''Semper fidelis'' () is a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal" (Fidelis or Fidelity). It is the

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. M ...

of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...

, usually shortened to Semper Fi. It is also in use as a motto for towns, families, schools, and other military units. It is thought that it originated from the phrase that the senators of ancient Rome declaimed at the end of their intervention. The earliest definitively recorded use of ''semper fidelis'' is as the motto of the French town of Abbeville since 1369. It has also been used by other towns, and is recorded as the motto of various European families since the 16th century, and possibly since the 13th century or earlier. Records show many families in England, France and Ireland using this motto. The earliest recorded use of ''semper fidelis'' by a military unit is by the Duke of Beaufort's Regiment of Foot, raised in south-western England in 1685. This is apparently linked to its use as a motto by the city of

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

no later than 1660. Subsequently, a variety of military organizations adopted the motto.

Families and individuals

This phrase was used in Europe, at least in Great Britain, Ireland and France and probably in other countries as well. A more recent adoption is by

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Joe Doyle, in arms granted by the Chief Herald of Ireland in 1999. Bernard Burke in 1884 listed many notable families in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

using the motto "Semper fidelis" in their

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in i ...

. They include: *

Lynch Lynch may refer to: Places Australia * Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica * Lynch Point, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica * Lynch's Crater, Queensland, Australia England * River Lynch, Hertfordshire * The Lynch, an island in the Rive ...

family (Ireland): "Semper Fidelis" is the family motto of the Lynch family. The Lynches were one of the Tribes of Galway who were fourteen merchant families who dominated the political, commercial, and social life of the city of

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

in western Ireland between the 13th and 16th centuries. Members of the 'Tribes' were considered Old English gentry. The Lynches were descended from William Le Petit, who was one of the Norman knights who settled in Ireland following the grant of Ireland as a fiefdom by

Pope Adrian IV Pope Adrian IV ( la, Adrianus IV; born Nicholas Breakspear (or Brekespear); 1 September 1159, also Hadrian IV), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 4 December 1154 to his death in 1159. He is the only Englishman t ...

to King

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin kin ...

in the early 12th century. "Semper Fidelis" appears on the Lynch Family coat of arms. Although the earliest traceable reference to this usage is

James Hardiman James Hardiman (1782–1855), also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College, Galway. Hardiman is best remembered for his '' History of the Town and County of Galway'' (1820) and '' Irish Minstrelsy'' (1831), one of the f ...

's history of Galway published in 1820, the history of the family makes it likely that the motto was in use by the 14th or 15th century. * Frith family (Ireland): The family of John Frith, Protestant martyr, is thought to have used the motto as far back as the 16th century. John Frith is the earliest entry in Burke's list of the Frith family. The Friths settled in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, after John Frith's execution. The family fought at the Battle of the Boyne. * Edge family (England): The Edge family of Strelley, Nottinghamshire, were using the motto "Semper fidelis" by 1814 at the latest (see UK National Archives document reference DD/E/209/32-34). The arms were granted in 1709, but it is not recorded whether the motto formed part of the initial grant. * Molteno family (South Africa): The Molteno family motto is recorded as "semper fidelis" on versions of their arms held in the archives of the University of Cape Town. * Onslow family (England): the family of the

Earls of Onslow Earl of Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Shropshire and of Clandon Park in the County of Surrey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for George Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow, George Onslow, 4th Baron Onslow. H ...

uses the motto "Semper fidelis" (see also Lodge, 1832), though their alternative motto (the punning ''

Festina lente ''Festina lente'' () or ''speûde bradéōs'' (, ) is a classical adage and oxymoron meaning "make haste slowly" (sometimes rendered in English as "more haste, less speed"). It has been adopted as a motto numerous times, particularly by the emp ...

