The Borough Coat of arms is the symbol of the corporate body of citizens of Newham.

The Council  is a legal entity usually referred to as the 'Mayor and Burgesses of the London Bororugh of Newham' (or simply 'the Corporation') and as such is entitled to apply for a Grant of Arms (called armorial bearings). Upon its inception in 1965, one of the early items of business conducted by the new council was to apply to the College of Arms for such a grant. The heraldic description appears below, followed by some explanatory notes.

Heraldic Description. "Per fesse Gules and Or, in Chief a Ship under Sail proper and two Hammers in saltire of the second; In Base three Chevronels of the first; over all a Pale Ermine, thereon a Crosier erect also of the second. And for the Crest on a Wreath of the Colours, in front of a Sword in bend dexter point downwards proper, pomel and hilt Gold, surmounted by a Crosier in bend sinister Or a Sun rising in Splendour proper."

The Grant of Arms draws largely from that of the former County Borough of West Ham, but uses the motto from the former East Ham County Borough arms.

Notes: Firstly, it should be borne in mind that a coat of arms is described from the point of view of the wearer, not the viewer. The full description is known as the blazon.

Per fesse: the shield is divided horizontally - usually a little over ⅓ of its length.Gules: ancient term for the colour red (a colour is called a tincture in heraldry).Or: the metal gold. In Chief: the upper part of the shield division. Proper: i.e in its true or normal colour, as opposed to one of the heraldic colours.The ship represents the docks and maritime trade.The hammers in saltire represent the former Thames Iron Works and Railway works; "saltire" is the name for the St Andrew's cross.

Of the first /second; i.e. the first -or second- colour or metal mentioned. In Base: the lower (approx ⅔ )of the shield. Three chevronels in red: these probably originate in the Arms of the one of the families holding the ancient Norman manors. The ermine (squirrel or stoat fur) band is per pale, meaning vertically and it has on it a crosier of gold derived from the shepherd's crook, an ecclesiastical symbol and representative of the ancient abbey of Stratford Langthorne.

The crest is everything above the shield. The wreath was a cape held on the helmet by a twisted piece of material to hold it in place and would have helped to keep the sun off the helmet in hot climates. It is of the same colours as the shield. The sword is shown bend dexter i.e. slanting down to the right; the crosier, in bend sinister, i.e. slanting to the left. Together the sword and crosier represent "magistracy and ministry" the two foundations on which the country is established: law and order and the pastoral work of the church. The sun is rising, representing social progress and enlightenment, etc. The helmet is made of steel (represented in black) and faces to the right, representing esquires or gentlemen, i.e. the town councillors, as opposed to the nobility.

Motto: Progress with the People.

Whilst the Council still holds the right to display these arms, it has chosen over the years to adopt other corporate identities, known as a Logo.