How are canting arms connected to a family name?

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Image shows a seal depicting several mythical creatures fighting. — heraldry Cylinder seal impression from the Akkadian period with a combat scene between a bearded hero and a bull-man and various beasts.

Canting arms, also known as punning arms, are a common feature in heraldry where the visual symbols on a coat of arms serve as a visual pun or wordplay on the bearer's family name.

These arms create a direct, often phonetic or symbolic connection between the name and the imagery displayed on the shield. For example, the arms of the Trumpington family might feature trumpets, while the arms associated with the name Shakespeare might include a spear.1

While these allusions were often obvious when they were first created, many have become obscure over time, requiring historical research to identify the original connection between the name and the heraldic charges.1