'') is better known. * Stewart family (Scotland; also spelled Steuart, especially in older sources): "Semper Fidelis" is the family motto of the Stewart family of

Ballechin Ballechin distillery was a Scotch whisky distillery operated between 1810 and 1927 and was one of seven original farm distilleries operating in Perthshire. Out of these seven, Edradour is the only one remaining. Later in life the distillery was ...

in Perthshire. J. Burke (1836, pp. 149–150) records that the family goes back to an illegitimate son of James II of Scotland (1430–1460), and the motto is recorded by Burke and by Robson (1830). However they do not report the date of its first use. Burke's full list of families using the motto was: Booker, Barbeson, Bonner, Broadmead, Carney, Chesterman, Dick, Dickins, Duffield, Edge, Formby, Frisby, Garrett, Haslett, Hill, Houlton, Kearney, Lynch, Lund, Marriott, Nicholls, Onslow, Pollexfen, Smith, Steele, Steehler, Steuart, Stirling and Wilcoxon. A large portion of these families were Irish or Scottish. Chassant and Tausin (1878, p. 647) list the following French families as using it: D'Arbaud of Jonques, De Bréonis, Chevalier of Pontis, Du Golinot of Mauny, De Coynart, De Genibrouse of Gastelpers, Macar of the Province of Liege, Milet of Mureau, Navoir of Ponzac, De Piomelles, De Poussois, de Lamarzelle, De Reymons, Henry de Lolière and De Rozerou of Mos.

Cities

Abbeville (since 1369)

The city of Abbeville in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

is recorded by 19th century sources (such as Chassant and Taussin, 1878) as using the motto "Semper fidelis," and recent sources state that the city was accorded this motto by Charles V, by letters patent of 19 June 1369, issued at Vincennes. This would make it the earliest recorded user of the motto among cities. However both Louandre (1834, p. 169) and the city's current official website give the motto simply as "Fidelis", and Sanson (1646, p. 15) claimed that even this was not part of Charles's original grant, but was added later, sometime in the 14th to 17th centuries.

Lviv

In 1658, Pope Alexander VII bestowed the heraldic motto "Leopolis semper fidelis" on

Lviv Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in Western Ukraine, western Ukraine, and the List of cities in Ukraine, seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is o ...

(then part of the Kingdom of Poland). In 1936, the motto "Semper fidelis" was applied again to the coat of arms of the city (then part of the Second Polish Republic). Today, in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, the motto is referenced mainly in connection with the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1919 following the collapse of

Austro-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern ...

in the wake of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, and more especially in connection with the Polish-Bolshevik War that followed. In Ukraine, the phrase is used much less, and refers to the survival of the Ukrainian Church through the period of Soviet persecution.

Exeter (since 1660 or earlier)

The City of

, in

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

, England, has used the motto since at least 1660, when it appears in a manuscript of the local chronicler, Richard Izacke. Izacke claimed that the

was adopted in 1588 to signify the city's loyalty to the English Crown. According to Izacke, it was

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

who suggested that the city adopt this motto (perhaps in imitation of her own motto, ''Semper eadem'', "Ever the same"); her suggestion is said to have come in a letter to "the Citizens of Exeter," in recognition of their gift of money toward the fleet that had defeated the Spanish Armada. John Hooker's map of Exeter of around 1586 shows the city's coat of arms without the motto, suggesting that the city's use of the motto is no older than this. However the city archives do not hold any letter relating to the motto, and Grey (2005) argues that the Elizabethan origin of the motto may be no more than a local myth, since it is not recorded in contemporary chronicles, and that it may have been adopted at the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy to compensate for the city's less than total loyalty to the crown during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...

. Various bodies associated with the city of Exeter also use the motto: * The

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

HMS ''Exeter'', which is named after the City of Exeter. * Various Exeter-based units of the British Army, see below. * There is a Masonic Lodge in Exeter, called "Lodge Semper Fidelis." * Exeter City Police – the motto was inscribed on the force crest. * Exeter City Fire Brigade featured the motto on their brigade crest * Some versions of the crest of Exeter City Football Club

St. Malo (since 17th century or earlier)

"Semper fidelis" is the motto of the town of

St. Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast. The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the All ...

