The origins of the coat of arms of Catalonia are not known for sure. At the end of the 11th century, the counts of Barcelona were using red pales on a gold field. The number of pales was fixed at four during the reign of Jaume I. The coat of arms of the counts of Barcelona was used by their vassals throughout their lands in Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia and Majorca.

The legend attributing the origins of the coat of arms of Catalonia to Guifré el Pelós was first published in the 14th century. According to the story, the French king Louis le Pieux dipped his fingers in the blood issuing from Guifré's wounds and ran his fingers down the golden shield of the count of Barcelona. This legend remains one of the best known founding myths of Catalonia.