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The falcon appears in heraldry as early as Edward the Second's reign (1284 - 1327), and its connotations are similar to those of the hawk. It is frequently depicted with bells on its legs or hooded. It was associated with the nobility or with monks, and symbolized chivalry, fortitude, and hope.
The fess represents the horizontal counterpart of the pale. Its variant, the bar, is much narrower and rarely appears on its own as a charge.
Fish occur less frequently as charges than animals or birds, and more often in canting arms. Like animal charges they had certain symbolic meanings, or were used in order to suggest a bearer's connection with the sea or fishing.
The so-called `flaunches' are figures which always occur in pairs, shaped as semicircular elongated arcs and placed on each side (flank) of the shield.
The fleur-de-lis, the heraldic representation of the lily, held an important place in French history. It had been bestowed upon Clovis, the first French king to convert to Christianity, and as such was a symbol of piety and faith. It also stands for purity and justice.
This type of heraldic lily was only distinguished during the early modern period by heralds in specialized works, as a fleur de lis missing its lower or sinister half. It symbolizes light and purity.
This distinct version of the fleur de lis also dates back to the early modernity, and differs from the original heraldic bearing through the fact that its lower half is `seeded'. This `florencee' version holds the same meaning as the regular fleur de lis, symbolizing purity, virtue and spirit.
Four crescents joined millsailwise create the heraldic figure termed `lunel' or `lunello'. In this case, the four charges are joined at the horns in a cross-like manner, and symbolize victory over foes of Christianity, virtue and warrior spirit.
The term `fourchy' refers to an animal (usually a lion) which is depicted with its tail forked. Similarly to the cross fourchy or cross Moline, it stands for virtue and vigilance.
The fox is associated with the ancient Mesopotamian god Enlil ("lord wind") whose priests observed the animals' behavior in order to predict the future. In shamanic cultures, the fox is a shape-shifter who is connected with magic and the dead. For Native peoples of South America, the fox brings fertility and rain. The fox also plays a relatively positive role in the cultures of the Siberian Eskimo, Quiché Maya, and the Moche of Peru. In other contexts, however, the fox is a more ambiguous figure. The Christian bible likens Herod to a fox and medieval Europe regarded the fox as crafty, wily, and deceptive. The animal was even associated with the devil. In many cultures, the fox is considered a sly, cunning, trickster figure. This profile is readily seen in stories and tales including Greek storyteller Aesop's "The Fox and the Crow" and "The Fox and the Grapes", the European fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood", the medieval story of Reynard the fox, and Ben Jonson's Renaissance play Volpone or the Fox.
The fret is a knot-like figure placed in center of the shield, similar to a combination between saltire (or a bend and a bend sinister) and a mascle. The fret is also used to create a patterned design on a shield.
The fleur-de-lis, the heraldic representation of the lily, held an important place in French history. It had been bestowed upon Clovis, the first French king to convert to Christianity, and as such was a symbol of piety and faith. It also stands for purity and justice.
When depicted `furious' or `incensed' an animal charged on a shield is meant to inspire fear in the bearer's enemies and to symbolize the bearer's strength, power and warrior spirit.
The two main so-called `furs' in heraldry are ermine and vair, from which a variety of other designs stem. These patterns represent conventional depictions of the furs of different animals which were used in medieval garments. For instance, ermine was the traditional fur worn by medieval kings.
Very similar to the field `lozengy', a field divided `fusilly' is also patterned with diamond-shaped figures. The fusils from which this variation draws its name are however narrower and more elongated than lozenges.