, in

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

, France. The date of its adoption is not known, but it appears to have been in use in the 17th century, replacing an earlier motto, "Cave canem".

Calvi

"Civitas Calvi Semper Fidelis" may have been the motto of the city of Calvi, Balagna area in

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

for 500 years.

White Plains

"Semper Fidelis" is the motto of the city of White Plains, in New York, United States.

Military units

Regiments from south-western England (from 1685)

The south-western English city of Exeter has used the motto ''semper fidelis'' since no later than 1660, inspiring its use by several south-western English military units.

Duke of Beaufort's Regiment of Foot (from 1685)

In 1685 the motto was used by Duke of Beaufort when The Duke of Beaufort's Regiment of Foot, or Beaufort Musketeers, were raised to defend Bristol against the

Duke of Monmouth's rebellion The Monmouth Rebellion, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, the Revolt of the West or the West Country rebellion, was an attempt to depose James II, who in February 1685 succeeded his brother Charles II as king of England, Scotland and ...

. It was numbered as the 11th Regiment of Foot when the numerical system of regimental designation was adopted in 1751 and was designated the regiment for North Devonshire (later the

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the First World War and the Second World War. In 1 ...

The 1st (Exeter and South Devon) Rifle Volunteer Corps (from 1852)

The 1st (Exeter and South Devon) Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised in Exeter in 1852, was using the motto on its cap badge by 1860 at the latest; the Illustrated London News reported its use in its 7 January 1860 issue. The motto was continued by

The Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the First World War and the Second World War. In 1 ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

Devonshire and Dorset Regiment (from 1958)

The motto was further continued on the badges of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment when the Devonshires were amalgamated into them in 1958. This use of the motto evidently derives from these regiments' close connection with the city of Exeter, where they had a base from their foundation (see the Illustrated London News article referenced above) until their disappearance by amalgamation into

the Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerl ...

in 2007.

The Irish Brigade of France (1690–1792) (''Semper et ubique Fidelis'')

The Irish units in France used a similar motto, "Semper et ubique Fidelis", meaning "Always and Everywhere Faithful". These units, forming the Irish Brigade, were raised in 1690-1 under the terms of the Treaty of Limerick, which ended the war between King James II and King William III in Ireland and Britain. As the native Irish army in exile, "Semper et ubique Fidelis" was a reference to their fidelity to the Catholic faith, King James II, and to the king of France. For decades the Irish Brigade served as an independent army within the French army, remaining "Always and Everywhere Faithful" to their native Irish traditions (such as having the men elect their own officers, unheard of in France and England). Antoine Walsh's regiment of the Irish Brigade is noted for aiding the American cause in the American Revolution, when they were assigned as

marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...

to John Paul Jones's ship, the . The involvement of Irish Brigade soldiers serving as marines in the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

may have inspired the adoption of the motto "Semper Fidelis" by the US Marines. This would be ironic since the Irish Brigade motto referred specifically to their loyalty to Catholicism and Catholic kings, while the American rebels were fighting for a republican form of government for a largely Protestant population. The phrase "Semper Fidelis" was made the official motto of the Marine Corps by

Charles Grymes McCawley Charles Grymes McCawley (January 29, 1827 – October 13, 1891) was the eighth commandant of the Marine Corps and served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. Biography ...

, the eighth Commandant of the Marine Corps, who was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which had a large Irish Catholic population. McCawley owed his commission to Senator Pierre Soulé of Louisiana, a Catholic born and raised in France, who would have been well aware of the Irish Brigade's service as Marines during the American Revolution.

French 47th Infantry Regiment

The French 47th Infantry Regiment used "Semper fidelis" as its motto.

