A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Amesbury family of England.
Reg. 7091 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Sa. two dexter arms conjoined in fesse ar. betw. three crosses crosslet or (another, the crosses botonnée fitchée or)”
EssexEssex, c. 1620
Where the Amesbury Arms Were Recorded
Essex
Map of England showing where the Amesbury arms are recorded
The Amesbury arms were recorded in Essex, c. 1620.
Essex lay close enough to London for City money to buy land there. Merchants who prospered moved out to estates within a day's ride, and a new landowner almost always wanted arms to go with the ground.
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 Amesbury 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 Essex.
Origin & History of the Amesbury Family in England
The surname Amesbury is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific geographic place rather than an occupation or a personal trait. It is derived from the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire, which is famous for its proximity to the ancient monument of Stonehenge. By the early seventeenth century, members of the family had migrated from their ancestral roots to settle in the county of Essex. Records from 1620 confirm that the family was well-established in this region during a time of significant social and economic change in England. As the family moved across the English landscape, they carried the name of their original home with them, helping to preserve a connection to their geographic origins even as they built new lives in different parts of the country.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ambresbyrig
Old English for the fortified place or burgh of Ambrosius.
This name
AmesburyRefers to a person originating from the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire, England.
also spelled
Amesbury
Armsbury
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Essex Record Office, Quarter Sessions Rolls, Q/SR 230
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
cross symbolChristian faith and service
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
