A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Algernon family of England.
Reg. 8211 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Or, a lion ramp. az. maned gu”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Algernon Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Algernon arms are recorded
The Algernon 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 Algernon 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 Algernon Family in England
The name Algernon originates from the Old French nickname *als gernons*, which translates literally to "with whiskers" or "with a moustache." It was originally used as a descriptive term to distinguish individuals who sported prominent facial hair during the medieval period. By the time members of the family were documented in York in 1620, the name had transitioned from a simple descriptive nickname into a formal given name and family identifier. During the seventeenth century, families in Northern England often lived in close-knit urban communities, and the presence of the Algernon name in York suggests the family was well-established within the local merchant or artisan classes of the city. As the name moved through generations, it lost its original connection to physical appearance and became a traditional family marker that helped define their identity within the social landscape of Yorkshire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
al gernon
Old French nickname meaning with whiskers or having a moustache.
This name
AlgernonDerived from a Norman-French descriptive epithet for a man with a prominent moustache.
also spelled
Algernoun
Algernun
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York, Archbishop of York Probate Records
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