Cadet Corps of the Dutch Royal Military Academy (since 1828)

"Semper fidelis" is the motto of the cadets corps of the Dutch Royal Military Academy. The corps was founded on 24 November 1828. 11 INF COA

11th Infantry Regiment, United States Army (since 1861)

"Semper fidelis" is also the motto of the 11th Infantry Regiment, which was founded in May 1861 by President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

. It served as part of the Army of Ohio and later in the Indian wars, Spanish–American War, 1916 Mexican Border war,

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, and the

Vietnam war The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. Today the regiment trains young Army officers at Fort Benning, Georgia. WestNSR

The West Nova Scotia Regiment (since 1936, inherited from Lunenburg Regiment, 1870)

"Semper fidelis" is the motto of

The West Nova Scotia Regiment The West Nova Scotia Regiment is a line infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, part of the Primary Reserve, and is part of the 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment recruits volunteers from the South-Western part of th ...

(of the

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

), formed in 1936. It inherited the motto from The Lunenburg Regiment, formed in 1870.

The United States Marine Corps (since 1883)

The

adopted the motto "Semper Fidelis" in 1883, on the initiative of Colonel Charles McCawley (29 January 1827 – 13 October 1891), the 8th Commandant of the Marine Corps. There were three mottos prior to Semper Fidelis including ''Fortitudine'' (meaning "with courage") antedating the War of 1812, ''Per Mare, Per Terram'' ("by sea, by land"; presumably inherited from the British Royal Marines, who have that as a motto), and, up until 1843, there was also the Marines' Hymn motto " To the Shores of Tripoli". "Semper fidelis" signifies the dedication and loyalty that individual Marines have for 'Corps and Country', even after leaving service. Marines frequently shorten the motto to "Semper Fi" . * "Semper Fidelis" is also the title of the official march of the United States Marine Corps, composed by John Philip Sousa in 1889. Sousa was director of the United States Marine Band ''(The President's Own)'' when a replacement for '' Hail to the Chief'' was requested, but later rejected. Sousa considered it to be his 'most musical' march. It was prominently featured in the film '' A Few Good Men.'' Charles Burr wrote the lyrics to the march. * On the United States Marine Corps Seal, the symbols of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem holds a ribbon emblazoned "Semper Fidelis".

Canadian Forces Base Valcartier (since 1914)

"Semper fidelis" is the motto of CFB Valcartier. The base was originally erected as a military camp in August 1914.

Swiss Grenadiers (since 1943)

The Swiss Grenadiers, first designated as such in 1943, and since 2004 forming a distinct Command in the Swiss Armed Forces, use the motto "Semper fidelis".

Republic of China Marine Corps (similar non-Latin version) (since 1947)

A Chinese-language version of ''Semper fidelis'' has been the motto of the

Republic of China Marine Corps The Republic of China Marine Corps (ROCMC; ), also known colloquially as the Taiwan Marine Corps, is the amphibious arm of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) responsible for amphibious combat, counter-landing and reinforcement of the areas under th ...

since 1 April 1947. The motto is not in Latin and literally means "loyalty forever". Their motto is specifically modelled on the United States Marine Corps motto.

Romanian Protection and Guard Service (since 1990)

"Semper Fidelis" is the motto of the

Protection and Guard Service Protection and Guard Service ( ro, Serviciul de Protecţie şi Pază, abbreviated SPP) is the Romanian institution designated to protect and defend dignitaries, as well as their family or close relatives. The institution operates independently, al ...

, a Romanian

secret service A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. Fo ...

concerned with the national security and personal security of officials in Romania.

Hungarian Government Guard (since 1998)

"Semper Fidelis" has been the official motto of the Hungarian Government Guard since 28 August 1998.

Ukrainian Marine Corps (similar non-Latin version) (From 2007)

A Ukrainian version of Semper-Fidelis, "Вірний завжди", or "Always Faithful", has been the motto of the Ukrainian Marines for much of its post-Soviet history.

