diff --git a/segpy/header.py b/segpy/header.py
index 2083cdc..82a9f01 100644
--- a/segpy/header.py
+++ b/segpy/header.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from itertools import chain
 
 from segpy import __version__
 from segpy.docstring import docstring_property
-from segpy.util import underscores_to_camelcase, first_sentence, super_class
+from segpy.util import underscores_to_camelcase, first_sentence, super_class, collect_attributes
 
 
 class Header:
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class FormatMeta(type):
     """
 
     @classmethod
-    def __prepare__(mcs, name, bases):
+    def __prepare__(mcs, name, bases, *args, **kwargs):
         return OrderedDict()
 
     def __new__(mcs, name, bases, namespace):
@@ -134,6 +134,63 @@ class FormatMeta(type):
         return super().__new__(mcs, name, bases, namespace)
 
 
+def is_public_non_field_attr(name, attr):
+    return (not name.startswith('_')) and (not isinstance(attr, HeaderFieldDescriptor) and (not isinstance(attr, classmethod)))
+
+
+class SubFormatMeta(FormatMeta):
+    """A metaclass for a format class which has a subset of the fields in an existing format class.
+
+    SubFormat classes can be used to reduce storage requirements and increase performance, since they can be
+    used to generate simpler HeaderPackers.
+
+    SubFormat classes must be declared as:
+
+    class MySubFormat(metaclass=SubFormatMeta,
+                     format_class=MyFormatClass,
+                     field_names=['first_field_name',
+                                  'second_field_name'])
+        pass
+    """
+
+    def __new__(mcs, name, bases, namespace, parent_format, parent_field_names):
+        """
+        Args:
+            name: The name of the actual class being created by this metaclass.
+            bases: The base classes of the actual class.
+            parent_format: An existing Format (?Header) on which (sort out terminology here)
+                of which this format has a subset of fields.
+            field_names: An iterable series of field names which this format should
+                duplicate from the parent_format.
+        """
+
+        # TODO: We need an inheritance aware getattr for class attributes!
+        # Copy the requested fields, by creating a new descriptor based
+        # on information retrieved from the existing descriptor
+
+        for field_name in parent_field_names:
+            named_field = getattr(parent_format, field_name)
+            assert named_field.name == field_name
+            field_copy = field(named_field.value_type,
+                               named_field.offset,
+                               named_field.default,
+                               named_field.documentation)
+            namespace[field_name] = field_copy
+
+        # Copy other non-field class attributes
+        non_field_attributes = list(collect_attributes(parent_format, Header, is_public_non_field_attr))
+        namespace.update((name, value) for _, name, value in non_field_attributes)
+
+        # Add a reference back to the original format
+        namespace['_parent_format'] = parent_format
+
+        return super().__new__(mcs, name, bases, namespace)
+
+    def __init__(mcs, name, bases, namespace, parent_format, parent_field_names):
+        # Absorb the additional arguments
+        super().__init__(name, bases, namespace)
+
+
 class NamedField:
     """Instances of NamedField can be detected by the NamedDescriptorResolver metaclass."""