gold cross presented to him.NoneMajor-General Sir Neil Campbell CBOn a chief a lion passant guardant, grasping in the dexter paw a sword; and on a canton, pendent from a ribbon, a representation of the badge of the Imperial Russian Military Order of St. George conferred upon the said Sir Neil Campbell by His Majesty the-Emperor of All the Russias.Out of a mural crown, a demi lion guardant guttee de sang, grasping a sword as in the arms, and gorged, with a ribbon, pendent therefrom a representation of the gold medal conferred upon him for his service at the aforesaid capture of Ciudad Rodrigo and battle of Salamanca.NoneLieutenant General Sir James Campbell, 1st Baronet GCHIn centre chief point by a ribbon, a representation of the gold cross presented to him, by His Majesty's royal command, for his services in the Peninsula, and a chief, thereon a castle, and over it the word "BADAJOZ", with a canton, charged with an elephant, and the word "ARGAUM".A demi lion, supporting the colours of the 94th Regiment of Foot.NoneAdmiral William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk KCBOr, an eagle displayed azure, armed and membered sable, and as an honourable augmentation, charged on the breast with a naval crown gold, and over the eagle the word "Trafalgar."1. The stem of a line-of-battle ship on fire proper. 2. Out of a naval crown or, a demi-leopard proper.On either side a leopard regardant proper, each holding a banner argent, charged with the Cross of St. George, and thereon inscribed “Britannia Victrix," chains round the necks, from which is suspended on the breast the medal of merit, presented to the Earl of Northesk in remembrance of the victory of Trafalgar.General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough KG, PCIn chief an escutcheon argent, charged with the cross of St. George gules, and thereon an escutcheon of the arms of France namely: azure, three fleurs-de-lys or.NoneNoneLieutenant-General Sir Alexander Clark Kennedy KCB KHOn a chief ermine, the eagle and colours of the 105th Regt. and a sword crossed proper, and above them the word "Waterloo".A demi-man in the uniform of the Royal Dragoons, holding in his dexter hand a sword, and sinister a French eagle all proper.None.Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane GCBNoneOut of a naval crown or, a dexter arm embowed, vested azure, cuffed argent, the hand holding a flagstaff proper, thereon hoisted the flag of a rear-admiral of the white, being argent, a cross gules, and thereon the words "St. Domingo" in letters of goldNoneCaptain Sir Christopher Cole KCBOn a bend a scaling ladder, over all a canton thereon, on a mount a castle with five towers inscribed “BELGICA”As an augmentation to his crest, (being a demi-dragon charged with three annulets) the same issuant from a naval crown, and supporting a flag-staff, thereon hoisted a Dutch ensign; the centre stripe inscribed BANDA, and above an English pendant flying.NoneVice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron CollingwoodA Chief wavy, thereon a Lion passant guardant and navally crowned, with the word "TRAFALGAR"The Stern of a Man of War, representing that of the Royal Sovereign, between a Branch of Laurel and a Branch of Oak.NoneField Marshal Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere GCB GCH KSI PCIn chief, pendent from a ribbon gules, a representation of a medal presented to the Viscount, after the battle of Salamanca.Upon a mount vert, a soldier of the 3rd Regt. Of Light Dragoons, mounted all proper, in the attitude of charging the enemy, and over this crest in a scroll azure, the word "Salamanca" in letters of gold.NoneSir Bartholomew de Crequi, Lord de la RocheOn a canton or a rose gules.NoneNoneSir John Croft, 1st Baronet, DL, FRSNoneA lion passant guardant per pale indented gules and erminois, the dexter forepaw resting on an escutcheon argent, charged with the Star of the Order of the Tower and Sword.On the dexter side a lion guardant or, gorged with a wreath of laurel vert, therefrom pendent an escutcheon gules, charged with a tower gold; and on the sinister a bull sable, horned, crined, hoofed, and gorged with a wreath of laurel or, therefrom pendent an escutcheon argent, charged with the Star of the Order of the Tower and Sword proper.