A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Adcock family of England.
Reg. 3011 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Az. on a saltire ar. nine pellets”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Adcock Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Adcock arms are recorded
The Adcock arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Adcock arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Adcock Family in England
The surname Adcock originated in England as a patronymic name, which means it was derived from the given name of a father or ancestor. It is a diminutive form of the name Adam, created by adding the suffix "cock," a common medieval term used to denote a young person or a son. By the time members of the family were documented in York in 1620, the name had already been established for several generations across various northern English counties. During this period, the Adcocks were typically part of the emerging middle class, often working as skilled tradesmen, merchants, or yeoman farmers. Their presence in a major hub like York suggests that the family was well-integrated into the local economy and social life of the seventeenth century, living through a time of significant religious and political change in England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Adam
A Hebrew name meaning son of the red earth.
This name
AdcockA diminutive form of Adam combined with the suffix cock, meaning son of Adam.
also spelled
Adcok
Adcoke
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
The National Archives, Probate Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1620
York Minster Library and Archives, Parish Registers of York, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
