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How did marks of cadency distinguish members of the same family?

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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.

In heraldry, marks of cadency are specific devices added to a coat of arms to distinguish the head of a family from younger members, known as cadets. By reserving the undifferenced arms for the family head, these marks clarify the bearer's genealogical position.12

During the 16th century, a standardized system of marks was developed to denote birth order:1

Eldest son: label
Second son: crescent
Third son: mullet
Fourth son: martlet
Fifth son: annulet
Sixth son: fleur-de-lis
Seventh son: rose

Historically, differences were also achieved by changing tinctures or adding small charges to the field. While these rules are largely obsolete in England and on the Continent, they remain strictly enforced in Scotland under the jurisdiction of the Lord Lyon King of Arms, where younger sons must petition for matriculation of the paternal arms with appropriate differences. Additionally, the British royal family maintains a strict system of cadency because their arms represent sovereignty and cannot be shared.1