Schools

"Semper Fidelis" serves as the motto of a number of schools around the world: *

Allentown Central Catholic High School Allentown Central Catholic High School (ACCHS) is a private, parochial school located at 301 North Fourth Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, ACCHS predominantly serves students from the Lehigh ...

in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States of America * Bloemhof Girls High in Stellenbosch, South Africa * Buffalo Seminary, Buffalo, New York * Cathedral Grammar School, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand * Chetwood Memorial Primary School,

Montego Bay Montego Bay is the capital of the parish of St. James in Jamaica. The city is the fourth-largest urban area in the country by population, after Kingston, Spanish Town, and Portmore, all of which form the Greater Kingston Metropolitan Area, h ...

, St James, Jamaica * College of Immaculate Conception, Uwani, Enugu, Nigeria * Emma Willard School, in Troy, New York, United States of America *

Gordon's School Gordon's School is a secondary school with academy status in West End near Woking, Surrey, England. It was founded as the Gordon Boys' Home in 1885. It is now one of the 36 state boarding schools in England. It converted to an academy on 1 Ja ...

, a secondary school in West End, Surrey, England since 1885 * Hagley Roman Catholic High School, an 11-18 school in Hagley, Worcestershire, England * Immaculate Conception College in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, since 1944 *

Kapiti College Kāpiti College is situated at Raumati Beach on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, 45 minutes drive from Wellington City. It was called Raumati District High School when built in 1954, then renamed Kapiti College in 1957. The Kapiti College m ...

, in Raumati, New Zealand * Killarney Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada *

Meriden School , motto_translation = Always faithful , established = , type = Independent single-sex early learning, primary, and secondary day school , gender = Girls , denomination = Anglicanism , educational_authority = New South Wales ...

in Strathfield, of Sydney, Australia * Monrad Intermediate School, in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

, New Zealand * Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Accrington, Lancashire, England * Sacred Heart College, Kyneton of Victoria, Australia * St. Anne's Catholic School, an 11–18 girls school in Southampton, England * St. Bede's Catholic School, a Primary school in

Weaverham Weaverham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. Just off the A49, it is just to the west of Northwich and south of the River Weaver, and has a population of ...

, Cheshire, England * St. Joseph's College, Bandarawela, Uva province, Sri Lanka, since 1909 *

St Mary's Catholic Academy St Mary's Catholic Academy (formerly St Mary's Catholic College) is a school in Layton, Blackpool, Lancashire. The school was involved with the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme and, despite the scheme being cancelled, it was announ ...

in Blackpool, England * University College of Appingedam, Groningen, The Netherlands * Vancouver College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada * Wynnum State High School, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Variants

B. Burke (1884) and Chassant & Tausin (1878), and other sources, list a number of similar mottos that appeared in family or city coats of arms in Great Britain, Ireland and France, though none was ever as popular as "Semper fidelis". They include: * ''Semper constans et fidelis'' ("Always constant and faithful"; Irton,

, Mellor and Spoor families) * ''Semper fidelis esto'' ("Be always faithful"; Steele family, Henry de Lolière family Auvergne Nobili Tome III) * ''Semper et ubique fidelis'' ("Always and everywhere faithful"; De Burgh family, presently used by Gonzaga College, Dublin) * ''Semper fidelis et audax'' ("Always faithful and brave"; Moore and O'More families) * ''Semper fidelis, mutare sperno'' ("Always faithful, I scorn to change"; City of

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...

) * ''Semper Fidus'' ("Always faithful") * ''Semper Roy'' ("Always Roy") – presently used by the Delhi Expat Cricket Team (The Viceroys)

References

Sources

* Grey, T. (2005). ''The Chronicle of Exeter''. Exeter: The Mint Press. * Lethbridge, Tony (2005). ''Exeter: a history and guide'' ( Stroud, Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing),

External links

Hardiman's history of the town of Galway

Exeter City Council site
giving supposed origin of Exeter's use of the motto.

from White's Devonshire Directory of 1850
Dutch Cadetscorps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Semper Fidelis 14th-century neologisms Latin mottos Exeter Plymouth Argyle F.C. National symbols of Poland United States Marine Corps lore and symbols History of Lviv Military mottos Abbeville